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[rabidgerry]

I was always told the winds where important to get the string going down nicely over the nut so string trees aren't doing all the work.

I have some tuners on one axe that don't need trees at all as they are height adjustable for having the string go over the nut properly.

[Harley Hexxe]

I was always told the winds where important to get the string going down nicely over the nut so string trees aren't doing all the work.

I have some tuners on one axe that don't need trees at all as they are height adjustable for having the string go over the nut properly.

  Hey RG,

    The number of string windings ARE important on a guitar with non-locking tuners, and a standard nut, but it makes no difference with a locking nut. Once you clamp down the strings at the nut and lock them, you could (theoretically), cut off the strings behind the nut, and it won't affect your tone. Of course, no one would want to do that. I'm just illustrating my point.

    The other tuners are the staggered tuners I mentioned, that you don't want to use string trees with, because that will cause tuning issues if you use the tremolo. I have a set of Sperzel locking tuners like that on my 1980 STRAT, and one of my 2004 Showmaster guitars. Even the Ezy-glide string trees caused tuning issues, so I removed them. No issues now.


    Harley

[Dante]

off topic but: I've been putting Tusq self-lubricating nuts on all my guitars lately. It made a big difference with my Wilkenson trem guitars, they're much easier to keep in tune now.

[rabidgerry]

I was always told the winds where important to get the string going down nicely over the nut so string trees aren't doing all the work.

I have some tuners on one axe that don't need trees at all as they are height adjustable for having the string go over the nut properly.

  Hey RG,

    The number of string windings ARE important on a guitar with non-locking tuners, and a standard nut, but it makes no difference with a locking nut. Once you clamp down the strings at the nut and lock them, you could (theoretically), cut off the strings behind the nut, and it won't affect your tone. Of course, no one would want to do that. I'm just illustrating my point.

    The other tuners are the staggered tuners I mentioned, that you don't want to use string trees with, because that will cause tuning issues if you use the tremolo. I have a set of Sperzel locking tuners like that on my 1980 STRAT, and one of my 2004 Showmaster guitars. Even the Ezy-glide string trees caused tuning issues, so I removed them. No issues now.


    Harley

Hey Harley,

I should have mentioned I was referring to "non" locking nut guitars, of course it doesn't matter if you have a locking nut.

I was thinking of one of my strats that has a bone nut and locking tuners when I mentioned that the string winds are important.

The tuners you talk about are different from the ones I have.  The ones I have are height adjustable.  They do the same job as staggereds though it's just you set the height yourself.  I don't like them if I am honest and I don't think they do f*ck all for tuning stability either (they lock as well).

off topic but: I've been putting Tusq self-lubricating nuts on all my guitars lately. It made a big difference with my Wilkenson trem guitars, they're much easier to keep in tune now.

I nearly got a tusq nut on my strat that the guitar witch doctor I know was resurrecting for me, but he ended up just putting in bone one.  It was to replace a botched LSR nut that some d*ck head installed on the axe.  I thought the guitar was a goner but this new guy I go to to sort my axes seems good.  He is the one sorting my theaded locking nut at the minute.  I've heard good things about the tusq stuff.  On the same axe with the bone nut I have the string saver graphtec saddles.  The give endless amounts of harmonics and tone!  Awesome shit!

[Harley Hexxe]

Hey RG,

    I've never seen tuning machines like the ones you are describing..."adjustable height" locking tuners. 

    Personally, It doesn't sound like a good idea. From an Engineer's point of view, if you over-engineer something, you are inviting problems and complications. I feel the best solutions are always the ones that are kept to the simplest forms, and this definitely applies to mechanical physics. As for any locking tuners, I would never have more than 1/2 to 3/4 of a string wrap around the post. This is because  the string has nothing to bind on in the wrong position, so it will come to rest in the original tuned position after using the tremolo bar. Of course it also helps if the side of the string post is polished smooth so there are no rough surfaces for the string or it's windings to catch on. A Dremel tool with a buffing pad and a bit of metal polish can fix that.

    Harley