String Tree Question

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I have the "Arrow" neck and a "Bar" string tree on it.  I also have a Schaller-Floyd Tremolo. 

I'm running into a problem.  Maybe I'm just being anal, but when the guitar was built, the way the string tree was positioned, it "peeks" over the edge of the neck right at the "curvature" of the headstock, which means that I can't use my Hercules guitar stand.  The reason being is because as the guitar is hanging there, the string tree is making contact with the guitar stand's "claw."  In other words, the guitar hangs by the string tree.

I've "researched" the string tree and have come to the conclusion that I can't reposition it, because where the holes are drilled into the headstock, they'd be too close together.  The holes would "bleed" into one another. 

I've concluded that the only way I'll be able to remedy a fix is by taking a dremmel to the corner of the string tree that hangs out further than the headstock at its curve.  Is this a bad idea? 

I've heard that by using a basic "guitar rest," they cause the neck to bow, but by using a hanging stand, the neck is kept straight.  Wive's tale, or is there some truth to this?

 

[reluctant-builder]

I have never had any bow issues with my guitar rest, though I have never left any of my axes in it for protracted periods of time. I do have one of those ProLine 5-guitar racks where they go in sideways, and I haven't had any bowing issues there, either ... though a friend of mine warned me that the foam on the rack could mess with the finishes on my guitars. He's got the same rack and wound up wrapping the foam in pieces of an old sheet. But I digress.

I think, so long as you play your guitar regularly and you keep an eye on the neck and have a feel for it, and do the occasional seasonal maintenance that's needed, you shouldn't run afoul of any one kind of guitar storage method (aside from throwing it in a closet or leaning it against a wall or something tantamount to guitar abuse).

As for the string tree thing ... I don't know what to tell you. I am scared to death of those hanging guitar jobbies; I have nightmares of my babies crashing to the floor.  :sad:

 

[dNA]

I've heard that by using a basic "guitar rest," they cause the neck to bow, but by using a hanging stand, the neck is kept straight.  Wive's tale, or is there some truth to this?

anything anyone says about guitars is a lie. especially that

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I've heard that by using a basic "guitar rest," they cause the neck to bow, but by using a hanging stand, the neck is kept straight.  Wive's tale, or is there some truth to this?

anything anyone says about guitars is a lie. especially that

Well, in this case, I won't worry about the string tree.  It isn't hindering its playing, so all in all, it really isn't a big deal.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

It sounds like you just want to move the string tree slightly?  You could fill the hole from the existing screw with a toothpick (glue it in) and then redrill the hole where you want it.  The toothpick will reinforce the new hole.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

It sounds like you just want to move the string tree slightly?  You could fill the hole from the existing screw with a toothpick (glue it in) and then redrill the hole where you want it.  The toothpick will reinforce the new hole.

Would something like this hold, given there's going to be the stress of 6 strings under the string tree?

 

[stubhead]

Oh, OK, the picture makes it clearer. That's not exactly a string tree, more like a log. I can't see any downside to shortening it, I mean it's past the attachment screw. I'd rather do that than drill more holes in a headstock. The only problem might be the dremeled-off end wouldn't still be gold-plated, but it's on the end you're not looking at when you play.... :toothy12: If it really bothered you you might find a gold marker that'd work - those new "metallic paint" ones are pretty impressive these days, they use them to restore crockery, auto detailing & statues and stuff. One thing is, you'd have to be sure the new end is smooth, or it'll bug your left hand - that placement already would bug me. And the other thing is, for the little amount of extra work it'd be vs. possible disaster, I would ABSOLUTELY take the bar off the guitar and clamp it in a vice (rubber, leather pads) to do the job. THINK....

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Oh, OK, the picture makes it clearer. That's not exactly a string tree, more like a log. I can't see any downside to shortening it, I mean it's past the attachment screw. I'd rather do that than drill more holes in a headstock. The only problem might be the dremeled-off end wouldn't still be gold-plated, but it's on the end you're not looking at when you play.... :toothy12: If it really bothered you you might find a gold marker that'd work - those new "metallic paint" ones are pretty impressive these days, they use them to restore crockery, auto detailing & statues and stuff. One thing is, you'd have to be sure the new end is smooth, or it'll bug your left hand - that placement already would bug me. And the other thing is, for the little amount of extra work it'd be vs. possible disaster, I would ABSOLUTELY take the bar off the guitar and clamp it in a vice (rubber, leather pads) to do the job. THINK....

Well, it really isn't hurting anything, so I guess I won't worry about it.  The biggest concern was that maybe where the High E went UNDER the string tree, it was slightly rubbing on the screw, but upon further observation, I don't think it's making any contact.  I assume that if it was, the string would fray and break.  :dontknow:

Basically, my only motivation to change anything would be so I could put it in a different stand, but since the theory that a standard guitar stand would cause the neck to bow has been pretty much debunked, it isn't so much an issue.

 

[line6man]

Have you thought about just getting a narrower string retainer bar?

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Have you thought about just getting a narrower string retainer bar?

Actually, I hadn't.  Do you think I'd be able to find one?

 

[line6man]

Have you thought about just getting a narrower string retainer bar?

Actually, I hadn't.  Do you think I'd be able to find one?

I don't know. You might have to make one and have someone electroplate it for you.

I know that various manufacturers use different bar retainers. Perhaps one from a bass would be narrower. Four-string basses often have 1.5" nuts.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Have you thought about just getting a narrower string retainer bar?

Actually, I hadn't.  Do you think I'd be able to find one?

I don't know. You might have to make one and have someone electroplate it for you.

I know that various manufacturers use different bar retainers. Perhaps one from a bass would be narrower. Four-string basses often have 1.5" nuts.

Maybe I'll look into that. 

While it doesn't affect the playability, it would just be nice to be able to use my nicer stand...

 

[stubhead]

You know, it is just a little rod with two holes through it, seems like I recall a machinist around here somewhere.... :toothy12: In fact he likes Floyds, he might even have the exact same thing & you wouldn't even need to send dimensions. The gold plating is the biggest issue. You probably do need to get it fixed because the longer you tell yourself "It DOESN'T bother me... it DOESN'T BOTHER me...." the whacker you'll get.

 

[jlegnor]

why not just angle the bar.  Leave the "bass" side where it is, and move the "treble" side up some until it clears. 

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

why not just angle the bar.  Leave the "bass" side where it is, and move the "treble" side up some until it clears. 

I'd like to get it fixed without drilling more holes into the headstock.  Then, my nice guitar will just look...sloppy.

 

[pabloman]

Send it back to Neal.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Send it back to Neal.

Not worth the $70+ to ship it back.  It's not affecting the playability, so I'm not gonna worry about it.  Besides that, it's been over a year.  It's not really bothering anything, I'm just being anal-retentive about something stupid...

 

[pabloman]

Ya. I was kidding. I had two different sized Chrome bars. Not sure who made them but I don't know if you have a big one or a small one on there already. Might be worth checking it out. They aren't two expensive. Seems like the only real option. Everything else would be creating a cosmetic distraction in order to fix one.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Ya. I was kidding. I had two different sized Chrome bars. Not sure who made them but I don't know if you have a big one or a small one on there already. Might be worth checking it out. They aren't two expensive. Seems like the only real option. Everything else would be creating a cosmetic distraction in order to fix one.

Exactly.  If I could find one that's shorter, that'd be great.  Unfortunately, I don't know any "brands" who manufacture them.  :icon_scratch: