I think it's also Gibson's traditional headstock angle and shape. It makes the G and D strings do a quick nasty kink right after the nut. It's not so much a problem on the D because it's wound and thicker. But the G wants to hang up and ping without some work on the nut. It's just the nature of SGs and Les Pauls in general. Firebirds and Explorers and Vs don't really have these problems because they don't use the basic Gibson headstock.
LPC Tune up
- Thread starter ido1957
- Start date
Rick Finsta
New member
No; I prefer a (pretty standard) 6105 size nickel/silver wire on most; and I play .010-.046" Nickel Wound on electrics and 0.013"-0.056" Phosphor Bronze on my acoustics. What do you consider to be an acceptable wear period before you start experiencing intonation issues from your frets flattening? How often do you play, and how often have you had your frets dressed or replaced? I think that LP is getting it's fourth set of frets which is about eight years of playing shows regularly and a lot of years of only a few (<10) hours a week playing interspersed in between. My '72 D-28 has had three sets of frets since '98 when I picked it up and will need a neck re-set on its next setup (I've had it steam-pressed at least once).
It occurs to me now that I don't really know if luthiers always change all the wires or just the ones that need it? I tend to have the worst wear in the open chord positions and right around the 7-12 frets on the higher strings.
In my experience the vast majority of players just don't notice, but I know I'm likely speaking to a group here that does look at such things.
Perhaps I just play a lot, or grip really hard?
ido1957
9K Gold Member
Exactly - that kink out of the D and G string. One of the reasons (I was told) that PRS have that weird looking headstock with the tuners set closer on a 3X3 - it's almost straight to the G and D string - problem solved apparently.
Yup. Ugly headstock, but totally functional. All of the strings are a straight shot to the tuner.
JDOD
therecordingrebels.com
They're pretty straight on a tele, probably why it stays in tune so well!
Rick, you must be massively heavy handed! On average I reckon I play 10 hours a week. Around an hour on week days and loads on the weekends.
I don't know about my tele yet but I've had my ibanez nearly 20 years. Not played it daily for the last 10 years but there's no appreciable wear. It's a flat necked "shread" guitar though so benefits from a very light touch. You finger tip is well off the board when you're fretting a note.
Needless to say, it never goes out of tune if you stretch them properly and I string it with 8s!
Rick, you must be massively heavy handed! On average I reckon I play 10 hours a week. Around an hour on week days and loads on the weekends.
I don't know about my tele yet but I've had my ibanez nearly 20 years. Not played it daily for the last 10 years but there's no appreciable wear. It's a flat necked "shread" guitar though so benefits from a very light touch. You finger tip is well off the board when you're fretting a note.
Needless to say, it never goes out of tune if you stretch them properly and I string it with 8s!
JDOD
therecordingrebels.com
I think it's quite a nice shaped headstock. But then I like the tele headstock which loads of people hate!
I think Teles in general are some of the ugliest guitars around. Especially that headstock. It looks like a broken penis. But at least they aint pointy.
JDOD
therecordingrebels.com
Lol. Well I've only held my own firm and in the flesh... I am justly proud!I think Teles in general are some of the ugliest guitars around. Especially that headstock. It looks like a broken penis. But at least they aint pointy.
I even like that semi pointy upside down tele headstock on that Chapman ML3.
I hate the shape of the oversized strat headstock. Those danelectro things are plain ugly too. BC Rich and Dean are just crimes... Except the mockingbird which I can't help liking even though I have no reason to.
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muttley600
Banned
A bigger break angle is not gonna help obviously but many other guitars have the same angle, many have the same potential problems. Bottom line is with a little care and a proper set up all is well. Gibson just leave others to do it and trade on the name.
muttley600
Banned
I should really do a " best way to wind you strings and why" thread cos this comes up a lot.
Bottom line, your nut and saddle are the key points of contact for the fixed open string and the bits either side of them (behind the nut and saddle) need to allow the tension in the string to remain constant. A badly cut nut or poor saddle slots can cause problems. Unless the windings on the tuner post are ridiculously stupid it is never the tuners... There is however a basic, fool proof and reliable way of windings strings onto pretty much any tuner post..
muttley600
Banned
No; I prefer a (pretty standard) 6105 size nickel/silver wire on most; and I play .010-.046" Nickel Wound on electrics and 0.013"-0.056" Phosphor Bronze on my acoustics. What do you consider to be an acceptable wear period before you start experiencing intonation issues from your frets flattening? How often do you play, and how often have you had your frets dressed or replaced? I think that LP is getting it's fourth set of frets which is about eight years of playing shows regularly and a lot of years of only a few (<10) hours a week playing interspersed in between. My '72 D-28 has had three sets of frets since '98 when I picked it up and will need a neck re-set on its next setup (I've had it steam-pressed at least once).
It occurs to me now that I don't really know if luthiers always change all the wires or just the ones that need it? I tend to have the worst wear in the open chord positions and right around the 7-12 frets on the higher strings.
In my experience the vast majority of players just don't notice, but I know I'm likely speaking to a group here that does look at such things.
Perhaps I just play a lot, or grip really hard?
I rarely refret because of intonation problems. It would be because of buzzing and choking issues that I would recommend a refret. Intonation is compromise and the minute changes introduced by fret wear are not significant with all other things being in balance.
muttley600
Banned
To me it's a classic but I have a refined eye for these things...
---------- Update ----------
I think Teles in general are some of the ugliest guitars around. Especially that headstock. It looks like a broken penis. But at least they aint pointy.
There you go again with the pointy thing.... Were you bullied with pointy sticks as a kid...
JDOD
therecordingrebels.com
I wrap them around one and a half to two times and stick em through the hole. Tension them up a bit. Stretch them. Then tune. I read this in a guitar magazine when I was about 14 and it stuck. Seems to work.
When I got the guitar the G had about 5 windings.
muttley600
Banned
Thats exactly right...
You can normally get it right by pulling the string through the post hole to the next post, back the string off from that point and wind it. Two windings every time... I need to do a video.. I can wind a full set in under five minutes on a good day. I should be in the Guinness book... Or changing tyres on a formula one pit lane..
muttley600
Banned
There you go again with the pointy thing.... Were you bullied with pointy sticks as a kid...
Hey, you don't like them either.
For me, it's not really the pointy guitar that's so bad. It's just a guitar. It's more what the pointy guitar represents. Pointy guitars are the tools of choice for some really bad music.
muttley600
Banned
Yeh, I'm with you..
Pointy guitar = frizzy hair = tight spandex = power ballad = 1980's
You win...
ocnor
Lord Of The Thighs
I don't understand how a guitar headstock "represents" anything. It's just a guitar. I'm totally indifferent to headstocks, other than the Parker fly and reverse headstocks which IMO are weird. There is plenty of really bad music done with all types of guitars and the headstock has absolutely nothing to do with that.
muttley600
Banned
One of the first things a fellow luthier looks at when judging a competitors eye for detail is the headstock design, then the curves and lines of the body. They give a real good indication of their design ability and their aesthetic flair. One of the first things people check is the headstock design because it is the "brand" or makers unique signature..
After that they look at the neck profile and fret job along with the binding if any... Form and function has always worked that way, right or wrong..
Believe me, we luthier types obsess about these things. You should check out the violin world. They can talk for days about purfling beestings and scrolls...
After that they look at the neck profile and fret job along with the binding if any... Form and function has always worked that way, right or wrong..
Believe me, we luthier types obsess about these things. You should check out the violin world. They can talk for days about purfling beestings and scrolls...