GFI tuning problem solved with oil!!

Rick Newman · Post by **Rick Newman** » 22 Oct 2021 11:05 am

My GFI had problems staying in tune.
But I recently oiled it and stays in tune like a new guitar.
Wow, no oil needed right!!
2014 expo.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 22 Oct 2021 11:29 am

I had a 2003 Expo S-10 and a 2000 Ultra D-10. The Expo had never been oiled. The Ultra was a used guitar but as far as I could tell it had never been oiled.

I used Stainless Steel George L's Nashville gauges strings on the Expo and SIT Sho-Bud gauges (same gauges as the George L's) Nickel strings on the Ultra.

But, with mechanics, there can be problems.

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 22 Oct 2021 11:36 am

What kind of oil? I hear dry Teflon is the best. It doesnâ€™t attract dust, hair, etc and turn into a gummy mess after a while.

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 22 Oct 2021 12:07 pm

This is excellent and easy to apply..

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 22 Oct 2021 2:21 pm

Anything that rotates or slides need lube of some type. One problem I found with my GFI. When the powder coat was baked a small amount of powder coat curled into the nut roller slots and the roller nuts was dragging on the powder coat. I had to remove the nut roller assembly, On GFI ULTRA, Had to remove 2 screws from underneath. Removed Nut Rollers keeping them in order, With needle file cleaned the roller slots of powder coating. Between the slot cleaning, lube and carefully winding the strings so they are straight. Have not had a problem with tuning.
As shown in the picture I wind some strings to the mounting bar side and some away to keep the pull straight on the nut rollers.

Ken Mizell · Post by **Ken Mizell** » 23 Oct 2021 8:03 am

Rick Newman wrote:My GFI had problems staying in tune.
But I recently oiled it and stays in tune like a new guitar.
Wow, no oil needed right!!
2014 expo.

What kind of lube did you use on the GFI?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 23 Oct 2021 8:28 am

all the wonderful IN TUNE pedal steel sounds you hear on great records from the 60's 70's 80's, and well into the 90's was made on pedal steel guitars that used plain old motor oil, maybe atf, or even grease as lubricant....
I have never needed anything else...

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 Oct 2021 3:14 pm

K Maul wrote:What kind of oil? I hear dry Teflon is the best. It doesnâ€™t attract dust, hair, etc and turn into a gummy mess after a while.

I don't know of any builder that recommends using Teflon oils or lubes. And personally, I would never use Teflon products unless that was all I had. (It may be okay for motorcycle and bike chains, though.) Synthetic oil or automatic transmission fluid is what most builders use and recommend. Other recommended products are sewing machine oil or gun oil.

Rick Newman · Post by **Rick Newman** » 23 Oct 2021 3:47 pm

I have been fighting this tuning problem for a long time. But I heard don't put oil on a GFI!!
Now I can play it again. The pedals are easier to push down. Stays in tune now!!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 Oct 2021 7:56 pm

I've also heard people say that oil may damage the plastic bushings used on some guitars for the cross shafts, but that hasn't been my experience. (Gene once said that his guitars don't require lubrication.) The plastic parts don't normally require lubing, but it may help in some circumstances. I used oil on the plastic bushings in my MSA for almost 30 years, and never had a problem.

But if your cabinet warps and binds the cross shafts, you've probably got a problem that lubing isn't going to solve.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 23 Oct 2021 8:05 pm

Rick Newman wrote:I heard don't put oil on a GFI!!

Well, here's at least one place you heard it: GFI website, 16th FAQ down (it won't let me copy and paste the text)
https://www.gfimusicalproducts.com/faq

Donny Hinson wrote:I don't know of any builder that recommends using Teflon oils or lubes. And personally, I would never use Teflon products unless that was all I had. (It may be okay for motorcycle and bike chains, though.) Synthetic oil or automatic transmission fluid is what most builders use and recommend. Other recommended products are sewing machine oil or gun oil.

But the Forum has had innumerable posts insisting that Teflon lube is the only good lube to use, and major back-and-forths about "There are different kinds of Teflon lube, and you have to only use the DRY Teflon lube", and what that is or isn't.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Oct 2021 2:00 pm

Brint Hannay wrote: But the Forum has had innumerable posts insisting that Teflon lube is the only good lube to use, and major back-and-forths about "There are different kinds of Teflon lube, and you have to only use the DRY Teflon lube", and what that is or isn't.

I don't recommend dry lubes because they don't migrate. (Those who have actually studied lubricants know the importance of that quality.) And evidently, I'm also not as worried about a little dust as many others seem to be.

Oils continue to be the mainstay lubricant for precision machinery. Be it a fine wristwatch, a tractor, an expensive automobile, or a huge and powerful jet engine, you'll find some form of oil being used for lubrication.

But if using a dry teflon whatzit gives you a warm fuzzy, more power to 'ya.

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 24 Oct 2021 2:09 pm

Donny Hinson wrote:
I don't recommend dry lubes because they don't migrate..

Thanks for that info.

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GFI tuning problem solved with oil!!

GFI tuning problem solved with oil!!

Re: GFI tuning problem solved with oil!!