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Alembic Club » Alembic Basses & Guitars » Archive: 2007 » Archive through November 26, 2007 » SC Dlx keeps going out of tune « Previous Next »

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glocke
Advanced Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 261
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 2:41 am:   Edit Post

Hi All,

I purchased (new) a SC sig deluxe around august. I posted about how it got "rained" by a flood from a dishwasher malfunction it did seem to survive that water ok, but lately it doesnt seem to want to stay in tune, it keeps going flat. Any suggestions ?
terryc
Advanced Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 316
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 3:00 am:   Edit Post

Did water get into the tuners??
glocke
Advanced Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 263
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 3:38 am:   Edit Post

From what I recall, most of the water was concentrated on the body and the neck (amazingly the control cavities stayed dry), a small amount of water may have gotten onto the tuners, but I dont think it was significant. In terms of water damage to the tuners, is there something I should look for?

The strings were pretty soaked, and I havent changed them since than. Could that be part of the problem?
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 1668
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 3:43 am:   Edit Post

You'll need to replace those strings anyway, if they were soaked. I think it's the best starting point for troubleshooting.
terryc
Advanced Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 318
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 6:31 am:   Edit Post

glocke--you didn't mention the strings got soaked!! I agree with adriaan, the cores will be corroded as well as the windings so micro fractures will be occuring due to corrosion metal fatigue.Oil the board whilst the strings are off and remove the nut and truss cover plate and apply a little oil to those exposed surfaces. Water and wood do not mix well just like water & electricity.
Personally I would have stripped the whole thing and dried it with cloths and oiled the fretboard straight away.
glocke
Advanced Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 265
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 9:03 am:   Edit Post

Thanks...just ordered new strings so hopefully that will take care of the problem. I dont know why it didnt occur to me to strip the whole thing down, I think I was mainly worried about the electronics.

Can I used bore oil (for horns) on the fretboard ? A jazz bass enthusiast friend of mine uses that on his jazz bass necks.
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 1670
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 9:13 am:   Edit Post

The only oil that you should consider to use is essential lemon oil. Make sure it is 100% pure, without additions - should be available through healthfood shops. It is kind of expensive (and some brands more so than others) but you only need a couple of drops of it at a time, and in a temperate climate with no airconditioning you probably need to do it not more than once or twice a year.

Read all about it in the FAQ/Must Reads section.
jakebass
Junior
Username: jakebass

Post Number: 30
Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 11:22 am:   Edit Post

I will apologise in advance if I'm stating the obvious, but just in case you don't know:
always tune up to the tone you want to achieve, this leaves no slack on the peg which, if you tune down to a note leaving slack, can slip to tighten and make the note fractionally flatter.
As I said I would expect that most here know this but if you don't there it is.
Jake

Ps hence the term 'tune up'
glocke
Advanced Member
Username: glocke

Post Number: 277
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 6:48 am:   Edit Post

Just an update....replaced the strings on this and all is good. played a solid 5 hours last sat. with the new strings, and there was no sign on the tuning problems I had before.
terryc
Advanced Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 351
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 7:27 am:   Edit Post

You can't beat the sound of new strings..nice & trebly..even more if you turn the filter up and switch the Q
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 1234
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 8:17 am:   Edit Post

Glad it settled down !

In my experience, a good 90% of the ' . . just can't get this $#**%(*# thing to stay in tune' problems are string related.

Wind the excess around the keyposts like spaghetti?

'Oh yeah, these strings have been on here since '87, I want that Jamerson tone!'

The retainer nuts around the shaft on the face of the peghead were loose.

The tensioner screws in the ears of the tuning keys were loose.

The saddles/tailpiece/bridge, etc., were loose.

The saddles hadn't been tuned to the string lengths (intonated) properly, or they still were set the way they left the factory.

The truss rod nuts were completely loose.

VERY occasionally, you run into the odd failing nut, frets gone wrong, or other mechanical issues from age or sloppy fabrication or the randon 'problem child' piece of wood, but MOST of the time, new strings and a proper setup kills 'it won't stay in tune' problems PDQ.

J o e y

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