Low B Unstable on JP7?

[Josh O]

Hey all, still lovin my JP7, it's my main squeeze for sure but one odd thing I'm noticing is the low B doesn't seem to stay in tune, it tends to go sharp quite often. I don't know if this a characteristic of a seven string in general (this is my first one) but it kind of reminds me how the G on a Les Paul style guitar usually goes out of wack. I don't do alot of out of control trem bomb dives or anything and the strings are broken in. The neck seems straight to me although I don't have the best eye for that and the trem is sitting pretty much dead nuts parallel. I did have to put a fourth spring on when I first got the guitar as it was originally setup with 9s.

Should I take it for a complete setup by a tech?

 

[RocketRalf]

Does it go sharp and stay sharp? or it only goes sharp when you fret it and when you play it open it stays in tune?

If it's the first one, I don't know

If it's the second one, then your problem might be that you're pressing too hard with your fretting hand. you should press the slightest you can without having the string buzz, and just next to the fret that's producing the note. Too much pressure and it will go sharp. Moving away from the fret will need more pressure to avoid buzzing and it will go sharp.

 

[Josh O]

It goes sharp and stay sharp. Funny thing is, it will go flat from time to time too. It's weird, it's like it never really "locks in" tune or something and I've been using some pretty accurate tuners, used to have a Strobostomp set to standard tuning and now I have a Turbo Tuner strobe tuner which is even more accurate than the Strobo.

 

[whitestrat]

Ever tried greasing the nut?

 

[petruccirocks02]

Josh, trying using some graphite in the nut slots or some big bends nut sauce. Its possible that maybe the Low B is binding at the nut.

-Phil

 

[pjc812]

lube your nut and stretch your strings. also may need a beefier string but I doubt that's the problem.

 

[Josh O]

Thanks all, I'll have to try some nut lube.

 

[TNT]

Josh,

Yeah it's nice when it's only "one" string; easy to troubleshoot, isolate and remedy!!

Oh, by the way, the Les Paul G string tuning necessity comes from the fact that it is a "shorter scale", which requires less string tension, and that on a string that already has very little to begin with. Then combine that with the "bends" that the G string invites - there you have it.