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Whats the deal with those adjustable nuts I see sometimes on electric guitars?


BimmerJustin

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Originally posted by BimmerJustin



exactly, what is the effect of using one

 

 

Those nuts go in conjunction with a Floyd Rose tremolo. The strings lock into place at the saddle, and that nut locks them down too. That gives you two points at which the string is locked into place (thus it's called a double locking tremolo). Basically they take the tuners and the wraps around the tuners out of the equation. It's a very stable system as far as staying in tune goes. It does require and allen wrench to change the strings though.

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Originally posted by ryant

if your after a locking nut system, try to find one that goes behind the nut rather then one that is the nut. it may seem silly but there is a noticable change having a real nut still.

 

 

But then you've got to worry about the strings hanging up in the nut. They Floyd type nut is more stable, and IMO any difference in tone will be negligible.

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Originally posted by ryant

if your after a locking nut system, try to find one that goes behind the nut rather then one that is the nut. it may seem silly but there is a noticable change having a real nut still.

 

:confused:

 

I have both types, and I haven't noticed any difference. Except the price:

 

Cheapest Floyd-style locking nut:

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Originally posted by Prages



Those nuts go in conjunction with a Floyd Rose tremolo. The strings lock into place at the saddle, and that nut locks them down too. That gives you two points at which the string is locked into place (thus it's called a double locking tremolo). Basically they take the tuners and the wraps around the tuners out of the equation. It's a very stable system as far as staying in tune goes. It does require and allen wrench to change the strings though.

 

 

+1. Just remember though, if you are not a heavy whammy bar user, a double locking tremolo will be more hassle than its worth. changing tunings takes longer as well. The whole advantage of the DLT is that you can use and abuse the whammy bar with little to no effect on tuning (ie strings wont go flat after a dive bomb).

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Originally posted by ExtraGum

I could sware that years ago I saw a guitar fitted with a height adjustable metal nut (presumably for slide...)

 

Could be. But I do know that there is a metal attachment you can put on top of a normal nut to raise the strings for slide:

 

4596_1lg.jpg

 

What I'd like to see is a cam-locking mechanism at the nut instead of the allen wrench on the floyd nuts. Something quick that doesn't require a separate tool.

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Originally posted by OrvilleGibson

What I'd like to see is a cam-locking mechanism at the nut instead of the allen wrench on the floyd nuts. Something quick that doesn't require a separate tool.

 

 

 

Didn't the "Wonderbar" tremolo system have a cam-locking nut?

 

I know I've seen one.

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Actually I used a "behind-the-nut" string lock (like a Kahler) on this old Flying V I had and got one of those Schaller fine tuning tail pieces for Gibsons. I couldn't keep the thing in tune in stock form.

People have been known to use locking nuts w/o tremolos. Take the Ibanez Edge FX bridges.

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Originally posted by OrvilleGibson



What I'd like to see is a cam-locking mechanism at the nut instead of the allen wrench on the floyd nuts. Something quick that doesn't require a separate tool.

 

Somebody did make just such an animal. Mazi Bee has at least one of them. Maybe he'll come along and post pics. :thu:

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Originally posted by ryant

if your after a locking nut system, try to find one that goes behind the nut rather then one that is the nut. it may seem silly but there is a noticable change having a real nut still.

 

 

 

I would strongly advise AGAINST this suggestion. The biggest difference in the two designs is that the FR style replacement locking nut works.

 

The clamp behind the conventional nut was Kahler's design and was the weakest element in the design.

 

The strings can still get hung up in the nut and as far as tone goes, I can hear no advantage to the Kahler design.

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Originally posted by El Glom-o




Didn't the "Wonderbar" tremolo system have a cam-locking nut?


I know I've seen one.

 

 

 

Cam systems were available as after market "improvements" for the Kahler style clamps and you may be right about the Wonderbar (I vaguely recall this being the case).

 

I suspect they were less effective for some reason or FR would have adopted it at some point.

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Originally posted by Milkman1




I would strongly advise AGAINST this suggestion. The biggest difference in the two designs is that the FR style replacement locking nut works.


The clamp behind the conventional nut was Kahler's design and was the weakest element in the design.


The strings can still get hung up in the nut and as far as tone goes, I can hear no advantage to the Kahler design.

 

 

+ 10 billion

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Originally posted by Prages



Somebody did make just such an animal. Mazi Bee has at least one of them. Maybe he'll come along and post pics.
:thu:

 

Did someone shine the bee signal? :D

 

It's the Bill Edwards Finger-tite. Most brilliant locking nut design never made.

 

(Yes, the same guy that wrote the Fretboard Logic CAGED books invented this nut)

 

http://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=205

 

http://www.vintagekramer.com/parts3.htm

 

http://www.billedwards.com/billedwards.html

 

Fender_Floyd_6.jpg

 

I also have two more laying around that I haven't installed on anything yet.

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Originally posted by Mazi Bee


Fender_Floyd_6.jpg

 

Ah-hah! I see that you too string your Floyd-equipped guitars with the ball-end at the machine head, thereby eliminating the risk of pricking your fingers on the ends of the strings...

 

I like your style Mr. Bee. :thu:

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Originally posted by Dougy



Ah-hah! I see that you too string your Floyd-equipped guitars with the ball-end at the machine head, thereby eliminating the risk of pricking your fingers on the ends of the strings...


I like your style Mr. Bee.
:thu:

 

:D

 

I'm not consistant with that though. Actually the last few times I've just cut them as close to the post as possible for a cleaner look. I guess it all depends when the last bloodshed was and whether or not it's still fresh in my mind. :D

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Ah-hah! I see that you too string your Floyd-equipped guitars with the ball-end at the machine head, thereby eliminating the risk of pricking your fingers on the ends of the strings...

 

Just curious, how do you thread your strings through backwards like that?? I have trem on my squier (GREAT INSTRUMENT.....HA HA lol), its not a FL and I am not entirely sure how you would go about doing that.

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Originally posted by guitarrocker89


Just curious, how do you thread your strings through backwards like that?? I have trem on my squier (GREAT INSTRUMENT.....HA HA lol), its not a FL and I am not entirely sure how you would go about doing that.

 

 

You can only do that with a Floyd Rose. The strings are clamped into place with a little steel block and a bolt on a Floyd Rose, so typically, even when you're stringing them the regular way through you have to cut off the ball ends. It's just a matter of running the entire string through the hole in the post backwards and cutting the spare length off of the non-balled end before clamping it into place.

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on that cam locking nut, wouldn't the difference in string guages cause there to be unequal and or too little pressure on the thinner string per cam, especially on the lower strings? Just a thought, never used one but was just thinking about it

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Originally posted by vrm

on that cam locking nut, wouldn't the difference in string guages cause there to be unequal and or too little pressure on the thinner string per cam, especially on the lower strings? Just a thought, never used one but was just thinking about it

 

 

Shouldn't be any different than if there were a bolt through the center.

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