Floyd rose nut question

[tpruitt]

So the last few weeks I’ve been dealing with my nuts moving. There swinging from..kidding.
Seriously though there moving. Both guitars use top mounted nut screws. 1 is a Ltd KH and the nuts moved so much the screws no longer would get snug so I tried toothpicks and wood glue but it’s still not tight enough to hold the tuning . 2 is a prs that’s flexing back and forth and not returning to tune either but not as bad.

How do you guys keep those tiny azz screws to hold the nut in place and not move under all that pressure?
And how do you permanently fill those holes to make them stable again ?

Here’s how I check.try this out if you get a second. Tune guitar. Dive bomb once all the way down like your Evh. Now check your tuning….with a tuner!

 

[harddriver]

You could redrill a slighty larger hole in the nut but you would have to mill new countersinks in the nut if the head of the new larger screw doesn't fit flush in the original countersink.

You might be able to fill the original holes with an epoxy like JB Weld and then redrill for the exact same screw size. I assume the KH is a Maple neck and the PRD is mahognay???

I am not a luthier so these are not tried and true fixes I'm just throwing out ideas. Maybe consult a luthier and see what he suggests.

 

[Geo]

How are you sure it's moving? Can you see it move?

 

[tpruitt]

Yes. I can hold it up behind a light and dive bomb and I can see it move away from the fretboard.
Now my guitars with screws in the back like charvels and Evh guitars are rock sold and hold there tune. That’s why I said those top mounted screws can’t hold the pressure very well.

On the Ltd I was actually thinking about filling the holes with a maple dowel and redrilling. But the best solution I think is drill it for rear mounted screws.
Just a couple ideas.

 

[Geo]

Yes. I can hold it up behind a light and dive bomb and I can see it move away from the fretboard.
Now my guitars with screws in the back like charvels and Evh guitars are rock sold and hold there tune. That’s why I said those top mounted screws can’t hold the pressure very well.

On the Ltd I was actually thinking about filling the holes with a maple dowel and redrilling. But the best solution I think is drill it for rear mounted screws.
Just a couple ideas.

You may not be able to drill rear mount holes due to truss rod placement so be careful with that.

You can try a Graph-Tech Un-Lock.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acc...MI1dj775XhkgMV90tHAR0_Pic9EAQYAiABEgIyj_D_BwE

 

[harddriver]

Yes. I can hold it up behind a light and dive bomb and I can see it move away from the fretboard.
Now my guitars with screws in the back like charvels and Evh guitars are rock sold and hold there tune. That’s why I said those top mounted screws can’t hold the pressure very well.

On the Ltd I was actually thinking about filling the holes with a maple dowel and redrilling. But the best solution I think is drill it for rear mounted screws.
Just a couple ideas.

If you know a good luthier he would be able to tell you the best route to the best repair. I imagine a luthier would drill an oversized hole in the old top mount screws, plug them with hard maple then drill new holes for the old screws. The luthier could also tell you if installing a rear mounted Floyd locknut would be possible.

All my floyd locknuts are rear mounted.

 

[HellraiserJohnny]

SHHhhhhhhh . . . It's a secret! Check out the (link-->) NutBuster . . . . I use this on my prototype Strat and it works like a charm. I can divebomb all day and stay in tune. Has fine tuners and even holds the locking key magnetically. No drilling required. Locks behind the nut. Keep your FR nut and load this behind it.

In case you're wondering . . . how does it work. . . .
The Clamping Down/Tune Locking feature of the Guitar NutBuster® combines the individual tensions of all (6) strings to create a collective and unified tension that forces the strings to move together and return back to their clamped down and “in tune” positions.

 

[tpruitt]

SHHhhhhhhh . . . It's a secret! Check out the (link-->) NutBuster . . . . I use this on my prototype Strat and it works like a charm. I can divebomb all day and stay in tune. Has fine tuners and even holds the locking key magnetically. No drilling required. Locks behind the nut. Keep your FR nut and load this behind it.

In case you're wondering . . . how does it work. . . .
The Clamping Down/Tune Locking feature of the Guitar NutBuster® combines the individual tensions of all (6) strings to create a collective and unified tension that forces the strings to move together and return back to their clamped down and “in tune” positions.

View attachment 433817

Doesn’t look like it’s really for Floyd guitars.

I’m leaning towards maple dowels for the LTD. Since toothpicks didn’t seem to make it rock solid.

I’m shocked more people aren’t noticing this issue on top mounted nuts. I bet if you guys would plug into a tuner and try it a lot of guys would be surprised.

 

[HellraiserJohnny]

Doesn’t look like it’s really for Floyd guitars.

I’m leaning towards maple dowels for the LTD. Since toothpicks didn’t seem to make it rock solid.

I’m shocked more people aren’t noticing this issue on top mounted nuts. I bet if you guys would plug into a tuner and try it a lot of guys would be surprised.

True, but it would work. Agreed it maybe not the prettiest solution. I know that every time I change my strings, I oil the fine tuner threads and all the machine thread screws (lightly) and check that everything is tight. My new Explorer nut screws were a tiny bit loose on my first string change but they tightened right up. With this I have never run into the issue with the nut screws (Knock wood) with 7 - FR guitars over more then 30 years. However, I have found that the through neck bolts tend to loosen far more often. I have no idea why since they are far longer and fatter. It could be due to the pitch and thread count of the machine thread used.

I think the problem lies there. We don't check them often and then when they do become loose, they gradually bore out the screw holes to the point they don't hold anymore. They say an ounce or prevention . . . .

If the damage is already done then I agree, drilling and inserting (pressing) dowels down in the holes may be the best option in the long term and look stock. I would have the luthier also check that the pad (wood) the nut sits on is dead flat and the nut sits completely on the pad as well. If the wood the nut sits on does not completely allow all of the nut to sit flat, or the nut does not meet the fingerboards and make 100% contact there as well, there will be problems. You're going there anyway so best to have that checked.

After that repair is done, I would just make it a point to check those screws as a part of the process of string changes to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Hope this helps down the road.

 

[cardinal]

With the through neck bolts, could try some loctite on the bolts since they are threading into the metal nut itself. That should hold it without having to try cranking on the bolts and risk cracking the neck (or having the bolts loosen over time).

If the nut is moving when you dive the bar, something you could try: once you've tuned up and locked down, slack the strings behind the nut (loosen the tuners). Then when you dive, you don't have the strings behind the nut pulling on it.

 

[Devin]

Had to use loctite on my buddie's Rico Vixen nut mounting screws

 

[tpruitt]

well brand new Ltd and the same damn thing,wont hold a damn tune. Have to pull back on the bar to get it back close. This is why I try my best to stay away from recessed Floyd’s. At this point I’m 100% convinced floating Floyd’s with top mounted nuts are just JUNK. PROVE ME WRONG

Edit: Yeah last night I was definitely p*ssed off a little sorry. Anyhow,
I’m putting a build together with a floating Floyd (that’s how it came out)and nut screwed from the back. Returns to pitch absolutely perfect. I still say it those small screws in top mounted nut not holding it in place correctly.