SE 594 tuners can't stay in tune

[andy474x]

Strings binding in the nut is the most common cause of intonation issues on SE's - they are often filed for a certain string gauge (often 9's, but I'm not sure what is coming on the new 594's), but if you've gone up a size, or it's simply a very tight slot, that's probably your culprit.

It's an easy fix for any local tech to file the slots a little bit, and if you like the guitar, I wouldn't send it back until you have that looked at. Once the nut has been addressed, I've never had an SE that wouldn't stay in tune, even with stock tuners.

An easy way to tell is to bend the string on one side of the nut, check the intonation, then bend on the other side of the nut and check intonation again. If the intonation is going back and forth (sharp and flat), it's the nut.

 

[ScottR]

You usually have to pay extra for that.

What??!! I didn’t even realize that was on the menu…sweet!

 

[DISTORT6]

What??!! I didn’t even realize that was on the menu…sweet!

It’s in the fine print.

 

[ScottR]

It’s in the fine print.

Ooooohh. Noted.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Ooooohh. Noted.

Under Desserts.

Just watch out if you have allergies.

 

[twhitehead]

Hi!

I just got an SE 594. It's a right nice rock 'n roll machine and sounds great. Unfortunately, it stays in tune about as well as a Les Paul.

The tuning pegs on the SE 594 tuners are SO LOOSE that I think it's just being unwound by the tension on the string. It's frequently going out of tune with brand new strings and several (as in 3-4 complete) winds around the post. I'm confident that it's not slipping.

On other SE guitars, the tuning keys can be tightened down and they're much more stiff to move. I'd like to do teh same thing on the 594 SE tuners, but I can't figure out how. I think they're the same tuners as the Zack Myers / Bernie Marsden and very similar to the SE Silver Sky aside from the plastic tips. So this applies to a bunch of tuners - how do I tighten these things down?

Thanks!

Talk about precipitous timing! I was just searching for an answer to the EXACT issue I have with MY new SE 594.

I can feel a lot of slop in the gearing of the tuners, so what would be the best locking or non locking tuners that would be a direct drop in to an SE?

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Talk about precipitous timing! I was just searching for an answer to the EXACT issue I have with MY new SE 594.

I can feel a lot of slop in the gearing of the tuners, so what would be the best locking or non locking tuners that would be a direct drop in to an SE?

These, unless you have plastic tuning pegs

PRS SE Locking Tuner Set - Chrome 825362039532 | eBay

Change them out in a snap!

www.ebay.co.uk

Nope cancel that, I think you’ll need the SE Vintage lockers, I’ll try to find a link.

Thomann has them, but I can’t get them to link. But they will be in the PRS accessory store.

 

[Lewguitar]

Here's how I do it:

 

[MichaelS]

Here's how I do it:

I used to do this one too, but switched to 'one over, then 1-2 under'... easier to undo when changing strings. Usually no slippage even with just one wind under.
Also the thumbnail shows so many winds underneath, which would just increase slack rendering the 'knot effect' useless.

 

[Lewguitar]

I used to do this one too, but switched to 'one over, then 1-2 under'... easier to undo when changing strings. Usually no slippage even with just one wind under.
Also the thumbnail shows so many winds underneath, which would just increase slack rendering the 'knot effect' useless.

Those winds increases the angle of the string behind the nut, creates more downward pressure and seats the string more firmly in the nut.

Unless you're going wild with the tremolo/vibrato they actually benefit the tone of the guitar.

Eric Johnson winds his string downward like that too, and for the same reason.

 

[MichaelS]

Hi!

I just got an SE 594. It's a right nice rock 'n roll machine and sounds great. Unfortunately, it stays in tune about as well as a Les Paul.

The tuning pegs on the SE 594 tuners are SO LOOSE that I think it's just being unwound by the tension on the string. It's frequently going out of tune with brand new strings and several (as in 3-4 complete) winds around the post. I'm confident that it's not slipping.

On other SE guitars, the tuning keys can be tightened down and they're much more stiff to move. I'd like to do teh same thing on the 594 SE tuners, but I can't figure out how. I think they're the same tuners as the Zack Myers / Bernie Marsden and very similar to the SE Silver Sky aside from the plastic tips. So this applies to a bunch of tuners - how do I tighten these things down?

Thanks!

I doubt it's the tuners. If you tune UP to pitch (and probably even if not), it's mechanically impossible for the gears to let go. Maybe on some super cheap pot metal machine heads, but not at the SE level.
3-4 winds sounds like an easy source of slack. Also what others said on the nut.

The other day I put strings on a strat and put some Big-Bends-Nut-Sauce under the (vintage style) string tree. Well it covered the part of the string that made it all the way to the tuning peg and man that sucker kept slipping forever until it caught. You could hear the pitch go down even during one pick of the string.
Point being, tuner was fine, it was the string slipping.

Try the 'luthier's knot' or 'one-over, two or so under' methods. Tune UP to pitch. Also stretch a new string.

My kids have an SE and a Vintage Vibe with the 'lower end' tuners, but they're fine.

Oh, and one more thing, tightening the button to the peg just increases the friction against the washer between the button and the stem. It does not affect the gears.

 

[DISTORT6]

Here's how I do it:

I never knew this had a name.
I always called it “changing strings”.
I do use less slack than the 1 1/2” this clip is calling for.

 

[Lewguitar]

I never knew this had a name.
I always called it “changing strings”.
I do use less slack than the 1 1/2” this clip is calling for.

I started off just doing it on my acoustic guitars.

Now I do it on all of my guitars except those with locking tuners.

Always called it "tying my strings".

 

[twhitehead]

These, unless you have plastic tuning pegs

PRS SE Locking Tuner Set - Chrome 825362039532 | eBay

Change them out in a snap!

www.ebay.co.uk

Nope cancel that, I think you’ll need the SE Vintage lockers, I’ll try to find a link.

Thomann has them, but I can’t get them to link. But they will be in the PRS accessory store.

I found these: https://reverb.com/item/61581320-ma...MIsaCcwPWk_QIVGAKtBh2PwAQ-EAQYAiABEgIAXPD_BwE

 

[alantig]

You usually have to pay extra for that.

You should see the upcharge for the nut snogging.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I found these: https://reverb.com/item/61581320-ma...MIsaCcwPWk_QIVGAKtBh2PwAQ-EAQYAiABEgIAXPD_BwE

Yep they’re the ones. From the man who was responsible for the original trem.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

You should see the upcharge for the nut snogging.

Or Snot nugging.

 

[aphantomvaper]

I found these: https://reverb.com/item/61581320-ma...MIsaCcwPWk_QIVGAKtBh2PwAQ-EAQYAiABEgIAXPD_BwE

These will work, as will Phase III

 

[Credible_Hulk]

(non-locking) SE tuners are pretty horrible in general. Probably the worst thing about SEs. I too would replace them with another brand rather than have the guitar ”repaired”.

This hasn't been my experience with SE tuners at all. I have 2001 Santana SE, 2017 SE Custom 24, and 2022 SE Santana. None of them have ever had problems with the tuners.

Tuning issues are usually caused by the nut of the way the strings are wrapped on the tuners.

 

[derFunk]

Most of the time I leave SE tuners right where they are, as they're fine. It's these vintage style ones on this particular guitar that have been a problem.

At any rate, the Klusons arrived and all my problems went away. Since there's no tremolo, I didn't even bother with locking ones, just drop-in replacement vintage 3-per-side style for $70 direct from the manufacturer. I really love this guitar and I can live with putting different tuners on it; even at the total cost of nearly $1000 it's still half the price (or less) of an S2 but as far as I can tell every bit as good (compared to my S2 Thinline 594, which I really do love as well).