LP Custom Pro

[Fat_Finger]

My 12yo daughter showed great interest in learning the guitar. I told her we could do it together and at almost 50 now I am learning to play. I got her a fender strat and I picked up a EPI LP Custom Pro. So far I am loving the guitar, but the thing goes out of tune pretty quick. I practice more than my daughter, but I feel like I am constantly tuning this thing. The strings have about 3 hours or so on them, so I figured they were just stretching, but we don't have the same issue with the other guitar.

Is this common or do I need to do something to the guitar? The strings are Ernie Ball Slinky 10-46.

Being new to this, please forgive me if I do not use proper terms or my wording is not accurate to guitars... I admittedly am starting from the very bottom on learning this skill. I appreciate any advice and feedback.

Roger

 

[BGood]

Welcome Fat_Finger.

First thing, never tune down, always up. If you tune a string too sharp, get it flat and go up again to get it tuned.

Or your tuning problem might come from strings pinching the nut. If the guitar came with 9's and you put 10's, it can happen. I suggest you start by lubrifying those slots with graphite. Sharpen a pencil, yes a regular pencil and rub the slots with it after moving strings aside.

If that doesn't solve your problem, it mght be the way you wrapped your strings around the posts. You have to lock them in, if not they might slip.

Still not keeping tune ? You then would have to slightly widen those slots with light sandpaper. Be careful here, you want to get them a tad wider, NOT a tad deeper.

Locking strings goes like this.

​

 

[Fat_Finger]

Welcome Fat_Finger.

First thing, never tune down, always up. If you tune a string too sharp, get it flat and go up again to get it tuned.

Or your tuning problem might come from strings pinching the nut. If the guitar came with 9's and you put 10's, it can happen. I suggest you start by lubrifying those slots with graphite. Sharpen a pencil, yes a regular pencil and rub the slots with it after moving strings aside.

If that doesn't solve your problem, it mght be the way you wrapped your strings around the posts. You have to lock them in, if not they might slip.

Still not keeping tune ? You then would have to slightly widen those slots with light sandpaper. Be careful here, you want to get them a tad wider, NOT a tad deeper.

Locking strings goes like this.

View attachment 11157

View attachment 11158

View attachment 11160​

That is all very helpful information, thank you. Since the guitar is new and purchased from Guitar Center, I just assumed the strings/winding would have been completed properly. I looked and it does not have the loop as shown in your picture. I will give your suggestions a try.

Since I will be replacing the strings and I have no experience - Are there recommended strings that play well, but typically stay in tune? Looking at strings was a little overwhelming as there are walls of different strings and the sales guy said "its all player preference"... Being new, I have no idea what my preferences are yet.

 

[BGood]

I would go for light strings, 9-42 are pretty common. That's what I use on all my guitars. They will be easier for you to play than thicker harder strings. I buy Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-42, but there are indeed a ton of choices out there. Star with those as they are not expensive and do a great job. Then later if you want to experience something different, you'll have something to compare to.

 

[Fat_Finger]

I would go for light strings, 9-42 are pretty common. That's what I use on all my guitars. They will be easier for you to play than thicker harder strings. I buy Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-42, but there are indeed a ton of choices out there. Star with those as they are not expensive and do a great job. Then later if you want to experience something different, you'll have something to compare to.

Excellent! I appreciate the recommendation!

 

[Sonny Wolf]

I own the same Epi custom model and the tuning stability is great one mine...arguably better than my more expensive Gibsons.When stringing them I insert the string through the post and make the first wrap over the string and the following wraps under it.This locks the string firmly between the top and bottom wraps.I discovered this method when I bought my first Gibson Les Paul and was having tuning problems.I called Gibson to complain and they explained to me this method which is actually in the instruction manual.The tuning stability has much improved since then.

 

[Stillhouse]

Are the strings new on each guitar? New strings need stretching, which may be what you're experiencing.

I recommend getting a copy of this for any new guitar owner:

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Electric-Guitar-Great/dp/0879309989

 

[GraphX12]

And welcome to the world of guitars, Roger! What a wonderful way to bond with your daughter as she will cherish these memories for her lifetime! My adult daughter still talks about “daddy teaching her art”.

And by no means should you feel intimidated when you are at a music store, or on this forum for that matter. Ask all the questions you need to. The guys/gals here are a great help (as you can see by the above comments)!

 

[Fat_Finger]

Thank you for the replies all, I replaced the strings and used the recommended stringing method and so far it is much better.

A curiosity question - With the internet, there are loads of sites forums and everything that any research junkie would ever want. Over the last week I have ventured into reading in random forums and I have learned there are some pretty rudely opinionated people in guitar land. Not here that I have seen, but a few of the forums have severe elitism when it comes to equipment. Epiphone on multiple forums are talked down on and I really can't understand why? I get it that a $3,000 Gibson LP will have better quality and sound, or a classic American strat will have a different feel than a Mexico strat or heaven forbid a Squire... But it just sounds Elitist. I saw it a lot when I started riding bicycles when it came to "roadies" but no one is born a phenomenal guitar player. I get it that studio players or stage professionals have different needs, but no need to degrade a brand nor beginner enthusiasts who are just starting on the musical Journey.

So my a long intro to my question but - Why all the hate on Epiphone?

I appreciate the interaction from the contributors to this forum. For the most part I do not see rudeness nor talking down to others. We all enjoy banter and small jabs to lighten a conversation, but there seems to be nice limits and understanding that there is a person on the other side of the conversation and not a snide punching bag.

Thanks again and I love my Epiphone.

 

[Davis Sharp]

Snobbery, cork sniffing, general jerkiness.

There's somewhat of a hierarchy in the perception of guitar origins that's partly based in historical quality control and partly in anti-import attitudes. It is widely believed that Made in America > MI Japan > MI Korea> MI China/Indonesia. Mexican Fenders fall somewhere below America and above China. That hierarchy is reflected in the prices, although a lot of that has to do with labor costs. Epiphone and Squier haven't always had the best support from their parent companies when it comes to quality control, but things have changed. CNC manufacturing and better training/supervision means more consistency. Epiphone owns it's Chinese factories, they're not contract manufacturing operations.

As you said, a $3,000 Gibson may be a better guitar than a $600 Epiphone. Is it five times better? Not likely. Some people just want "Gibson" and "Fender" on their headstocks. It's their money to spend however they want. Other people will put down imporrt guitars because it makes them feel better about themselves. So those other forums are probably therapy.

I ride a department store Schwinn mountain bike.

 

[BGood]

That's what's called Corksniffing. Corksniffing happens mostly on headstock snobbery sites.

You will find friendly batter like here on most less expensive guitar forums.

That's the way today's internet works.

 

[Paruwi]

So my a long intro to my question but - Why all the hate on Epiphone?

sorry I could not resist....

I appreciate the interaction from the contributors to this forum. For the most part I do not see rudeness nor talking down to others. We all enjoy banter and small jabs to lighten a conversation, but there seems to be nice limits and understanding that there is a person on the other side of the conversation and not a snide punching bag.

Most of us just like 'good' guitars

 

[Raiyn]

I ride a department store Schwinn mountain bike.

In a previous life, I was a bike mechanic.
I too ride a Schwinn. A 1971 Varsity that I restomodded (big surprise). I've worked on everything from Big Lots clunkers to $5000 road screamers.

Without the slightest whiff of corksniffery, I can say that there's a noticeable difference in quality between a top-end department store bike and a low-end bike shop bicycle. Even the final (in store) assembly is miles better.

 

[Joel]

Ahhhh, guitar snobbery.
It's a Ford, Chevy, Honda, Nissan etc...type of thing.
I have a beach cruiser bike I ride at the beach here in SOCAL. It's just a $500.00 bike. My niece rides a cheaper $300.00 beach cruiser bike. She's cooler because her bike cost less. Surf boards..... won't go there, but snobbery is there too.
There always and has always been snobbery. I eat this brand of ice cream. But you prefer that kind.
I'm down to four guitars at this point. A Fender Strat elite, a Epiphone lea Paul Standard plus top pro, a Epiphone Dm500 ce, and a garage built Strat made by a local guitar builder. It there is a fire,, the garage built goes with me before the others. it's my favorite.
I have a niece that plays in a traveling Americana band. I went to one of their shows some years back. It was crowded, about 500 people roughly. I was sitting near the band door. I could see them, but was far enough away not to see the guitar players 'brand' of guitar. It looked like a Gibson es335.
We visited after the show. I Complimented the guitar players ES 335 sound. He said it's not a Gibson, it's an Epiphone casino.
I expected a professional to be playing a Gibson. Ehhhh, my snobbery was showing???

 

[Matthew Medofer]

I never got the whole wrapping the string and locking it n all that....
I can say with a newer guitar with new strings that it just needs played
When I restring my guitars I don't use a string winder n I learned this year's ago from a guitar tech...
I take the string n wrap it around the post as many times as I can and then push it through the hole on the post above the wraps, getting more wraps on the g, b, and high e.
Then bring it up to tune and GENTLY PULL THE LOW e , a , and d (the wound strings) to stretch them out) until when u pull them they don't go out of tune. On the smaller strings I always bend them because pulling them it's too easy to snap them.
N get good strings!
I always use gibson strings
I never liked Ernie ball strings they loss their tone n go dead in like a week. I put gibson brite wires on a guitar n they r still on there not all gunky n black n holding tone a year later