Epiphone LP standard tuner rattle

[SM2GXN]

Hi!

I've had my Epi LP standard for about half a year now and I've already replaced the g-string tuner twice.
After a month or so it starts to rattle along with the g-string and make a real uggly sound. If I hold the g-string tuner knob it goes away and if I squeeze the neck at the first freth toward the bindings it also goes away. No other string will make the tuner to rattle.
Don't tell me to buy a new guitar cause it's a great guitar except for the rattle snake sound.

Bjorn

 

[carvinguy]

If there is a phillips screw at the end of the tuner, try to tighten that up a bit. If that doesn't do it, maybe try to get some farily thick grease into the gears of the tuner. I'm not sure what those particular tuners look like, so I'm just guessing here.

Good luck!

 

[leadbelly]

When you say it rattles, do you mean it is rattling at the attachment nut (i.e. the whole thing is loose) or the pin only is loose and rattling? If it just keeps coming loose at the nut, some kind of thread lock at the hardware store will do the trick. If the internals are working loose, that's a much bigger problem. If it's a type where the gears are open or you can access them by removing a cover, then some heavyweight lubricant may do the trick. Your best bet may be to shell out for a higher $$$ tuner than the stock one.

 

[SM2GXN]

Hi carvinguy and leadbelly!

Thanks for quick reply.

If there is a phillips screw at the end of the tuner, try to tighten that up a bit. If that doesn't do it, maybe try to get some farily thick grease into the gears of the tuner

There is no screw at the tuner knob and I've tried to put thick grease as well but the grease is pouring out after a while caused by vibrations.

When you say it rattles, do you mean it is rattling at the attachment nut (i.e. the whole thing is loose) or the pin only is loose and rattling? If it just keeps coming loose at the nut, some kind of thread lock at the hardware store will do the trick. If the internals are working loose, that's a much bigger problem. If it's a type where the gears are open or you can access them by removing a cover

It's inside the gear box and the shaft itself that touch the cover of the gear. When I choosed tuner I took one which was tight with no play. No I can't open the tuner in order to access the gears.
If I put my finger on the g-string between the nut and the tuner it still rattle or maybe I should call it buzz
I'm worried that something could be wrong with the truss rodd or even worse the neck itself. What makes me unsure is that if I sqeeze the neck lightly on each side of the bindings at first fret it stops. The bindings are not loose.
So what do you think? Buy a new guitar


Bjorn

 

[leadbelly]

If I put my finger on the g-string between the nut and the tuner it still rattle or maybe I should call it buzz
I'm worried that something could be wrong with the truss rodd or even worse the neck itself. What makes me unsure is that if I sqeeze the neck lightly on each side of the bindings at first fret it stops. The bindings are not loose.
So what do you think? Buy a new guitar
Bjorn

Whoa, that description is quite different. It sounds like you have a problem with the nut. String buzzing is often caused by cheap nuts. Also, squeezing the bindings at the 1st fret would transfer some pressure to the nut, which is why that might stop the buzzing. Take a hard look at the nut. Does it give? Are the string notches shallow?

 

[SM2GXN]

Hi again leadbelly!

It sounds like you have a problem with the nut. String buzzing is often caused by cheap nuts. Also, squeezing the bindings at the 1st fret would transfer some pressure to the nut, which is why that might stop the buzzing. Take a hard look at the nut. Does it give? Are the string notches shallow?

As original I think they use plastic nut but the one I got is made of graphite. I will put the nut under a magnifier and have a real close look at all you suggested.
Wow! Now I see something, they have done a pretty bad job with the nut. The nut is bowing slightly, there is a narrow open in the middle of the nut between the fret board and the nut.
I will take the strings off and make a closer examination of the nut.
I will be back later.
Thank's a lot leadbelly.

Bjorn

 

[thedoctor]

Rattles in Epi tuners

As and expierement, wrap tape around the tuning keys themselves where they hit the body of the tuner or all the way around each set of three tuner knobs. Epi imports don't use a very good quality tuner and the keys may be loose on the shaft. The nut thing is possible but not likely, IMHO. You may be looking for a $60.00 set of Gotohs. Or Grovers whould look nice also.

 

[SM2GXN]

Hi thedoctor!

Thanks for reply.
I'll wrap some tape arround the tuning keys where they hit the body of the tuner as you suggested before I go further.
I've been examine the nut closely but haven't found anything that could cause this.
The nut is glued in and can't be moved so I guess those vibrations causing the tuner to buzz/rattle is not a faulty nut.
It's very strange that only the g-string makes the tuner to buzz, as I said before even if I mute the string with one of my fingers between nut and tuner the gear and shaft is still buzzing.
I was checking prices on tuners, the GOTO arround 55-70$ are those good tuners?
At least it seems like their mechanical build up want cause any trouble.


Bjorn

 

[Optical]

In my experiance gotoh machine heads have been excellent, cant be beat from the research i did. ive brought them and never regretted it..

although im sure this will vary between models..

 

[thedoctor]

A couple of other thoughts

The peg bushing nuts may be loose (or stripped) in the headstock of the neck. Forgot that one. Also, if you could borrow another set of hands, try dampening all of the metal parts up there one at a time to see if you can find the offensive buzz. It does not surprise me that it only happens on one string.