Guitar not staying in tune

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annihilator

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Hi there fellows, I'm new to this forum, and I have a very annoying problem. My guitar doesn't stay in tune.

It's a Cort X-TH, and has a double-locking bridge. Whenever I bend, it goes out of tune horribly. Any string I bend goes out of tune as much as one half-half step. A second bend detunes it slightly more and after that, it's not affected.

Any help would be much appreciated, it's so annoying!
 
So it's a double-locking trem that goes out of tune? Hmmm.

Simple things first: make sure you have the nut locked down tight. Make sure that your strings are properly stretched after you put a new set on. Make sure that the bridge end is locked down as well. I can't seem to get a good look at a picture of the tailpiece of an X-TH that has a double-locking trem on it.

Bottom line is that something is slipping somewhere. My first guess would be that the locking nut isn't locking properly and is letting tension release between the tuning peg and the locking nut. Just a guess but on a double-locking trem, it's the highest probability I can think of offhand.
 
Maybe the floating springs in the back are binding, try some WD-40 on them.
VP
 
There's no telling what's wrong without looking at it. I would take it to your local guitar/amp store and have them set it up professionally.


cheers,
wade
 
Victory Pete said:
Maybe the floating springs in the back are binding, try some WD-40 on them.
VP
Click to expand...

Those springs don't really have any place where they could bind do they? Unless they're REALLY rusty or corroded and have bound up that way. Even then, to bind consistently?

I guess a question to the OP would either prove or rule out binding trem springs:
Say you've got the guitar all tuned to pitch. Then you bend one string up a step and a half and release it. Now, is JUST that string out of tune, or did ALL of the strings go out of tune?

Since it sounds like the OP can tune the strings, bend one of them, have it change pitch, bend it again for another slight change in pitch, then have it be stable from then on...that still sounds like some sort of tension being stored and released somewhere between the tuning peg, the locking nut, and the bridge.

Yeah, take it to a tech so a pro can actually lay his/her hands on it. A pro setup isn't that expensive depending on where you take it. A pro could diagnose the problem in a heartbeat and let you know what it's going to cost to fix.

As I was Googling around about those X-TH guitars, I read lots of negative things about them. The action, fit, and finish don't seem to be very consistent. Looks like if you get a good one, they can be great. But the lemons in the bunch seem to be annoying several users.
 
Whatever you do, do not try WD-40. Bad chemicals in there, which you don't want near your guitar.

Make sure everything is locked tight, and that your strings have been properly stretched out, and it should be pretty good. If not, take it to a good tech who has experience with locking trems. They are a PITA to set up well, but once they are right they should keep you in tune better than anything else.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
just a suggestion. buy a fender tele! once new strings are adequately stretched they stay in tune. why do you need all that crap on a guitar anyway? :rolleyes:
 
Victory Pete said:
Maybe the floating springs in the back are binding, try some WD-40 on them.
VP
Click to expand...

Dude, I'm calling you out here and now, you are full of shit, you do not work or have never worked as a Luthier or a Techy.

You may have swept the floor for Gulid, you certainly gained nothing if indeed you spent any time there at all.

These customers you speak of, who are they, ebayers?

I think you are a bedroom hobbyist with a degree in bullshit.

Prove me wrong. :)
 
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CMunch said:
Dude, I'm calling you out here and now, you are full of shit, you do not work or have never worked as a Luthier or a Techy.

You may have swept the floor for Gulid, you certainly gained nothing if indeed you spent any time there at all.

These customeres you speak of, who are they, ebayers?

I think you are a bedroom hobbyist with a degree in bullshit.

Prove me wrong. :)
Click to expand...

I am proving you wrong right now while I work on a few guitars.
VP
 
the original post is confusing me? the string is locked down at the nut and the trem ..how is wd40 going to help?? this guitar is either seriously cocked up at the neck or the strings are new.... anything else doesnt make any sense.
 
zazz said:
the original post is confusing me? the string is locked down at the nut and the trem ..how is wd40 going to help?? this guitar is either seriously cocked up at the neck or the strings are new.... anything else doesnt make any sense.
Click to expand...

I figured maybe the springs in the back that counteract the string tension could be binding or something. It was an idea.
VP
 
Victory Pete said:
I am proving you wrong right now while I work on a few guitars.
VP
Click to expand...

Seriously dude, I'm not trying to pick on you, most of your posts are way out there and to be honest reek a wee bit.

You may well be some eccentric guitar repairer who sorts things by fluke, hey, I'm no luthier or tech either.

As a carpenter who knows timber and has worked on, restored and repaired a few guitars and other instruments in my time, I'm just wondering why you are telling n00bs so much blatant rubbish.

Surely even you can see that from this thread. :)
 
CMunch said:
Seriously dude, I'm not trying to pick on you, most of your posts are way out there and to be honest reek a wee bit.

You may well be some eccentric guitar repairer who sorts things by fluke, hey, I'm no luthier or tech either.

As a carpenter who knows timber and has worked on, restored and repaired a few guitars and other instruments in my time, I'm just wondering why you are telling n00bs so much blatant rubbish.

Surely even you can see that from this thread. :)
Click to expand...

WD-40 on metal springs is rubbish?
VP
 
Thanks for the answers guys,

I have noticed that the bridge isn't anywhere parallel to the guitar and is horribly angular:
2hz7aiu.jpg


Whenever I detune a string, the bridge's angle changes, which changes the tuning of ALL other strings.

Any depressing of the tremolo bar results in a detuning of ALL the strings.

What do I do?
 
Victory Pete said:
WD-40 on metal springs is rubbish?
VP
Click to expand...

To answer your question yes it's rubbish. :)

WD-40 acts surprisingly poorly as a lubricant, pretty good at cleaning though.

A lot of guitars are unfinished in these cavitys and spraying on WD-40 is a really bad idea.

WD-40 also reacts with some finishes and leaves permenant matt spots, or if it penetrates a laquer can leave permanent staining.

Honestly, when have you ever seen this 'spring binding' happen to a floating trem? :)
 
annihilator said:
Thanks for the answers guys,

I have noticed that the bridge isn't anywhere parallel to the guitar and is horribly angular:
2hz7aiu.jpg


Whenever I detune a string, the bridge's angle changes, which changes the tuning of ALL other strings.

Any depressing of the tremolo bar results in a detuning of ALL the strings.

What do I do?
Click to expand...

Dude take it and get a full setup done. :)
 
No. I want to learn what the problem is and what I need to do. I can't go out and get a setup done every time. I want to learn. So please, if you got nothing to say, then say nothing.
 
annihilator said:
No. I want to learn what the problem is and what I need to do. I can't go out and get a setup done every time. I want to learn. So please, if you got nothing to say, then say nothing.
Click to expand...

Take Victory Pete's advice and stick a can of WD-40 in it then, that will fix it.:)
 
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