It won´t stay in tune...

Stefan · December 14th, 2007, 07:06 AM

...since I switched to .011´s. I have been using .010´s for a long time and I recantly switched to .011´s. It feels much better now and I have no problem at all when bending. There are some issues though.

1) It won´t stay in tune. The saddle slots have been filed to fit .011´s and I have adjusted the trussrod. But it gets slightly out of tune after a few bends. I have never had this problem before. The strings I use are Ernie Ball Power Slinky.

2) It sounds a bit dull when plugged in. The acoustic tone is great though.

Could all this be because of the Ernie Ball strings? They are just a few weeks old and I haven´t played them much so I consider them brand new.

BritishBluesBoy · December 14th, 2007, 07:09 AM

A few weeks old??? Time to change those suckers!!

neocaster · December 14th, 2007, 07:17 AM

I'd lube that nut before I tried anything else.

Tele Fan · December 14th, 2007, 07:32 AM

If the lube don't work I'd try some d'addario's (if that's spelled right). I use there .011's w/ a wound g and both of my tele's stay in tune for days, and I mean that quite literally.

Momotoro · December 14th, 2007, 08:12 AM

Kick to Tele-Tech, please.

tboy · December 14th, 2007, 09:09 AM

Here's a suggest. I've found that when bending is causing strings to go flat (I suspect they are not going sharp), it's because of the way you're winding them. They're slipping off the post. Make sure to get at least 7 or 8 good clean layered winds, spirled going down, on the higher unwound strings. Not as critical on the wound strings because the winds will grip the post. Forget tying them on. That's a big PIA when you break a string on the gig and have to do a quick change. I've installed my strings like this for decades, and have no tuning issues unless the keys are defective, and it sounds like yours are OK if they've worked in the past. You went to thicker strings, and you're probably just not getting enough clean winds on there.

Telemarkman · December 14th, 2007, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

A few weeks old??? Time to change those suckers!!

Just a few weeks old??? They're not played in yet.....Hee. hee!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tele Fan

I'd try some d'addario's

In my experience Ernie Ball are the better strings. And according to my electronic tuner they vibrate more evenly than D'Addario's.

But then I use the Hybrid Slinky's 9-46.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by tboy

Make sure to get at least 7 or 8 good clean layered winds,

With 7 or 8 winds you're bound to have the strings slipping. 2-3 winds will do.

Tom60 · December 14th, 2007, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neocaster

I'd lube that nut before I tried anything else.

+1 /or even cutting the slots ? would be irreversible, though.. /

My guess would be binding in the nut slots, I have the pitch shifting up with Bigsby now and then (where´s that pencil ??

.

tboy · December 14th, 2007, 09:45 AM

With all due repect, I've been stringing my Tele's like that for 25+ years, and it always works. The key is a clean install, with layered winds, no sloppy overlapping. I've used this technique to open shows for The Police, U2, Sqeeze, Iggy Pop, Jools Holland, UB40, record 2 albums for A&M, and do a feature film for Lorimar, situations where I need to stay in tune through very hard playing, and tuning issues I do not have. Give it a shot and see if it works for you also. Concerning the dullness, I would say the magnetic qualities of the strings are not interacting well with your pickup magnets, if it rings unplugged. Try a different metallic composition. Slinkys always work for me, but all PUP's a different, even the same make and model.

chucksmi · December 14th, 2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom60

+1 /or even cutting the slots ? would be irreversible, though.. /

My guess would be binding in the nut slots, I have the pitch shifting up with Bigsby now and then (where´s that pencil ??

.

+2

tboy · December 14th, 2007, 09:59 AM

Yea, a little nut sauce or graphite and vasoline in there never hurts, although way more critical with a whammy. Try that before recutting. (Make sure your neck bolts are tight also)

Vizcaster · December 14th, 2007, 10:09 AM

I understand from your post that you had the nut recut for the new gauge of strings. Is there any particular string you're having more trouble with? Sometimes there's a problem if your 4th string is .026 and the nut slot file set used by your tech has only an .024 file.

Sometimes even a properly cut nut slot can benefit from a little polishing. Wound strings are easy, just use a scrap of string with some reasonably abrasive compound on the string (like Menzerna pre-polish or old fashioned Turtle Wax Compund - the gritty stuff). Pull the scrap string back and forth a bit in the slot to smooth out the file marks from the nut slot file and you should find the tuning is much more reliable. This won't work for plain strings, so there you might have to use a bit of folded 600 or 800 grit sandpaper. Bone cuts pretty fast so go easy. After the slots are cleaned out, use a little graphite or Guitar Grease in the slot.

Also, once the slots are at the proper depth for your action preference, you sometimes have excess material so the mountains between the valleys are too high - that can be fixed by filing down the top of the nut until the wound strings sit a little deeper than half their width, and the plain strings are no deeper than their full diameter. Otherwise you might have too much friction from the sides of the slots.

lambchop · December 14th, 2007, 10:18 AM

Who re cut the nut slots and what did they use? Sounds like the slots may not be cut properly, there needs to be rounded bottoms to the slots. Once cut correctly some pencil lead in the slots plus a little grease on the backs of the string trees (lip balm/vaseline etc) this should sort out your issue.

tboy · December 14th, 2007, 04:38 PM

Also, make sure the bottoms of those slots are angled downhill toward the headstock, so that the strings "take off" cleanly from the fingerboard side of the nut, and strings are not catching on the back of the slot. That situation virtually lengthens your string scale by the width of the nut, but only on open strings. Mucho tuning havoc ensues.

December 14th, 2007, 07:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Stefan Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Age: 29 Posts: 1,798 36 Photos	It won´t stay in tune... ...since I switched to .011´s. I have been using .010´s for a long time and I recantly switched to .011´s. It feels much better now and I have no problem at all when bending. There are some issues though. 1) It won´t stay in tune. The saddle slots have been filed to fit .011´s and I have adjusted the trussrod. But it gets slightly out of tune after a few bends. I have never had this problem before. The strings I use are Ernie Ball Power Slinky. 2) It sounds a bit dull when plugged in. The acoustic tone is great though. Could all this be because of the Ernie Ball strings? They are just a few weeks old and I haven´t played them much so I consider them brand new. __________________ 1981 Capri Orange Fender Telecaster 1976 Fender Stratocaster 2005 Martin HD28

December 14th, 2007, 07:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
BritishBluesBoy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Age: 40 Posts: 3,952 62 Photos	A few weeks old??? Time to change those suckers!! __________________ BBB.

December 14th, 2007, 07:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
neocaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chester County, PA Age: 35 Posts: 3,366 11 Photos	I'd lube that nut before I tried anything else. __________________ "...You don't need faith if you know it's gonna work!"

December 14th, 2007, 07:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
Tele Fan Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Louisville, Ky Age: 29 Posts: 752	If the lube don't work I'd try some d'addario's (if that's spelled right). I use there .011's w/ a wound g and both of my tele's stay in tune for days, and I mean that quite literally. __________________ Life is better when you just make it up as you go along.

December 14th, 2007, 10:09 AM	#12 (permalink)
Vizcaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Glen Head, NY Posts: 532	I understand from your post that you had the nut recut for the new gauge of strings. Is there any particular string you're having more trouble with? Sometimes there's a problem if your 4th string is .026 and the nut slot file set used by your tech has only an .024 file. Sometimes even a properly cut nut slot can benefit from a little polishing. Wound strings are easy, just use a scrap of string with some reasonably abrasive compound on the string (like Menzerna pre-polish or old fashioned Turtle Wax Compund - the gritty stuff). Pull the scrap string back and forth a bit in the slot to smooth out the file marks from the nut slot file and you should find the tuning is much more reliable. This won't work for plain strings, so there you might have to use a bit of folded 600 or 800 grit sandpaper. Bone cuts pretty fast so go easy. After the slots are cleaned out, use a little graphite or Guitar Grease in the slot. Also, once the slots are at the proper depth for your action preference, you sometimes have excess material so the mountains between the valleys are too high - that can be fixed by filing down the top of the nut until the wound strings sit a little deeper than half their width, and the plain strings are no deeper than their full diameter. Otherwise you might have too much friction from the sides of the slots. __________________ "Why don't you just make 10 louder, and make 10 be the top number, and make that a little louder?"

December 14th, 2007, 08:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Momotoro Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: germantown, tn Age: 56 Posts: 398	Kick to Tele-Tech, please.

December 14th, 2007, 09:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 522 7 Photos	Here's a suggest. I've found that when bending is causing strings to go flat (I suspect they are not going sharp), it's because of the way you're winding them. They're slipping off the post. Make sure to get at least 7 or 8 good clean layered winds, spirled going down, on the higher unwound strings. Not as critical on the wound strings because the winds will grip the post. Forget tying them on. That's a big PIA when you break a string on the gig and have to do a quick change. I've installed my strings like this for decades, and have no tuning issues unless the keys are defective, and it sounds like yours are OK if they've worked in the past. You went to thicker strings, and you're probably just not getting enough clean winds on there.

December 14th, 2007, 09:45 AM	#9 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 522 7 Photos	With all due repect, I've been stringing my Tele's like that for 25+ years, and it always works. The key is a clean install, with layered winds, no sloppy overlapping. I've used this technique to open shows for The Police, U2, Sqeeze, Iggy Pop, Jools Holland, UB40, record 2 albums for A&M, and do a feature film for Lorimar, situations where I need to stay in tune through very hard playing, and tuning issues I do not have. Give it a shot and see if it works for you also. Concerning the dullness, I would say the magnetic qualities of the strings are not interacting well with your pickup magnets, if it rings unplugged. Try a different metallic composition. Slinkys always work for me, but all PUP's a different, even the same make and model.

December 14th, 2007, 09:59 AM	#11 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 522 7 Photos	Yea, a little nut sauce or graphite and vasoline in there never hurts, although way more critical with a whammy. Try that before recutting. (Make sure your neck bolts are tight also)

December 14th, 2007, 10:18 AM	#13 (permalink)
lambchop TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: England, U.K. Posts: 84	Who re cut the nut slots and what did they use? Sounds like the slots may not be cut properly, there needs to be rounded bottoms to the slots. Once cut correctly some pencil lead in the slots plus a little grease on the backs of the string trees (lip balm/vaseline etc) this should sort out your issue. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/solenoidlopez

December 14th, 2007, 04:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 522 7 Photos	Also, make sure the bottoms of those slots are angled downhill toward the headstock, so that the strings "take off" cleanly from the fingerboard side of the nut, and strings are not catching on the back of the slot. That situation virtually lengthens your string scale by the width of the nut, but only on open strings. Mucho tuning havoc ensues.