Tuning issues on my 79' Sunburst

[grahams98]

I've got a 79' sunburst with new replacement high quality tuners, new strings and no serious neck damage. It sounds great but has issues staying in tune I'm thinking I may need to replace the nut but was curious if the original sustainer bridges had any issues like this. I've had this guitar for many years and I don't play it out much as it always been somewhat of a pain to get and keep tuned. BTW: Just so you know I have owned a ton of guitars in thirty years of playing and don't have these issues with other guitars.

[bubs_42]

Sustainblocks are solid as a rock. No issues unless it may have come loose? BCRGreg preaches the wonder of Chapstick for a sticky or binding nut I would try that first then go double check your tuners to make sure they are secure, then check to see if the Sustainblock is tight. Sunburst are pretty basic not alot can go wrong. Good luck!

[mirrorimij]

I had an 89 Sunburst that I couldn't keep in tune. I went through everything Bubs suggested and nothing worked. It was the most frustrating guitar I ever owned. It seemed like the neck wasn't stable enough/strong enough to counteract the force of the strings. I have never encountered another one like that.

Good luck- I hope its something simple.

[gtone]

I'm no expert, but mirrorimij may be onto something about the neck stability. My luthier said my Silvertone wouldn't support light guage strings as the neck/truss rod mandated more tension than they could provide (makes sense too - light guage strings weren't around in '62). You might have to go lighter on your string guage if that's the case or possibly even consider a modification to the truss rod system to offer better stabilization. Lubing the nut with ChapStick or graphite won't hurt the cause either.

[hardheartedbill]

I owned a blk 79 sunburst bound and crowned, would not stay in tune no matter what, it went through 4 players in town and as many tech, nobody in greater western NC could get it to stay in tune ( it may be us LOL )

[grahams98]

I owned a blk 79 sunburst bound and crowned, would not stay in tune no matter what, it went through 4 players in town and as many tech, nobody in greater western NC could get it to stay in tune ( it may be us LOL )

Mine is bound and crowned as well. I really hate to put 9's on such a tone machine but I'll give those and the chapstick a try. I had another tech look at it years ago and he suggested that the bridge might be shifting but upon checking it out discounted that. One odd thing though...I put a capo on it for a strange arrangement a few months ago and it went way out of wack to the point where I just did the math and played it in standard tuning.

Thanks for the responses guys, I've been dropping in for a year or so to this site but had problems with the sign up validation on my PC.

[bubs_42]

I owned a blk 79 sunburst bound and crowned, would not stay in tune no matter what, it went through 4 players in town and as many tech, nobody in greater western NC could get it to stay in tune ( it may be us LOL )

Mine is bound and crowned as well. I really hate to put 9's on such a tone machine but I'll give those and the chapstick a try. I had another tech look at it years ago and he suggested that the bridge might be shifting but upon checking it out discounted that. One odd thing though...I put a capo on it for a strange arrangement a few months ago and it went way out of wack to the point where I just did the math and played it in standard tuning.

Thanks for the responses guys, I've been dropping in for a year or so to this site but had problems with the sign up validation on my PC.

Keep us posted we're here to help.

[serial]

The Tom Holmes-era Sunburst with bound and crowned boards had issues from time to time because the fingerboards were done elsewhere. That's partially why only about 20-25% of the Sunbursts from 77-79 had crowns.

Look at the top of the headstock straight down with the guitar standing on the floor. Is the headstock twisted in relation to the body? Seen a bunch of these on old B&C Sunbursts with tuning issues. Does yours have the single or 3 piece neck? Twists were more prevalent in the earlier single piece ones (somewhere around serial #9 1050 and earlier).

[gtone]

You might also want to have your tech/luthier do a complete inspection of your guitar - nut, neck/trussrod, fret heights, etc. Your capo issue suggests there's maybe more than a simple binding nut or slipping tuner problem going on. Good luck!

[hardheartedbill]

The Tom Holmes-era Sunburst with bound and crowned boards had issues from time to time because the fingerboards were done elsewhere. That's partially why only about 20-25% of the Sunbursts from 77-79 had crowns.

Look at the top of the headstock straight down with the guitar standing on the floor. Is the headstock twisted in relation to the body? Seen a bunch of these on old B&C Sunbursts with tuning issues. Does yours have the single or 3 piece neck? Twists were more prevalent in the earlier single piece ones (somewhere around serial #9 1050 and earlier).

this must have been the case w/ my guitar, it was seriously weird. I was so happy to get it, was 83' and Martin Barre had one and James Honeyman Scott, I paid $175 and was uber bummed when it was basicly unplayable. It looked baddass!

[flattop]

I had a 79 that wouldnt hold its tuning well at all.

I had it checked by a luthier who found that the neck joint was not stable,the glue seemed to have lost its effect at the top of the body region,and the neck moved in relation to the body.

Anyway had to have the neck broken and clamped/reglued,that did the trick and it tuned well after

[grahams98]

The Tom Holmes-era Sunburst with bound and crowned boards had issues from time to time because the fingerboards were done elsewhere. That's partially why only about 20-25% of the Sunbursts from 77-79 had crowns.

Look at the top of the headstock straight down with the guitar standing on the floor. Is the headstock twisted in relation to the body? Seen a bunch of these on old B&C Sunbursts with tuning issues. Does yours have the single or 3 piece neck? Twists were more prevalent in the earlier single piece ones (somewhere around serial #9 1050 and earlier).

I just looked at it and really can't tell but I've always been lousy at sighting down the neck but it looks straight to me. This one has a 600's serial number with the single piece neck.

I took a break, pulled the strings and put some chapstick on the nut, tuned it up then played for 20 minutes. It still has issues with mostly G & B strings where I have trouble getting them to stay in tune initially but the problem seems to lessen after I play for ten minutes or so, until I set it down for a bit. I'm thinking the neck joint is the most likely culprit as I cranked on the neck as some people do on old les pauls for a tremolo effect and it didn't take much pressure at all to make it flex/bend. Not something I would normally do, but I needed to see. I will bring it to a luthier to have him go through it as I strobed it up/down the neck and I noticed it's got intonation issues on those same two strings at the fifth fret. I'll let you know what it is when I get a solid answer. I guess I owe the guitar gods one on this as I bought it used for $225 almost twenty years ago. It's always been an issue with this guitar that I've worked around by tuning every song when I play live.

[bubs_42]

F%Ck IT i'll take it! No really...

[mirrorimij]

I'm thinking the neck joint is the most likely culprit as I cranked on the neck as some people do on old les pauls for a tremolo effect and it didn't take much pressure at all to make it flex/bend.

That sounds a lot like the issue I had with my 89. In my case the neck joint was solid but the neck seemed too flexible.

Keep us updated.

[bubs_42]

I'm thinking the neck joint is the most likely culprit as I cranked on the neck as some people do on old les pauls for a tremolo effect and it didn't take much pressure at all to make it flex/bend.

That sounds a lot like the issue I had with my 89. In my case the neck joint was solid but the neck seemed too flexible.

Keep us updated.

Wierd...

[grahams98]

Well I just spent two hours playing switching between my Hamer and Tele. The Sunburst really sounded great through my AC15 and pretty much put the Tele to shame. The chapstick on the string nut seemed to have helped it a lot as it no longer goes of tune out as fast and was downright usable. It's still somewhat out of sort somewhere in the joint or neck but I can't find out where. I'm going to take it in but I may gig it first (and carry a 2nd guitar just in case) before I bring it in. Thanks for everybody's help I'll post on it later.

BTW: I just got a Fultone OCD pedal and it may be the best $135 bucks I ever spent.

[gtone]

+1 to the OCD. Fulltone makes some super pedals.

Good luck with yer guit - hope you get it sorted out!

[tubesrus]

I'm thinking the neck joint is the most likely culprit as I cranked on the neck as some people do on old les pauls for a tremolo effect and it didn't take much pressure at all to make it flex/bend.

That sounds a lot like the issue I had with my 89. In my case the neck joint was solid but the neck seemed too flexible.

Keep us updated.

Wierd...

My artists have been awesome staying in tune, but I had a bad problem with the nut on one. I tried a nut file, lube, what finally fixed it was folding a piece of 120 grit sandpaper and running it throunh the nut. To test it, I push down on the part of the string thats behind the nut to reise the pitch; if things are right the string will return to pitch quick and easy.

[grahams98]

It's been over a year since my initial post on this. I've applied some of your suggestions and have been happily gigging this guitar for the last year as my goto #1. I had the pickup switch on my Sunburst go bad last week and played my $2,000 custom shop fender strat instead this weekend. It's a great strat but I was really missing my $225 Hamer. Thanks so much for you help.