Issue with Rotosounds?

grungebob

Hi everyone. 

Recently bought a new guitar ( not sure if keeping it has cosmetic issues not disclosed during sales). It came with the strings slacked for transit and the shop chucked in a set of Rotosound 10’s. The guitar in question has a set neck with sperzel locking tuners and the thing won’t hold tune. 

Checked the nut it’s fine, fixed bridge with graphtec saddles, their fine too. 

Weird thing is after 3 days it’s suddenly holding tune.  I don’t normally use anything but slinky’s , is this a rotosound trait or is something else up with this guitar?

Up until yesterday it was going back for the not as described issues plus the tuning. But a quick play this morning IN TUNE has me thinking. 

Thanks 

longjaw

Used standard Rotosound 10s in the past with no problems - may have been an issue with loose string windings around the tuners?

rlw

Temperature and humidity changes and guitar getting used to it?

mark123

After fitting Strings did you stretch them in ?
or just fit and tuned up ? If the latter ,strings really need to be stretched then tuned then stretched again then tuned , done a few times this solves the problem of new string tuning going off..sorry if im telling my ganny how to suck eggs! 

Nerine

I have used Rotosound 10's for the last 29 years on every guitar I've had. Never have any issues with them.

They're awesome and hugely underrated.

grungebob

I stretch the hell out of them yeah. No windings on the post as locking tuners. Carbon rods in neck so would have assumed pretty stable. It had all the hallmarks of high nut slots but it has well cut nut. 

It honestly felt weird to play. 

maltingsaudio

Guitar was probably making up its mind if it liked you!
My guess would be guitar settling in after transport, and possibly lockers not done up tight enough? Roto sounds are a great string, but like all manufacturers you can get a duff set or individual string

portobear_65

I'm a recent convert to Rotosound Strings after many years of using Slinkies and I haven't had a single issue with them, highly underated in my opinion. 

hollywoodrox

I have rotosound 9s every time I have a setup , after much stretching in they’re fine.  After initial setup I use Ernie balls . I tend to bend hell outta my strings when playing .

guitargeek62

I can't stand rotosounds - always had tuning and breakage problems with them regardless of the guitar that they were on. I've long since switched to other brands without any trouble.

sweepy

Rotosounds, hateful things

Cols

Most likely the neck settling in after transport and restringing.  And if it’s stable now, problem solved.

As an aside (neither pro nor anti-Rotosound) I did restring my N4 with Rotosounds last year.  Although the strings were the same gauge as the previous D’Addarios I needed a significant adjustment to the spring claw (Increased tension) in order to balance the Floyd.  When I went back to D’Addarios, I had to adjust it back.  Tuning stability was fine either way after setup.

simonhpieman

I'd used Ernies for years and thought I'd get some Rotos as I kept breaking the high E and you get a free spare with Rotos.

They sound fine but they seem to break far more quickly than the Ernies and I also cut my little finger quite badly on one of the high Es behind the bridge on my Les Paul as it had a bit of the wind sticking out at the ball end.

Long story short, I'm going back to Ernies.

Ernies also come in individual paper pouches which helps in the occasional event that I need to find a single string from my "gear bag" quickly on stage. All the Rotos are wrapped up in each other and once you've untangled them and the others have popped off and flown away never to be seen again you need to read the packet to see the ball-end colour chart to make sure you've got the right string.

Danny1969

I use Rotosounds all the time, 3 sets for £11 on Ebay. I find their tuning rock solid and you get a spare E string. 

Litterick

I used Rotosound Pure Nickels for a couple of years without any problems. When the new Ultramags became available here in June last year, I bought a set of 10s. Every day I play them and they are still going strong. I retune once a week.

grungebob

So. It was the rotosounds. 

I kept them on for 6 days and the guitar wouldn’t hold tune. Swapped to Dunlop nickel wounds and hallelujah! 

bandmaster188

Litterick said:

 When the new Ultramags became available here in June last year, I bought a set of 10s. Every day I play them and they are still going strong. I retune once a week.

I was given a set of the ultramags recently. Haven’t really been a fan of roto’s in the past, but these are pretty impressive. Great tuning stability and tone. Been on my strat for a couple of months now and I reckon I’ll be buying more.