String Retainers

[joems]

HI,

Anyone here uses String T's or Retainers on there Fender Necks (not the tilt back). I'd like to know if it does really help on the tuning.

Any thoughts on  the T string and the Roller T string?

Thanks

-joe

 

[SkuttleFunk]

guitar or bass?

all the best,

R

 

[jackthehack]

I always use a roller T on the 1st/2nd strings as if you bend the shit out of your strings the way I do you can pop them out of the nut. Don't know they really have any perceptible effect in tuning that I've noticed; using high quality tuners would tend to have more effect on that, I think.

 

[joems]

oh forgot to tell, for a guitar. I'm thinking of getting a wilkinson trem, and Schaller mini locking on a Strat set up.


thanks.

 

[Alfang]

This is my opinion,  If your not using a locking nut, then anything you place on the strings between the nut and the tuners is a friction point, even if it has roller bearings.  So as you bend strings and divebomb on the trem  your guitar will be more likely to go out of tune.
I would not install string trees unless string are popping out of the nut.  One of my guitars ( shown in the gallery ) has just such a setup  A floyd trem and a corian nut with no string trees, the strings stay in tune surprisingly well, But....On this guitar, i dont divebomb so far that the strings fall out of the nut, This is not really my rock and roll guitar.

 

[Superbeast520]

Not only do I have one on the E and B strings but also on the D and G as well, I challenge anyone to A/B their tone without and with String Trees on a fender standard type neck, you will hear clearly that your tone is better with string trees.........each time I played on my guitar for sometime without a tree at the E and B strings and then decided to install one when my B string poped out one day, I was amazed;  the tone on those 2 strings was improved dramatically, and every other aspect was done correct and right so there was no other explanation than that they helped to increase the tension on the nut..........BIG difference, later I decided since the Trees came in a 2 pack to put the other one on the D and G strings...........WOW!!!  Impressed again, the tone was noticably better there as well, so noticable I could hear the difference immediately.........
I will say it and believe it unequivocally, if your NOT using string trees, then your fender style neck does NOT have the best tone it could. :icon_thumright:

Note: the string tree must be placed low enough to exert pressure on the strings and increase tension at the nut to enhance the tone.


Click on for better view...then click on again for better resolution...

My D,G,B and high E strings are at the same angle all the way across, which looks good asthetically, while increasing the tension at the nut for maximum tone.

and no I didn't say you should use string trees, I said if your not (and with enough tension) your tone is lacking.........

 

[Alfang]

Very interesting theory, Superbeast520 if thats your real name.  I will try it out, what happens if you have a locking nut? cancells the effect of the string tree?

You make sense 

 

[Superbeast520]

Actually I got this info when searching for pros and cons of a tilt back headstock some time back, when I get more time I'll see if I can scrape up the info to back this...........yeah, locking nut does everything........period.
mainly for the flat fender headstocks, and probably why so many companies use the tilt back........??

 

[CD]

I've always read that a 13/14 degree tiltback headstock helps the sustain but I never really thought of it like a string tree, but I guess it is in a way putting tension on the string and pulling them back.

What about a Floyd rose style retainer that goes across all 6 strings?

 

[Superbeast520]

Their locked to the nut as tight as can be so .............as good as it gets.......????

If you mean just the retainer, well yeah guess its covered...........keep in mind this can be a controversial topic....hahahahaha