New JPX 6 - What can I expect - Tuning and High E String Issue

[Starchecker]

Hi Brand new to the forum.

I just got into guitars about 4 years ago, been using a MIM HSS Strat that was a great starter. Dream was to upgrade to a Jem sometime but then got turned onto the JPX6 and got it instead, kinda makes the Jem look and feel cheap. LOVE the guitar, have had it for two weeks now. Two issues I am having. First it doesn't seem to stay in tune real well. Not even using the trem the strings go sharp and flat 3 - 5 cents easily and sometimes more. Had a tech at Guitar Center look at it and did some tweeks helped some, but still having the issue. Is this normal? My $400 strat seems more stable than that(as long as I don't use the whammy bar, then it's WAY out of tune in one shot)

If I use the trem on the JPX it's night and day better than my strat but some strings stay in tune others go sharp or flat as well, again about 5 cents. Is this as good as can be expected?

Finally the high e string lays so it's just above the taper on the frets(from the 10th to the 24th) so if I am doing any kind of vibrato with the e string in that range it's easy for it to slip off the fret so to speak. Is this normal for them to lie so close to the edge like that? Love the guitar but not sure if this is something I need to exchange or this is just how they are.

Thanks in advance.

 

[the24thfret]

First order of business should be to call or email customer service. They are incredibly helpful.

Music Man Customer Service

 

[BrickGlass]

Indeed you need to call customer service. The high E string slipping off the edge may be a problem with the nut which was the case in my koa JP guitar when I first got it. Contact customer service though, because they will be the ones to help you the most.

As far as strings going out of tune you need to lube the nut and the saddles where the string sits to help the strings not get caught in any way.

 

[Starchecker]

Thanks Guys, I contacted support and am emailing them some photos, will let you know what happens. Included a few so you can see what I am talking about

 

[yellowv03]

Looks like the neck alignment is off.

 

[Starchecker]

I was able to get the neck straightened out so the e string doesn't slip off the bottom of the frets anymore. I had a tech guy that does really good work do a set up. It seems to stay in tune better if I don't do any bends or use the tremelo, but if I do bends the strings still go out of tune although not as much. What is typical on these guitars when using the tremelo for how far out of tune it goes? I guess if you don't have a floyd rose it won't be perfect, but is less than 5 cents reasonable to expect.

Also I noticed the piezo pickup is really muting the low e string, it's about half the output of the other strings. It's only the piezo position and I tested it with my guitar rig 4 which has a gauge showing the input level of the guitar and it's literally half the level of all the other strings. So when you are playing you almost can't even hear notes from that string. Probably just gonna return it

 

[the24thfret]

I have a JPX and a JP6 and they never, ever go out of tune, even when using the tremolo a lot. Your issue isn't normal. Again, contact customer service.

 

[mikeller]

My trem's on my JP6 and JPX (and all my EBMM guitars) stay in tune remarkably well.

One thing - if your tech did a set up (and assumably put on new strings), the set up procedure can be demanding on strings - you may want to go ahead and put a fresh set on, make sure it is all stretched out etc and see if that helps your tuning concerns.

As far as piezo - as 24thfret said, call customer service

 

[Starchecker]

Yeah I talked to EBMM support and they helped me with the neck and some ideas for the tremelo. He noticed in the pictures it wasn't level. He said to send it in, but by the time I would get it back I would be outside my 30 day return window(Oct 2nd) so I had my local guy work on it. He got the tremelo even, did put on new strings, so I am going to stretch them out a bit and see if it settles in over the next few days. But yeah the one in the store that doesn't even look very good stays in better tune than this one. Although it's improved it isn't what you would expect from a $2500 guitar, that's one of the reasons I broke down and upgraded, I wanted something that could stay in tune with using some dives.

I absolutely love the feel and play of the guitar and the pickups and piezo, so will definitely try again if this one doesn't work out. But thanks for the feedback on the tuning so I really know it should perform better.

 

[Starchecker]

Well after dropping about $100 on getting the thing set up and worked on by a great tech and then finding out one of the poles on the piezo was bad and still had tuning issues, I returned it to GC and got a new one back today. Could tell right away something was different. First off when I went to tune it, it only took two cycles down the strings to get them all lined up, instead of 6 or 7 cycles with the other one. The neck was straighter right out of the box, not high e string slipping off the frets. The trem was perfectly level with the guitar body instead of angled forward(my tech fixed that but still didn't fix the tunign issue). Even with brand new strings and playing around for a bit the strings stayed dead on tune. And they snap to the tuning, instead of the other one where it would float all over the place trying to figure out how many cents off it was.

Even used the whammy bar. All the strings but the B and G stay dead on tune. Gonne give it a few more days to let the strings settle and then have the tech work on the nut and see if he can't get those to stay in tune like the others.

I absolutely love this guitar and the pickups sound a little cleaner too. The last one sounded a little rough had to do a lot of tweeking on my presets to get them to sound right, but this just sounds better. Also nice to have the low e string work when I have the Piezo pickup active, LOL.

Thanks for the advice on what to expect so I knew it was worth turning back in and getting a different one.