Bending a string causes LUKE to go out of tune

[ZakkD]

I was just wondering if there is a cute for this, whenever I use my trem and abuse the hell out of it, it will not go out of tune at all.. divebombs and all. But whenever I bend a note that string will go flat causing my other strings to go out of tune. Divebombing the trem is the only thing that puts the guitar back into tune. If i use the tuners to tune it back up after bending a string it makes the trem bring it more sharp after using it.

Not sure what's going on or if that's normal. I use 10-46, nut was set up for this gauge, I play in Eb and use 2 springs.


If anyone can give me advice it would be much appreciated

 

[DrKev]

Are you using a little lubrication in the nut slots? If not. Try it.

 

[Craiguitar]

Is it your Luke I or II that has the problem? If it's your Luke II, one thing to check is that the trem posts aren't so low as to make the underside of the bridge catch on the body of the guitar and force it into a position other than its own pivot point. Also, as already suggested, make sure all contact points including the trem posts and saddles are well lubricated and free of gunk.

 

[ZakkD]

It is my luke II, my luke I is no longer with me.
I lubed everything and the problem is still there.
Heres some pictures if that helps to see if my bridge is too low, but I never touched it since it was set up. I sent it to music man a year ago and it was set up real nice. I just recently noticed this issue. Strings are 2 weeks old and broke in and everything.

 

[ZakkD]

So this is odd... If I retune after bending, it will remain in tune for further bends, but goes sharp as soon as you touch the bar. It's like that first bend after hitting the bar pulls some slack from somewhere and hitting the bar resets it.

Anyone ever had a problem like this? Is Eb with 2 springs not enough? I guess I could try 3 springs.

 

[mikeller]

Try this: lightly stretch each string, after all strings are stretch then tune and recheck tune.

Once you do the above, will bending a string cause it to go out of tune?
If bending does not take it out of tune, then will using the trem bar bar take it out tune?

 

[BrickGlass]

Are you using a little lubrication in the nut slots? If not. Try it.

This issue comes up here all the time. I had the issue myself with 4 MM guitars and it was driving me absolutely nuts, like cuckoo levels of nuts. DrKev has lead you right. You need to lubricate the nut. I also recommend some lubricant on the posts where the bridge touches them and also in the saddles underneath the strings, right where the strings contact the saddle. I prefer Big Bends Nut Sauce but there are other options too. Lubricating things makes a huge difference, it really really does. No lubrication=no tuning stability in my experience and that is with all 4 of the MM guitars I've owned. Certainly helps to make sure your strings are always fairly new and good and stretched as well.

 

[donkelley]

Yup. I wish folks had forced me to believe this idea back in the 80s when I was learning on my les Paul..... I would have been way happier.

Nut sauce. MM or any guitar.

Sent from my SGH-I717D using Tapatalk 2

 

[ZakkD]

Looks like the big bends nut sauce pretty much cleared up my issue. Holy crap, this stuff is great. I can dive bomb all day all the way down as far as it goes and it will go back to perfect pitch!!

MM guitars <3

 

[BrickGlass]

Yep, there you go. The stuff is pretty killer. There can still be some small out of tuneness that can go on, but it is pretty much that way with any guitar that has a trem bar. I have a couple guitars with floyd's on them and they certainly hold in tune pretty good, but honestly I've had some floyd equipped guitars that don't have very good tuning stability. Some good lubricant certainly helps and unless you have a burr or something like that in the nut the lube usually does the trick as good as could be hoped for.

I've also found that my guitars need to adjust to the room I'm playing them in. If I put a guitar in a car when it is pretty hot or cold outside, then go into an air conditioned or nice and toasty room, it takes a little bit for the guitar to adjust to the room temp. The wood seems to need to adjust for a little bit and then tuning stability gets better. And the bottom line is that some guitars are more stable than others in this regard.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I really don't know if this will work for you and it's a little set up technique passed onto me from Dave Dearnaley Guitars.

When he restrings a conventional guitar which has multiple windings around the tuner peg, he tunes to pitch, the he uses a blunt knife edge to press the windings down the post. The strings go flat and he tunes back to pitch.

Although there are no multiple windings around your tuner peg (rightly so) it may be worth a try on what winding you do have - its quick to do too.

 

[ksandvik]

I really don't know if this will work for you and it's a little set up technique passed onto me from Dave Dearnaley Guitars.

When he restrings a conventional guitar which has multiple windings around the tuner peg, he tunes to pitch, the he uses a blunt knife edge to press the windings down the post. The strings go flat and he tunes back to pitch.

Although there are no multiple windings around your tuner peg (rightly so) it may be worth a try on what winding you do have - its quick to do too.

Lukes have locking tuners so there should be no windings on the tuner pegs. One reason for locking tuners, to avoid instability of turning due to winding re-adjustment when playing.