Epiphone headstock and g string tuning

NelsonP

What's the recommended fix for a g string that goes flat after bending on an Epi headstock? Clearly it's binding on the nut.

Lubricate the nut slot
Widen the nut slot
Replace the (plastic?) nut with something better

What works best?

Rabs

Get a graphtech tusq nut.....

Cols

There are a few things to try before reshaping the nut slot; unfortunately this is a common issue on Les Pauls due to the break angle and the strings splaying out from the nut to the posts.

1.  Rub a soft pencil into the nut slots.  The graphite acts as a lubricant.

2.  When restringing, wrap one turn of the string above where it goes through the post and two below.  This locks the string in place; additional wraps aren’t necessary.  

3.  Keep the string under tension with your hand when winding it on.  This makes sure there isn’t any slack around the post.

4.  After restringing, stretch the string along its length and tune up again.  Do this a few times.

If all else fails, you may need to have the nut reshaped (or better still, get a new one from a better material)

ICBM

Lock-wrapping the string is even better than the 'over/under' method. That way there should be less than one full turn on the post, and the string will come off the post as high as it can which reduces the angle over the nut and hence the friction.



If anything I would leave even less slack than he does before taking the loose end round the post, you really want the minimum amount of string wound on that you can.

Also, only tune up to the note not down to it - if it's sharp, go below and then back up to pitch - that will eliminate any backlash in the machinehead gears.

If both those things don't fix it then making sure the nut grooves are wide and smooth enough, and lightly lubricating them, *should* fix it, even with an average-quality plastic nut. If it still doesn't then a new nut is really the only solution.

NelsonP

Hi all. Thanks for the tips.

Did a restring and basic setup last night and the guitar now plays much better....and stays in tune!

You are very clever people.