Locking Nut vs Locking Tuners?

[glpg80]

jesus the guitar sounds like one of those electric piano's imitating guitar

 

[snowdog]

I have a Warmoth with an original Floyd and Schaller locking tuners with a bone nut, it works perfectly. The only thing I've found you can't quite do with out a locking nut is drop the strings totally slack onto the fretboard, you can some but not as much. If you get the nut cut correctly and use some big bends sauce or similar, it works great. No unlocking the damn nut, no broken strings at the nut, no increased string tension if you are bending frets 1-5. You can really beat the crap out of it and it will stay in tune. I will never own another locking nut.

 

[glpg80]

I have a Warmoth with an original Floyd and Schaller locking tuners with a bone nut, it works perfectly. The only thing I've found you can't quite do with out a locking nut is drop the strings totally slack onto the fretboard, you can some but not as much. If you get the nut cut correctly and use some big bends sauce or similar, it works great. No unlocking the damn nut, no broken strings at the nut, no increased string tension if you are bending frets 1-5. You can really beat the crap out of it and it will stay in tune. I will never own another locking nut.

are the EBG strings harder to play? the only locking tuners with regular nut ive ever played was the tom anderson and i LOVED the vibrato you could put on the low E notes, the shit was so sick

you could do a huge vibrato without worrying about knocking the crap out of your tuning.

 

[symbolic253]

stick with the locking nut no need for locking tuners

 

[Marshall Law]

you have to have a lock with a floyd, all locking tuners do, is lock the string to the tuner then you still have to wind the string to tension, it doesn't lock the tuner where it can't be turned

 

[Code001]

you have to have a lock with a floyd, all locking tuners do, is lock the string to the tuner then you still have to wind the string to tension, it doesn't lock the tuner where it can't be turned

No, you don't. If that were the case, Carvin wouldn't offer floyds with just graphite nuts. The difference is that it's not as stable, so most people don't choose the option. Chris Broderick ran this very setup for a long time.

 

[glpg80]

you have to have a lock with a floyd, all locking tuners do, is lock the string to the tuner then you still have to wind the string to tension, it doesn't lock the tuner where it can't be turned

No, you don't. If that were the case, Carvin wouldn't offer floyds with just graphite nuts. The difference is that it's not as stable, so most people don't choose the option. Chris Broderick ran this very setup for a long time.

+1

you dont have to have a lock with a floyd - the vibrato and loose string tension was great on the Anderson i played that didnt have one - a whole different world to what i am used to.

the reason locking tuners are used is because of the internal tolerances being tighter and also the gear ratios themselves. the other reason is to insure tight string tension on the peg itself when the string is tuned to pitch - if you have a loose spec tuner and a loose winding, you CAN vibrato the string loose and/or also the tuner.

 

[snowdog]

I have a Warmoth with an original Floyd and Schaller locking tuners with a bone nut, it works perfectly. The only thing I've found you can't quite do with out a locking nut is drop the strings totally slack onto the fretboard, you can some but not as much. If you get the nut cut correctly and use some big bends sauce or similar, it works great. No unlocking the damn nut, no broken strings at the nut, no increased string tension if you are bending frets 1-5. You can really beat the crap out of it and it will stay in tune. I will never own another locking nut.

are the EBG strings harder to play? the only locking tuners with regular nut ive ever played was the tom anderson and i LOVED the vibrato you could put on the low E notes, the shit was so sick

you could do a huge vibrato without worrying about knocking the crap out of your tuning.

No problems with the EBG strings, the Schaller's I have are also staggered in height, which allows the strings to have a steeper angle off the nut than with traditional tuners — eliminating the need for string trees.

 

[Sixtonoize]

The problem that I see with locking tuners but no locking nut is that you're constantly changing the tension relationship between the headstock length and the fretboard length. If you have a standard nut, you'll have to keep it perfectly lubricated for the strings to return to their original pitch after a huge whammy dive, and the simple fact is that there is no such thing as perfect lubrication. You're always going to have a little bit of friction between the nut and the strings, and that friction can prevent the strings from returning to their original position after they've gone completely slack (or anywhere close).

Any time you use the whammy and the strings slide on the nut, you're going to change the tuning slightly. If you're playing a long song with a lot of whammy abuse, you can end up changing the tuning of the strings a lot.

A locking nut completely removes the string slip factor from the equation.

 

[grooveHT]

how about locking tuners and an LSR roller nut? no string binding at the nut, the Jeff Beck strat used to have one for a while, still get the easy string changes and tuning of the locking tuners.

 

[snowdog]

The problem that I see with locking tuners but no locking nut is that you're constantly changing the tension relationship between the headstock length and the fretboard length. If you have a standard nut, you'll have to keep it perfectly lubricated for the strings to return to their original pitch after a huge whammy dive, and the simple fact is that there is no such thing as perfect lubrication. You're always going to have a little bit of friction between the nut and the strings, and that friction can prevent the strings from returning to their original position after they've gone completely slack (or anywhere close).

Any time you use the whammy and the strings slide on the nut, you're going to change the tuning slightly. If you're playing a long song with a lot of whammy abuse, you can end up changing the tuning of the strings a lot.

A locking nut completely removes the string slip factor from the equation.

Seems that a lot of people that have never tried it are pretty sure it won't work, but I've been using that guitar for over 10 years with no problems.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Floyd with locking tuners isn't going to be much different that some of the big dollar super strats from Suhr or Anderson, both of which use a 2 point trem with locking tuners, which you can get quite a bit of whammy usuage from, and also the John Petrucci's MM is using the same setup with locking Schallers, and there are plenty of live clips you could check out to see of him using it.

 

[Ventura]

No problem. BTW, the BF system won't magically make your guitar perfectly in tune. Certain chords will still be out of tune. If you want to be 100% in tune, get this:

http://www.truetemperament.com/site/index.php

Crazy ass creation, Vai knows his business - but this truly is the only way to go about it - and then...THEN... - even the tension of your fingers comes into play with tuning Dammit, the way I see it, we've been playing standard style gits for ages. A locking nut with the BF enhanced nut grooves is a start - and if ya wanna get all anal and such, ya, get both. Just don't get locking tuners if you're getting a locking nut, and don't NOT get a locking nut if you're planning on hammering a Floyd when you play.

Peace,
V.

 

[Ventura]

A locking nut completely removes the string slip factor from the equation.

Well, only if it's a positive contact locking nut and not one of the ones that's set back 1cm from the actual nut... You know the ones I'm talking about, kinda like the older school headstock mount string locks or the retro fit units??

But this is just splitting hairs at this level of 'detail'.

V.

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

If you already have a floyd and lock nut why not just do the Buzz Feiten lock nut position??
I thought the only difference was the placement of the nut is closer to the 1st fret..

Tuning a guitar with one takes time to get used to and remember if you have others without it, But I have to admit I am starting to prefer the Feiten system on my g.f's guitar compared to mine especially when playing stuff between the 1-5 frets including open chords..

 

[zuel69]

Imho after owning many PRS's, Strats and other types of guitars including Brads latest Suhr, the first thing you may want to be absolutely sure of is whether you really like Buzz F. I had a Suhr standard in the past with Buzz Feiten and it drove me crazy...it made it seem like I was never in tune quite right with the band or another player. After many years of not needing or using it you may find that you have compensated for the guitars natural tuning issues and Buzz may not work out.

The locking tuners are great but pale in comparison to a well set up Floyd or Gotoh or any high end trem with a locking nut. This latest Suhr has both which may be overkill but damn does it stay in tune. I'm constantly tuning the PRS's and my Strat with sperzels but thats just the nature of the beast.

was looking into the buz feiten bone nuts for intonation perfection on the neck with locking tuners, but i have never owned a guitar with locking tuners before versus locking nuts

im hard on floyd rose's and strings with bends and such. would love to hear what anyone has to say on locking tuners vs locking nuts

appreciate any help

also, to bone nuts ever need to be replaced with the use of a floyd rose increasing/decreasing tension?