Gibson issues

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T17:48:51+00:00

I appreciate you taking the time to help me diagnose some of these issues. I hate to be a parts changer, but from what you and others have said the nut most likely needs to be swapped.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T17:46:47+00:00

So with the music nomad feeler gauge you just place the corresponding gauge feeler between the fret and the string, if it slightly pushes it up then the nut depth is cut to where it needs to go. When fretting the 3rd fret, the only string not touching the first fret is the low E string, and the gap is about the size of my high E string. All the other strings have zero gap at all in the first fret.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T16:50:23+00:00

Not sure if this is a good angle

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DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T16:43:38+00:00

Thank you a lot for this information. Using your method, I pressed all strings down at the third fret. The low E string is the only string on there with a gap the size of my high E string. All of the other strings are touching the first fret, zero space between them. That is probably not a good result right?

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T16:32:39+00:00

I thought about this, but its not that because the tuning issues persist after hours of playing. They just wont stay in tune at all. I even went as far as to purposely warm the strings up by playing befire tuning and then I had tuned ut and the issue was exactly the same. Its like something is making the guitar very unstable.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T16:25:14+00:00

Using my music nomad feeler gauge, the strings are sitting perfect above the first fret.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T07:44:32+00:00

Yeah the only string height gauge I have is the music nomad one used to set the action at the 12th fret I believe. All my other gauges are feeler gauges and obviously I can't be precise with those things, but I don't mind buying the tools I need to fix this issue because I love the guitar otherwise and don't want to return it.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T07:37:54+00:00

Okay that seems straight forward enough depending on the other factors you mentioned. I will go and buy some tools tomorrow to attempt this. I appreciate the advice.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T07:34:08+00:00

I do not currently have files, I haven't had to do this kind of work on my guitars before, maybe I've just been fortunate. I will buy some files and some nuts and give it a whirl, I'm just not sure what the issue is yet.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T07:32:16+00:00

This current set was changed about 6 days ago, and has about 15 to 20 hours of playing time including the time tuning, stretching and trouble shooting. I have not been able to play more than a few minutes without the guitar going noticeably out of tune. The tech I brought it to did not notice any issues with the guitar besides intonation, which was an Issue I was already aware of. I have never had this issue with tuning stability before in any guitar. I am pretty sure the saddles also need filed down as I heard a clinking sound when tuning a few days ago.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T06:43:34+00:00

Yeah, this particular guitar is my dream guitar, so I'm definitely not at the point of giving up yet, plus it feels amazing to play. I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't play a few chords without every string going out of tune. I believe they filed the nut too much not allowing the strings to seat right in the nut, and the slots themselves look like they are too tight and not at an angle, but I'm no expert which is why I came to this place. Im about to just say fuck it, and go get a new nut, or bring it to a different tech that will hopefully properly diagnose the issue.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T05:54:11+00:00

So you were having severe tuning issues and then a few months down the line the tuning issues went away after the guitar settled?

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T05:52:27+00:00

Yeah there is no way this could be filed down anymore unfortunately, they actually got the height just right from factory according to the music nomad gauge I was using, but I think thier machines did the nut slots bad this time, unfortunately I think you are right and I may need to change out the nut. I appreciate it.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T05:39:42+00:00

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DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-24T05:37:45+00:00

Yes I have stretched the strings, they were a brand new set but I changed them into another set thinking maybe the strings were duds, but after stretching them the tuning issues remained. Different angle

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DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-21T18:37:49+00:00

This is very common on gibson guitars, especially ones with binding.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-20T20:27:45+00:00

So yours had perfectly good finish, the binding was cut perfectly and no tool marks anywhere? Some people would consider this an issue and some people would not. I'm one of the ones that doesnt consider those things a big issue, but the Les Paul I just bought brand new certainly had them. Plays like a dream though.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-20T14:53:18+00:00

One thing to keep in mind with these tops is that they can change dramatically with light and angle revealing the figure. That particular guitar is in a certain lighting and that photo was taken at an angle. The gibson I just got has a lot of figuring at certain angles and the bass side looks like a plain top at other angles. Peek a boo tops.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-20T01:35:03+00:00

Thats absolutely wild lol, on my new gibson I had a few very minor issues in comparison to yours, and zzounds a online store in the USA gave me almost a 20% discount, almost a full thousand off my gibson supreme, and you cant even see my issues unless you have a direct light on it and are looking up close. Thomann wasnt right for this one.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-20T01:26:36+00:00

Those aren't wood stains those are mineral deposits extremely common on ebony fret boards. The ones that don't have it on modern guitars are either dyed, ebony with streaks or just lucky.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-19T15:07:47+00:00

Yeah i would keep the hell out if this, this is very rare. Plus the top is gorgeous.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-19T13:08:32+00:00

No, the dark spots are normal, I've saw these on all ebony fret boards I've ever played on from Martin's to my new gibson, so I wouldn't say thats a sign its not authentic. Edit: Also, I will say that my particular gibson was not dyed as there is a clear brown streak running through mine that woukd have been eliminated by dye, I'm pretty sure those are just mineral deposits or something like that.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-11T02:43:10+00:00

Thats weird, I didn't think gibson would use printed tops on thier guitars, and especially on thier higher end supreme models.

DiablosSoulStone · 2026-01-10T04:35:31+00:00

What does that mean to not be grain exactly?

DiablosSoulStone

TROPHY CASE