Trem n00b - is a locking nut needed/wise with a Stetsbar?

[SiloScience]

Total trem idiot here. I'm renecking my Warmoth SG because I've decided I do not care for the compound radius fretboard deal, so I'm going with a straight 10" (no shredder here folks). I wanted different frets as well, so I have rather large stainless frets spec'd for the new one. Padouk w/Ebony and no finish. My 3rd one.

So anyhow I've wanted to try a Stetsbar for a while, and since the SG is outfitted with a TOM/ST it's pretty much a no-brainer installation ... well, nearly. Just hang it on the existing posts, set height, intone, and dig in. My question is, with all that said, is a locking type nut a good idea since I'm *right there, right now*? Or is that something normally only used with a locking trem? Er ... um .... flarn ... doy .... uhhhh? What was the question again?

Mayor N00bington of the City of Duh-Whut? here .. so I deserve any ribbing .. totally. I've just always had Teles or SGs, so I'm pretty inexperienced in the Ways of The Whammy.

I've already ordered the neck but I can still change the nut specs if I tell them within a couplefew days or so. Presently the spec'd nut is just a white corian. So maybe just a graphite nut as opposed to the locker? Again with the Duh-Whut?

Thanks in advance for any help ... Ss.

 

[Mike9]

With a lock nut you'd have no way to tune/fine tune the guitar. That's why Floyd's have fine tuners on them.

 

[rooster]

I've got 2 of them on my H150s. You don't want a locking nut, and I use Tusq on both of mine. You will, however, want locking tuners. I use Sperzels, but I hear Grovers are very nice, too. I've used Schallers before on my strats, and they are pretty good.

The key is to file the nut slots at a steeper angle than the string angle from the nut to the tuning key. You want as little material under the string as possible, usually 1/16" to 1/8" works best. Then, you want to make sure the slot is very clean and polished. If you do this, it'll stay in tune very well. I like both of mine, they are well-machined, and well-designed. Good stuff.

rooster.

 

[SiloScience]

I've got 2 of them on my H150s. You don't want a locking nut, and I use Tusq on both of mine. You will, however, want locking tuners. I use Sperzels, but I hear Grovers are very nice, too. I've used Schallers before on my strats, and they are pretty good.

The key is to file the nut slots at a steeper angle than the string angle from the nut to the tuning key. You want as little material under the string as possible, usually 1/16" to 1/8" works best. Then, you want to make sure the slot is very clean and polished. If you do this, it'll stay in tune very well. I like both of mine, they are well-machined, and well-designed. Good stuff.

rooster.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll be using Planet Waves tuners. Been using them for a few years, grown to like their ease of use. Will these be ok?

I get the deal on the locking nut now, and I feel like an idiot for even asking! Shees! Without the fine tuners at the bridge they offer nothing. Got it!

So how about a Graphite nut then? I mean, thanks to you I now understand the point behind the idea of having as little material as possible for the string to drag on when using the trem (as the string stretches and contracts ...), which way to put the bevel and such, as well as creating a smooth unsnagging surface for the string to "slide" on. Thanks for the tips on that. But would a graphite nut work/sound as well as the Tusq? Better?

 

[RvChevron]

Oh goodness, I can't believe you asked such question.

The whole reason why Eric Stets invented the stetsbar was because he did not want to put a floyd on his Les Paul.

Is locking nut needed??????


























Show us the guitar and report back once you have it all done.

 

[SiloScience]

are you quite finished?

 

[101Volts]

So you're thinking of getting a Stetsbar? Know what you're getting into. The idea behind the Stetsbar is fantastic but according to the manual they don't work with strings heavier than .9s on a 25.5 scale guitar. You'll be able to go a bit heavier on a 24.75 scale guitar but not by much. Also, If you decide to buy one make sure you actually set up the vibrato before you go all the way up in tune.

 

[SiloScience]

So you're thinking of getting a Stetsbar? Know what you're getting into. The idea behind the Stetsbar is fantastic but according to the manual they don't work with strings heavier than .9s on a 25.5 scale guitar. You'll be able to go a bit heavier on a 24.75 scale guitar but not by much. Also, If you decide to buy one make sure you actually set up the vibrato before you go all the way up in tune.

This here's some good stuff. Thx.

I've been using 10s, but lately hand pain has been kinda bad so I just got in a 24 pak of Super Slinkys (9's). I'm 49, worked with my hands my entire life like a good many people here have. It was the whole reason I switched to a *short scale*. I actually had a 25.5 neck off my old Strat hardtail on the SG at first. Sounded friggin awesome. But the hand pain thing ... so I went to the *Gibson* scale after playing my brother's Dean ML and liking the silghtly mushier feel of the short scale.

So now I'm down to a short scale with 9s! I can't take stuff like Aleve or Advil (I get kidney stones from it ... freaky stuff ain't it?) so I learn to deal.

Bla bla whine whine. Sorry.

So the new Warmoth Pro neck is spec'd as such:

Padouk 24-3/4" with a Strat head.
Ebony 10" straight radius fretboard with a 1-5/8 Graphite nut.
Extra Jumbo Stainless frets.
*Boatback* rear contour.
Planet Waves locking tuners. Been using them for a few years, pretty happy with them.
No finish. Padouk feels awesome, my current neck is unfinished Padouk.

So with the 10" radius and the boatback contour it's pretty much a fretted bat. The Strat head offers up that "straight pull" deal that makes trems work better. (whole nutha issue).

Learning more each day! The day you wake up and think you know it all, you best get right back in that bed. Because something is gonna happen that will prove you wrong, and it's generally an ugly lesson. There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.

 

[rooster]

So how about a Graphite nut then? I mean, thanks to you I now understand the point behind the idea of having as little material as possible for the string to drag on when using the trem (as the string stretches and contracts ...), which way to put the bevel and such, as well as creating a smooth unsnagging surface for the string to "slide" on. Thanks for the tips on that. But would a graphite nut work/sound as well as the Tusq? Better?

Graphite is fine. PRS uses graphite nuts, and they sound pretty good, eh? I went with Tusq, as I use Earvana nuts on my guitars, they have a choice between black graphite and Tusq, and my Stetsbars are on my Goldtop and Sunburst -- they look better, IMO, with an ivory-ish nut. My black-and-tan has a black graphite one. They all sound gorgeous. To me, anyway.

rooster.