Ever replaced a locking nut with an ebanol replacement?

[Random Hero]

Like so - http://www.allparts.com/Ebanol-Nut-p/bn-0623-023.htm ?

It's crossed my mind for my Suhr Modern. Sounds crazy, right? But hear me out. I wanna put a Tremol-no on it too and for Drop-D/alternate tuning it seems easier to use the conventional tuners over the fine-tuners, plus I'm not a huge trem abuser. What with the locking tuners too, it should perform somewhat similarly to the recessed 510 Suhr offer, or the EBMM JP trem, should it not? Or have I gone crazy?

Which would be best for a 1.650" nut width, 1 11/16" or 1 5/8"? My calculations suggest the 1 5/8" would be closer but is this gonna be an issue?

I know I could just leave the pads off but this would look a little better too and I suppose my inspiration for this idea is Chris Broderick's custom 7;





I think he has some foam behind the nut to dampen vibrations?



Anyway, I await your opinions.

[treeofpain]

Why not try it? If you aren't crazy with the trem it should stay in tune just fine, so the real issue is the look. That looks better to me that the locking nut.

[Random Hero]

I probably should just try it, you're right.

[Husky]

Actually 90% of the tuning issues are not the nut or gears but the physics of the bridge.
A Floyd or well tuned locking saddle bridge and a NON locking nut as long as the string angle is straight to the gears , correctly cut nut and good gears will stay in tune great.

[Don A]

Block the bridge so it can't pull up and put a D-Tuna on it for drop D tuning.

[Random Hero]

Originally Posted by Husky

Actually 90% of the tuning issues are not the nut or gears but the physics of the bridge.
A Floyd or well tuned locking saddle bridge and a NON locking nut as long as the string angle is straight to the gears , correctly cut nut and good gears will stay in tune great.

John, have you ever built a guitar with a floyd and a non-locking nut? Also, would you recommend leaving the string retainer bar on if I were to put a regular nut on my Modern in place of the locking nut?

Originally Posted by Don A

Block the bridge so it can't pull up and put a D-Tuna on it for drop D tuning.

I like having the trem available to use to it's full capacity. I do use it, I'm just not Vai-alike.

[doesitmatter]

Is this good to convert a Floyd to a standard trem? I got an Ernie Ball Axis two years ago partly because I never had a guitar with a Floyd.

Turns out I love the guitar and hate the Floyd. I was about to sell the guitar but I would keep it if I could lessen that tight locking nut feel and make it easier to change strings.

[doesitmatter]

I got an ebanol nut for my Axis today. It fits perfectly with no routing. The shim is a bit wide but so was the nut on the Axis.

IMG_0265 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

While I was changing the strings I removed the bridge. As I feared, the stud spacing is wider than standard trems, even the Super Sport. Where the standard trems have the studs over each 'e' string, the Floyd Rose has them on either side.

IMG_0266 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Oddly there is a hole in the center over the tremolo. It's covered by the bridge but anyone know what it's for?