Why does my G String keep going out of tune??

[Light]

I hear about so many people have problems with there G string staying in tune. Do you think it could be a design flaw in the guitar somehow? I'm not talk just a few people here, I'm talking hundreds of people I have met.

Well, as Muttley said, the G string is really kind of at extremes. When it is wound, it is the string on the guitar with the thinest core, and it really is at a high tension for that core. So they are more prone to metal fatigue, stretching, and breaking. And then the plain G string is just so damn big, usually bigger than a low E string core, so they are very stiff. And of course, because they can be had either wound or unwound, there is a wider range of gauges, so adjustments to the nut become an issue as well. You just need to get them setup right, and everything will be good.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Lt. Bob]

Yeh I appreciate your sentiment. I was just giving a heads up to anyone that might use silicate polishes or similar. The advice is more relevant to furniture where often refinishing is required. Most common furniture polishes have silicates in them. They are a curse to anyone involved in restoration.

That's how I took it ..... people need to know these things so that someone who's more obsessive won't screw up his ax.
I was just explaining why I wasn't worried about it even though I know better than to get silicon on the ax ......
And actually, in fact, I think some might take issue with me not worrying about it and I would understand that too.
It's just that after so many freakin' years and so many axes that I could retire on if I'd kept them ..... it's difficult to still be in love with them.
I do still clean the sweat off my Zak Wilde Epi every once in a while. It's the best ax I take to sweaty gigs on a regular basis. I'm not taking anything better to the beach and that's where most of my gigs seem to be thesedays

 

[Zaphod B]

Well, maybe the issue isn't corrosion, but it kills strings. Fast.

Oh, and NEVER get it anywhere near your electronics. I've replaced many a pot which was "cleaned" with WD-40. Bad, bad, bad.

If you get WD-40 on your wound strings, the stuff will attract dirt and kill the strings. It's great for knocking the grime off the unwound, strings, though - I've been using it for that for years.

You are correct about not using it to clean pots. It doesn't fully evaporate, and in an active-electronics situation can even cause pots to short.

 

[THX1136]

String gauge is the biggest problem/solution to the string staying in tune - especially the G. Guild used to offer a set with a wound 19 (Sidebenders) for the G which I used until the sets were no longer available. Never had a problem with the string staying in tune. You also reap the benefit of a meatier, fuller tone from a heavier gauged set as opposed to sets that have say 9s on top. Sets with 11s or 12s on top - medium light to medium sets is what they call them I think - are a good choice for great tone and better tuning stability. Didn't SRV play 13s on top?

Tuning up to pitch, as already mentioned, is another overlooked solution to losing tune. Always tune up to pitch, never down for all the reasons mentioned already.

Jimmy Smith showed me another approach when tuning the G to help with the tuning issue - fret the G at the 9th fret and tune to the high E. I have had good results with this approach with better pitch accuracy and stability.

The nut issue is a concern also, but tuning up to pitch, pulling the string to overcome any catching and tuning to pitch again if necessary should suffice until you can have the nut looked at. You can buy files gauged to the strings you are using to file the nut yourself from Stew-Mac, but unless you're confident you can do a good job leave it to the professionals. That way you won't have to replace a nut that was filed too agressively.

Caig also makes DeOxit wipes that work well for keeping guitar strings from corroding as quickly. Wipe them down after each time you play. Even just wiping them down with a soft cloth after you play can help in this regard.

My 2 1/2 cents worth eh.

 

[GuitarDemon666]

I wiped most of it off now. Can't really see any oil on the instrument whatsoever. Almost home. Almost back to normal with this Les Paul hope the nut not slip no more.

 

[hoops]

Design flaw in the guitar?? No. What sort of problems do you mean? Problems staying in tune? Problems tuning it right in the first place? Problems with string breaks?

Nearly every problem with tuning and strings is down to poor setup. The G is a special case because it sits right on the edge of the tension limit for a wound string and a suitable gauge for a plain string. This is why setup is especially important on the G.

Thanks for the insight on string gauges. It makes sense now that you have educated me some.

Well, as Muttley said, the G string is really kind of at extremes. When it is wound, it is the string on the guitar with the thinest core, and it really is at a high tension for that core. So they are more prone to metal fatigue, stretching, and breaking. And then the plain G string is just so damn big, usually bigger than a low E string core, so they are very stiff. And of course, because they can be had either wound or unwound, there is a wider range of gauges, so adjustments to the nut become an issue as well. You just need to get them setup right, and everything will be good.


Light

Also thanks to you too Light.

 

[ermghoti]

Isn't it just fish oil with a propellant?

Myth. Scroll to the bottom.