Locking nut for 16" radius fingerboard

[johndoe]

Hi,

I want to build a guitar with 16" radius fingerboard , with Floyd Rose bridge.
However, I found that all Floyd Rose locking nuts come in size for 10" radius neck.
In warmoth site it says ( http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/StringNut.aspx ):
"These nuts feature a 10" radius. Ideally, the fingerboard radius ideally should be 10" but we have found it to remain functional between 9" and 12"."
So the options I've left with are to find some other old locking nut (maybe Ibanez or Jackson) that might fit,
or use locking tuners.
Anyone has other idea, thoughts, suggestion ?
Thanks for your help.
JD.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

According to the Floyd Rose Parts catalogue the R10 nut is 15"

http://www.floydrose.com/pdf/FloydRose_PartsCatalog.pdf

(see chart on page 25) - So that may work or you can shim from there? 

 

[Cagey]

If it was me, I'd do the locking tuners instead. Mr. Rose didn't have the luxury of locking tuners when he designed his vibrato bridge as they hadn't been invented yet, which is the main reason for the locking nut's existence.

I actually have a Strat on the bench right now that's going that route. Floyd clusterfuk, Graphtech nut, locking tuners. So, we'll know for certain how well that works in a few days. Sperzels showed up with no washers or threaded ferrules, so I can't install the little rascals until those parts get here.

 

[DangerousR6]

If it was me, I'd do the locking tuners instead. Mr. Rose didn't have the luxury of locking tuners when he designed his vibrato bridge as they hadn't been invented yet, which is the main reason for the locking nut's existence.

I actually have a Strat on the bench right now that's going that route. Floyd clusterfuk, Graphtech nut, locking tuners. So, we'll know for certain how well that works in a few days. Sperzels showed up with no washers or threaded ferrules, so I can't install the little rascals until those parts get here.

The premise for the locking nut wasn't for the lack of locking tuners. It's to keep the strings in the nut. With deep dives the strings will relieve themselves from their seat in the nut slot. Thus locking tuners are moot...

 

[Cagey]

There's that, too. I'm not sure how often people dive them that far, though. The strings stop vibrating when they get that loose, so there's no musical reason to do it.

 

[DangerousR6]

True, but it is what it is...

 

[johndoe]

According to the Floyd Rose Parts catalogue the R10 nut is 15"

http://www.floydrose.com/pdf/FloydRose_PartsCatalog.pdf

(see chart on page 25) - So that may work or you can shim from there? 

Thanks for that !
It was quite hard to find this one in onlines stores, compared to other sizes (R2,R3,etc),
but I found a place that sells all the sizes -
http://stores.ebay.com/AZGuitarParts


I've tried to calculate what will be the "error" when using 15" nut on a 16" fingerboard:
according to formula (from http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/tips/fbradius.htm )
h = R - SQRT ( R2 - 0.25 W2 )
for width of 43 mm, computed for 15" and 16":

for 15" (381 mm):
h =  381 - SQRT (381 2 - 0.25*432 =
h = 381 - SQRT (145161 - 462.25)
==> h = 0.607

for 16" (406 mm):
h =  406- SQRT (406 2 - 0.25*432
h = 406 - SQRT (164836 - 462.25)
==> h = 0.57

The delta is 0.037 mm at highest point.
If all my calculations were correct...

On one hand, I wonder if this something human can notice this 0.037 mm ?
On the other hand (literally), this is why I want a 16" fingerboard,
as some you probably know the feeling that is "something" is wrong (or good) with a certain fingerboard/setup.

What do you think ?

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I don't think so.

When setting up string height over the 12. fret we're usually operating with differences of 1/64" which equals 0.4 mm - that can be felt.

When setting up a Floyd Rose for a 10-16" compound radius we're using 0.2 mm shims - that can be felt.

Here we're taking about a difference of  around 1/10 of that?

I don't even think I can work with that low a tolerance when filing a standard nut.

But it is pure contemplation - I have never tried it.  :dontknow:

 

[johndoe]

Thanks for your help !

 

[crash]

Why does every Ibanez I have seen have an R2 nut and the fingerboard radius on those are about 17"? 

I believe Ibanez has their own floyd rose style bridges, why not make the nut with the same radius as the fingerboard?

 

[johndoe]

Why does every Ibanez I have seen have an R2 nut and the fingerboard radius on those are about 17"? 

I dont know. Maybe they use it, and  dont know it doesnt fit (=it works, but not the best)?

I believe Ibanez has their own floyd rose style bridges, why not make the nut with the same radius as the fingerboard?

In "why not" do you refer to me, or to the manufacturers ?
I wish it would come in every size, but it doesn't...

Anyway, it turned it that Warmoth doesn't offer the "Floyd nut shelf" as an option in 16" radius.
I contacted them, and they said it's not optional.

So I think I will have to settle for the "behind the nut" lock, because I dont want to start and cut the shelf myself in a brand new 300$ neck.

I hope it will look like this:

and not like this:

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I have a Warmoth neck which originally had a standard nut.

I later changed my mind and took it to a local luthier (in Denmark) and had it routed for a Floyd Rose - I paid around 100 dollars for the job.

From this:

To this:

I gather you could get that cheaper made in the US?

 

[johndoe]

I have a Warmoth neck which originally had a standard nut.

I later changed my mind and took it to a local luthier (in Denmark) and had it routed for a Floyd Rose - I paid around 100 dollars for the job.

From this:
(before image)

To this:
(after image)

I gather you could get that cheaper made in the US?

This is really a nice work.
Most of the conversions I saw require adding some shim, as in this one (I chose an ugly job by purpose...),
since there's not enough space after the nut:

I will contact Warmoth to ask if they have standard length between the nut and the end of fingerboard.

Thanks for this info !