locking strings w/out nut?

[Jim_L]

I just remembered seeing a small advert for a type of guitar string locking device that sits behind the nut. I've been scrounging through my GP mags trying to find the darn thing to no avail. It locks all 6 strings together, basically a small rectangular lower plate w/3 'upper' plates that each 'trap & compress' the strings in 3 pairs.

 

I'm trying to find a way to keep my Ibanez strat copy in tune after the whammy bar is used. It was my sons guitar but he decided to not to learn how to play so I've been playing it in lieu of my regular non-tremolo guitar. I'm diggin' the whammy but can't keep it in tune...

[Bluesape]

Sperzel locking tuners will work well.

[skipclone 1]

That sounds like a Floyd Rose-licensed type locking nut. There is one on my Charvel. I think the Sperzels would be cheaper and if you lose one of the nuts on the Floyd that clamp the strings down-which is easy to do-you may have to replace the whole assembly. I have found that out the hard way.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Kahler also made those behind-the-nut clamps, two strings per clamp, and probably still does; I used to have one on a guitar years ago...

 

I'm sure that several trem-bridge makers make their own models, some more and some less like what you describe. Look up a number of trem brands and check out their products. Do a few Google searches and the like, they're out there; scope out parts retailers like Allparts, Warmoth, Stewart-MacDonald, etc., too.

 

If you install anything like that behind the nut, be sure that the relative angle of the string from the clamp to the back of the nut is OK, you don't want it to be too high and making too little contact with the back-side of the nut-slots, or sustain could lack and the strings could even buzz within the nut-slots...

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The nice thing about locking tuners is that excess winding around the tuner-post is eliminated; nice even if you do also use a locking-nut or a behind-the-nut-clamp...

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Proper set-up is CRUCIAL with a trem, especially if it's "floating". And a little lube like clear Teflon gel from Radio Shack/Archer brand applied to all contact-points of the strings (except for the frets and tuner-posts) and mechanical friction points on the trem and springs and all will help a lot, as well.

 

Carefully tug the slack of each string out from behind the nut and bridge-saddles and retune until you can't tug them flat; then do a trem-dive, followed by pulling the trem back as far as it will go (sharp if it's floating), and check and retune as necessary. A few passes of this should stretch the strings into stability and eliminate the stored-slack that will cause them to wig out on you as you play.

 

I highly, HIGHLY recommend the EXCELLENT book How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great! by Dan Erlewine. It even comes with cool plastic radius gauges inside the back cover, very helpful!

[Jim_L]

Thanks guys, I'll check them out.

[picker]

You mean this?

[Jim_L]

Yeah! Thats the thing! Thanks!

[Caevan O’Shite]

You mean this?

 

Yeah! Thats the thing! Thanks!

 

Hmmmnn, it doesn't anchor to anything at all, huh? Unusual...

 

The proper set-up of rest of the guitar would still be crucial, and some lube in the nut-slots would still be very beneficial.

 

If you try it, let us know how well it works for you; keep us posted!

[desertbluesman]

http://www.beyondeleven.com/Kahler-reg-7513-String-Lock-1-5-8-p/kahler-7513-hybrid-string-lock.htm

[Jim_L]

And Kahlers (out of stock as of this moment when i checked) cost less than half of the other one, just gotta remember the nut width before ordering...;>)

 

One thing i did do to my sons guitar (btw, it's the cheap model that comes with the 10 watt amp which sounds killer through a blown 10" Hartke spkr...;>) was to replace the metal string trees with Graphtech trees. It helped a lot.

 

I was going to put in a GTech nut but there's no difinitive way to identify the exact nut needed. I did order one per a GT's representative recommendation but it wasn't tall enough plus the nut slot was radiused, not flat. Yeah, it's a cheap $$ guitar but it sounds and plays great and as I said, i'm diggin' the whammy. It's the first guitar I ever played with one. I'm just sorry i never got around to trying one over the past 48 years...;>)

 

Oh, and i have tried nut sauce and a #2 pencil to no noticeable effect...;>)

Oh to only win the lottery just once...;>) I have such plans for a guitar!

[Larryz]

+1 on the Sperzel locking tuners, should do the job and make string changes a whole lot easier...IMHO.

[Jim_L]

$40.00 for the thing on the Kahler website.

About $20.00 more for Sperzels (depending on model) but you have to drill out the guitars tuner holes to make them bigger and drill additional locator pin holes too...?

[Caevan O’Shite]

Sperzels aren't the only locking tuners in town; there are other brands, and various sizes. TonePros-Kluson, Schaller, Grover, Planet Waves, and others make locking-tuners; one or another just might fit your guitar without any reaming.

 

(Speakin' of which- it's a lot better to use a reamer than a drill to enlarge those holes- much, MUCH less likely to drift or distort on you, and much more likely to stay centered and straight.)

 

Now, the Kahler clamp- and any other kind that is mounted to the headstock, behind the nut- really must be installed in such a way as to be nearly level and square with the back of the nut, allowing just enough breaking-angle where the strings pass over the nut to keep some down-pressure on the nut, otherwise weak sustain and tone, buzzing, and even worse tuning problems could result.

 

The custom Strat-style that I had for years had a little curved-bottomed maple shim that matched the contour of the headstock behind the nut, as a platform upon which the Kahler clamp was mounted.

[Larryz]

$40.00 for the thing on the Kahler website.

About $20.00 more for Sperzels (depending on model) but you have to drill out the guitars tuner holes to make them bigger and drill additional locator pin holes too...?

 

If it's a Strat Copy you might want to measure the holes and check out the Fender Locking tuners, $69 @ MF (I have them on two of my deluxe strats and I will be putting them or the Sperzels on two of my American standards soon)...if it has 3/8" holes then you can order the Sperzel's, $74 @ MF and Klusons $89 @ MF depending on hole size...have your luthier put 'em on for about $20 if you have to change the hole size or need pin holes...

[G. A. Donis]

I would think that if the tuning issues are happening because of the string binding in the nut then the "behind the nut" locking wouldn't help that much. Of course my Charvel Model 6 stays in tune very well with a similar arrangement.

[skipclone 1]

I`ve got a Model 6 too-no tuning problems, just losing those stupid nuts. You can`t loosen them too far, or else watch out.