Ltd Snakebyte stability issues

PinianPinian
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    Ltd Snakebyte stability issues

    I just picked up a mint condition Ltd Snakebyte. It won't hold tuning for more than a few notes, and I'm not even talking a few cent off. It will drop 45 cent, comparable to breaking a string would throw a floyd off. 

    I haven't had a production guitar in over a decade - so this is a huge blemish on what I had hoped would be a fun guitar to play around with at home. Very disappointing. It doesn't even hold a candle to my Kiso shop KH. Not even close.

    Anyone else run into massive tuning stability issues with their ltd's? Did changing the nut to bone help you? Not sure I want to spend any money on the guitar if it's this much of a lemon. 

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    ESP 348
    ESP 348 wrote

    Sorry to hear man, that's a pain in the ass!

    I assume you picked it up in a private sale?

    Not from a dealer or guitar shop where you could take it back to show them the issue?

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      dubster82
      dubster82 wrote

      That's not good, my LTD's are really stable. Is it all the strings going out of tune? Are you using the locking tuners broken or not being used correctly?

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        Pushead
        Pushead wrote

        Is it just one string, or the entire guitar? If it's one string, check the tuner at the headstock to make sure it isn't slipping. If it's the entire guitar, check the stop-bar behind the bridge to make sure it's not pulling out of the body.

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          Pinian
          Pinian wrote

          Yeah, picked it up private sale. Always a risk but saved a lot. Even with a nut change it's still new but will cost a lot less.

          Main issue seems to be BE on the treble side. Tried to get a pic of the nut. Strings don't pass thru correct in the channel. Restrung to check. Tuners are used correctly. 

          Nice instrument if tuning can be fixed. Intonation is spot on. 

          Really awesome piece of ebony too. Black as night.

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            Tondog
            Tondog wrote

            Someone got nutty with a fret file and opened up that break angle on the BE strings. As long as the tuners are not the main culprit, you can put a bone nut in there and fix these issues rather easily.

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              ESPBear
              ESPBear wrote

              I think that as well Tondog. Unless the lighting is goofy, the nut look flat from the low E just before B, then the shadow makes it look like someone got really aggressive filing the nut, and the nut curves down.

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                ESP 348
                ESP 348 wrote

                Yeah, an issue with the nut it seems looking at those pics.

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                  Pushead
                  Pushead wrote




                  Replace the nut and all will be well.

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                    ESP 348
                    ESP 348 wrote

                    Looks like it might have been a defective nut from new? Looks like those slots were not cut deep enough.

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                      Pinian
                      Pinian wrote

                      Thanks for all the replies. You're confirming what I was thinking - the nut isn't cut correctly. You also gave me a cheap idea to try tonight. I'm going to swing by the store and pick up a set of 11's or 12's, just to see if it happens to be the lighter string gauge slipping in the top 2 locking tuners. 

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                        Pinian
                        Pinian wrote

                        Thanks for all the replies.

                        Quick update, finally had time to string it up with 11s, and that has solved a lot of the issue. Small gauge must be slipping in the lock for E1, B2. 

                        Still will likely have the nut swapped to bone. 

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                          ESP 348
                          ESP 348 wrote

                          Good result, definitely swap that nut out as it just doesn't look right to me man.

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