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Gibson tuning pegs....

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4/4/1999 12:23 AM

Gibson tuning pegs....

I have a '92 LP Std that came with the "vintage" looking tuners Gibson has been putting on their mid-range guitars for a while now. After a few years, it would not stay in tune worth a damn anymore, and process of elimination led me to the tuning pegs. I replaced them with modern-looking sealed type, and all is well.

Now, I have just purchased a new, USA made SG. It has the same tuners the LP came with, only this thing will not stay in tune right out of the box. I love the guitar, and don't really mind the add'l cost of replacing them if that's what it takes, but I'm really surprised to have this issue with a new Gibson. It's not as if they're cheap guitars, and the same tuning pegs, if bought separately, cost twice as much as the "better" one's I replaced them with on my LP!

Anybody else run into this? Is it just me?

Just curious......

-Chip

4/5/1999 9:31 AM

That's the main problem with those vintage Kluson-type (now made by Gotoh) tuners, whether it be the nickel & snot Gibson type, or the vintage tuners on Fender guitars. They loosen up after a while, in fact some are noticeably tighter than others when new, and there's no way to tighten them. Use them for a while, then replace them with similar, or grease-filled cast case upgrades which put more screw holes in your vintage peghead.

I'm waiting for some clever person to come out with better tuners which will mount with the same bolt pattern as the klusons, even if the gearcase is deeper. We'd have functional upgrades, but be able to reinstall the vintage type if required, and not have any extra screw holes showing on the peghead.

Another tuning stability problem could be occurring because of the high friction where the string crosses over the nut, then breaks to one side (the path is angled) on the way to the pegs. I don't know how a Gibson player keeps his guitar in tune if he has a habit of bending notes. The only remedy here is to have the nut slots cut so the string isn't wedged down in a "V" slot, and have the slots smooth & polished after cutting. A little graphite & vaseline lube in the slots helps, also.

4/6/1999 6:54 AM

Yes, it's a problem that just doesn't go away. When they get loose I normally prise them apart, refill with grease and then try to bash the lugs back down tight with a hammer and an old screwdriver. This only works once, as the lugs fall apart the second time they get pried apart!

They're always worse on Gibson than Fender in my experience, and Doc, you're right about the nut slots. If they're not cut just perfect and well lubricated bending notes is out of the question.

4/7/1999 11:15 PM
chip	Thanks for the replies..... Ever tried putting a graphite nut on a Les Paul or SG? Think it would help? -Chip

4/8/1999 10:40 AM

No. It'd look too weird for me. But something I've found to be LOADS better than graphite lubricant is some stuff called GT85. It's a teflon and silicone based lubricant. I put a couple of drops in the nut slots when I change strings on all my guitars, and even the strat stays in tune! The 3rd string of the Les Paul is really critical to having the nut slot cut right. I'm even considering getting some proper nut slot files from Stew Mac.

4/22/1999 10:37 AM
Fred G.	Chip, Absolutely YES to the graphite nut ! I have graphite nuts on my ES-345 and ES-335, as well as graphite bridge saddles on the 345. I used to break a high-E string per night. Since putting on all the graphite hardware, I have broken maybe 2 or 3 strings in over 6 years. This is one VERY wise modification, IMHO. Just my 2 cents worth .... Fred G.

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