Charvel Star Legacy Gold tuning problem

[METALLICO]

Hi, i've got a Charvel Star Legacy and I simply can't tune it! I took it to a luthier and he told me I have to change tuners and the bridge is unstable (WTF! Is a Custom Shop guitar!)
Do I have to change luthier or something in my Star?



(not the RR of course)

Thanks


P.S. I'm new to this great forum, where can I post some photos of guitars, gear and

[Devotee]

What exactly do you mean by "you can't tune it"? Do you mean it won't stay in tune? If so, it could be many things.

[straycat]

Its a guitar and things can be wrong with it custom shop or not.
What kind of bridge are we talking about? To make a broad statement about anything isn't professional if the luthier is competent.
If it has a Floyd rose bridge tuners aren't all that critical because you have a locking nut.A loose OFR nut can cause problems.
String thru I would inspect the nut for strings binding in the nut slots.
Stretching the strings properly has a huge impact on tuning stability as well.
If it has a tun-o-matic bridge check the saddles for burrs where the strings go over the saddles.
Its all about knowing where to look and decent knowledge of how guitars work.

Pics would be a huge help.

[coloradoman25]

My guess is its a legacy in gold bolt that was bought recently online. If it is it was local to me and it would NOT stay in tune at all. I messed with it on 4 occasions and it had constant stability issues.

It SHOULD be a single hum V trem with Gotoh or schallers on it cant remember.

[shreddermon]

Learn how to wind the strings onto the posts correctly (for minimal slippage), make sure the nut slots are properly and smootly slotted, then lube them so they're even more slippery, and remove the trem's middle 4 screws to minimize friction at the bridge. Then pray to the tuning gods, and commit to them a small animal as sacrifice. LOL. All that should improve the tuning stability somewhat, but a V trem will still never be as stable as a Floyd.

Oh, and then find yourself a new "luthier" because that first guy sounds like a 'tard.

[straycat]

Strat head I assume?
I have found removing 4 screws puts too much pressure on the two screws alone.
Tighten the claw so the bridge rests on the body and use 4 springs.

[METALLICO]

yes, it won't stay on tune, and this is killing me because is the best neck I've played ever

[straycat]

I would think the strings are binding in the nut slots.
Have you put a heavier string gauge than what came on it?
Do you use the trem a lot?
99% of tuning problems with a Vtrem are with the nut.
@ yes I'm a guitar tech if that helps and been doing it a long time.

[METALLICO]

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a116/Fdorian/not%20charvel/?action=view&current=BuFuj5gWkKGrHqMOKnIEvyFryDd0BL-2S52.jpg&currenttag=2007%20Charvel%20Legacy%20Star-%20Gold%20Bolt#!oZZ3QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs10.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa116%2FFdorian%2Fnot%2520charvel%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DBuFuiogBmkKGrHqIOKjEvPVPeLByBL-2Srz.jpg%26currenttag%3D2007%20Charvel%20Legacy%20Star-%20Gold%20Bolt

[CowboyFromHell]

Listen to Stray. The Stray knows all! LOL. Honorestly, the advice of a guitar tech and member that has been here almost 10 years, has over 10,000 posts... I'd think that person knows a thing or two.

[straycat]

Ok looks like you have a phenolic nut which is what Charvel used back in the day.
One thing I noticed is how deep the strings sit in the nut.A red flag to me and let me guess the wound stings are the ones not staying in tune?
You may need to take some off the top of the nut so the strings can vibrate with out being choked by all that nut material.
The wound strings need only a slot 1/2 the height of the string.
Check the amount of clearance you have at the first fret by barring at the third fret and seeing how much room there is between the strings and the first fret there should be a little BTW.If the strings are resting on the first fret the nut slots are too deep.
Usually you will get string buzz and you didn't mention that.
Anyway You can loosen the strings and see if you can pull each string out of its slot with out any tension.
If there is tension the slots are too narrow and need to be widened so the string can vibrate.

[straycat]

The trick here is to widen the slot and not file it any deeper. That is if you have proper clearance it the first fret.

[METALLICO]

First of all thank you so much for the answers. The major problem is the tremolo i think, because is very hard using it (instead using a floyd, like on my USA San Dimas, 650XL or 475 Deluxe Exotic). The phenolic nut is very strange to me, my RR5's nut is 2x bigger and is a string through..
That ''luthier'' gave me an advice: buy shaller locking tuners, change nut with a FLOYD NUT (?), and finally, change trem (i like it only because is vintage and i've got too many floyd guitars)

[METALLICO]

I play a lot bendings, and medium trem using
The guitar i bought NOS from a German Musicshop
I like 10-52, but in this star i tried 09-46 (too thin?)

[straycat]

Pretty sure it came with 9-42's but not 100% sure.
10's would be fine. your nut needs work anyway.
If you bend and have tuning problems I'm sure the nut slots are the problem. The wound strings are pinching in the nut slots is my guess.
You need to look at all the things I talked about and reply back here with what you found.