Members noirjp Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I have to decide this afternoon which way I'm going. I have a fixed bridge and have already purchased the Kahler locking nut. The repair guy is selling hard on locking tuners instead. While I have never used locking tuners, I have always heard that they aren't what they are purported to be. I have had Kahler's all my life and have never had any tuning issues. What do you guys think? Anybody here have both? Any reason you think he is so adimant on me buying locking tuners instead? He says it would be a shame to install the locking nut on my guitar. That just doesn't make any sense at all to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HKSblade1 Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Locking tuners are good imo. If you have a locking nut, I don't see the reason to have locking tuners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noirjp Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members goldsparkletop Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Locking tuners clamp the string at the tuning posts and make changing strings quicker and easier. You no longer need to put mutiple string wraps around the tuning post and stretch the strings like crazy to get any slack out of the wraps. Locking tuners do NOT really improve tuning unless: a) they are replacing a crappy set of tuners, or b) you were doing a poor job of stringing/streching your strings with the original tuners. A locking nut, on the other hand, should dramatically improve your tuning stability (assuming there aren't other significant hardware/structural problems going on). Of course, your fixed bridge (or tailpiece) will need to have fine tuners so you can tune up once you clamp the strings. Installing the locking nut will likely hurt you in terms of the guitar's resale value, but I have done this modification to several instruments myself and those guitars NEVER go out of tune. The guitars on the left & center below both have locking nuts & fine tuning tailpieces; the one on the right is shown with just the tailpiece. From left to right: '87 Gibson LP Custom Lite, 70's Ibanez LP, '99 Gibson LP Classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boonestunes Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 if you have a fixed bridge, why do you need a locking nut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noirjp Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 that's exactly what I'm doing. I have the TP-6 too. I'm going with it. Lock nut is going on! Thanks. I just needed a little reassurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tedmich Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 IMO A straight string path, graphtech nut and sperzels will stay in tune under serious bar abuse with sperzels, why lock in a tuning? A locking nut with a fixed bridge makes no sense to me; you cut the hell out of the nut slot, weaken the neck, the slip between the tailpiece and the bridge saddles is still there and you have no tuning pegs effectively until you unlock. At least the Kahler nuts don't require tools (when they're not broken ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zoomzilla Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I would NOT put a locking nut on a fixed bridge. That makes zero sense. Locking tuners makes perfect sense. Are you going to change your tailpiece to have fine tuners? If not, then what you are wanting to do is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 9ball Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 if you have a fixed bridge, why do you need a locking nut? same reason you paint a les paul pink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slaytallica Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I would NOT put a locking nut on a fixed bridge. That makes zero sense. Locking tuners makes perfect sense. Are you going to change your tailpiece to have fine tuners? If not, then what you are wanting to do is ridiculous. Signed!! With all the Floyd guitars I've had though out my life they have all done the same thing which is once you start locking the nut down, the strings lose their tuning due to being pressed down. Hence the reason for fine tuners on a trem with a lock nut It makes no sense to put a lock nut on a fixed bridge :facepalm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tws! Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Signed!! With all the Floyd guitars I've had though out my life they have all done the same thing which is once you start locking the nut down, the strings lose their tuning due to being pressed down. Hence the reason for fine tuners on a trem with a lock nut It makes no sense to put a lock nut on a fixed bridge :facepalm: Yes it does, goldsparkletop said it well. The locking tuners don't really help with tuning, they only help make changing strings easier and faster. A locking nut locks it in place. I've never seen the fixed bridge with fine tuners. I think that's pretty cool set up and could make a damn nice addition to a studio especially. Get in tune and stay in tune. No more pesky tuning between verses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigdaddyd Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Yes it does, goldsparkletop said it well. The locking tuners don't really help with tuning, they only help make changing strings easier and faster. A locking nut locks it in place. I've never seen the fixed bridge with fine tuners. I think that's pretty cool set up and could make a damn nice addition to a studio especially. Get in tune and stay in tune. No more pesky tuning between verses. he is only partially correct. The way a string is wound around the post effects tuning stability, which is why many pros and luthiers have shown in countless books, magazines, videos, etc "how to properly" string a guitar to keep it in tune. Locking tuners eliminate the need for this by locking the string in the post. They also essentially prevent slippage and help keep the strings in tune. I use either Grover, Planet Waves, or Sperzel locking tuners, or Floyd Rose units with Floyd rose locking nuts. I do not use locking nuts on non locking trem equipped guitars. My locking tuners equipped guitars stay in tune as well as, if not better than my floyd equipped guitars and MUCH better than my kahler guitars. Locking tuners and a lubricated nut, such as a graphite nut, will not go out of tune, or should not go out of tune...at least no more so than with a locking nut. If it does, it is you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tws! Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 he is only partially correct. The way a string is wound around the post effects tuning stability, which is why many pros and luthiers have shown in countless books, magazines, videos, etc "how to properly" string a guitar to keep it in tune. Locking tuners eliminate the need for this by locking the string in the post. They also essentially prevent slippage and help keep the strings in tune. I use either Grover, Planet Waves, or Sperzel locking tuners, or Floyd Rose units with Floyd rose locking nuts. I do not use locking nuts on non locking trem equipped guitars. My locking tuners equipped guitars stay in tune as well as, if not better than my floyd equipped guitars and MUCH better than my kahler guitars. Locking tuners and a lubricated nut, such as a graphite nut, will not go out of tune, or should not go out of tune...at least no more so than with a locking nut. If it does, it is you. I've got locking tuners on my guitars and no problems. I love em, but I can also see the awesomeness in having a locking nut. A lot of people don't change tunings or have guitars dedicated to tunings and this could help out with this. Plus, even with locking tuners sometimes you bang into things or things/people bang into you and you go out of tune, not so with a locking nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Guitars that don't stay in tune have other problems. No to the locking nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peehoo Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I would not put a locking nut on a fixed bridge guitar either... The only benefit I see in it would be not going out of tune if you bump into something. If that really happens so often and pisses you off. But on the other hand it {censored}s on the resale value, weakens the neck, makes things more complicated... And you can still bang your guitar into something with your fine tuners and it will go out of tune. What kind of guitar is it anyway? I don't think locking nuts look any good on anything except superstrat like guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noirjp Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I have a tp-6 Gibson fine tuning bridge on it. Question was whether to put a lock after the nut or locking tuners. I have had Kahler lock nuts on several guitars for over 20 years with absolutely no problems. I have had no experience with locking tuners though. I had the locking nut installed today. It will work just like a locking trem guitar with no trem. It will never go out of tune. I had vintage tuners on it, which do and will slip regardless of how you string it. The gear ratio is to broad as well. While you can't tell playing on stage or the bedroom, when your in the studio you can definitely pick up on even a few cents change. I do anyways. I've never heard about a weaker neck on a tremelo guitar. That's new. I have a few trem guitars that are older than I am and they are killer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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