PRS SE 245 tuning stability issues

[prsguy]

As you can guess, I own a PRS SE 245. It really is a good guitar, however i noticed that it has a hard time staying in tune. Before suggesting it- yes, I stretched all strings multiple times and widen the nut slots, yet it seems that whenever I travel with it some strings always end up sharp and others- flat.
I can't find the cause of it. I had cheaper guitars that performed much better in that aspect, and it just keeps getting out of tune.
Any ideas? perhaps it's the odd bridge design?

 

[bodia]

It’s not the bridge. You mentioned that it happens when you travel with it. Any chance you’re knocking it out of tune when you are putting it in the gig bag?

 

[Chef T]

I recently got an SE HB2. It stayed in tune ok but same issues as you. I put the SE locking tuners on and it is much better. Not perfect, but very good. I am not saying it is because of the locking tuners, just because of better tuners.

 

[Prina]

It’s not the bridge.

Agree. On my Korean SE 245s the solid bridges are pretty stable.

And sometimes the tuners themselves can get loose, either in their attachment to the front of the headstock with the hollow hex bolt (the little screw on the back probably doesn't make much difference) or in too little resistance of the tuner mechanism which can be increased by screwing in the button a bit more.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

It’s not the bridge. You mentioned that it happens when you travel with it. Any chance you’re knocking it out of tune when you are putting it in the gig bag?

I’d second that the tuners are getting moved in the gig bag. Mine does this, even just walking from the music room to the house.

 

[Mentalo87]

I also suspect that you might hit the tuning pegs while putting your guitar into the gig bag. Happens to my CE24 also sometimes.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I’ve noticed the newer gig bags have a halo in the area of the headstock. Anyone have be of these and does it help?

 

[andy474x]

I had a set of the Grover mini-rotomatics, which used to be the go-to for SE locking tuners, on my SE CU24, they traveled in tune better I suspect due to the smaller size of the keys, not getting jostled in the gig bag as much. Someone needs to come up with a 3D-printed, padded tuner protector for the PRS gig bags. Said SE held tune a lot better than those with the stock tuners not because of the locking aspect, but because the strings weren’t getting stretched to and fro in transport.