Leaving Tremolo Unlocked

V

Valley Arts Kid

New member
One thing I don't like about a locking tremolo is the extra effort (& time) needed to change to alternate tunings. I'm thinking about just leaving it unlocked. Sure, the instrument probably won't stay in tune as well, but are there any other potential issues?
 
Valley Arts Kid said:
One thing I don't like about a locking tremolo is the extra effort (& time) needed to change to alternate tunings. I'm thinking about just leaving it unlocked. Sure, the instrument probably won't stay in tune as well, but are there any other potential issues?
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what you need is a guitar without a locking trem.

the extra friction you have from the strings running through the locking channels will make the guitar even harder to keep in tune than one with a regular nut. if your trem is floating, double that last statement. do you do alternate tunings with a floating trem?

like you already know, the biggest issue is not going to be tuning, but *staying* in tune.
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toobalicious said:
what you need is a guitar without a locking trem.

the extra friction you have from the strings running through the locking channels will make the guitar even harder to keep in tune than one with a regular nut. if your trem is floating, double that last statement. do you do alternate tunings with a floating trem?

like you already know, the biggest issue is not going to be tuning, but *staying* in tune.
a
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Of course, the tuning itself is an issue, since any string you change also changes all the rest of them. Changing to an alternate tuning on a floating bridge guitar is not a trivial task, and not one you (or I, anyway) would want to attempt on stage. If you've got the friction issue in the headstock under control, then staying in tune (once you get there) is not that big a deal.
 
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