Do string guides help an electric stay in tune?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GT
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GT

GT

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I am thinking about adding string guides to my Alvarez strat copy, they have them stock on Fender Strats. I kind of figured that they are used as a kind of strain releif for the tuners. I have grover tuners, seems to me they're to blame.

I'm hopeing that string guides will help the guitar stay in tune better.

Seems like the pros never have to tune, what's their secret?

GT
 
TREES

Hey GT, string trees are only used to put a little pressure on the e & b string and sometimes the g & d at the nut. If the string is not buzzing in the nut, then you really don't need the trees. They can cause a lot of tunning problems. If you have to use them then I would suggest Graph tech trees.
The nut slots cause most of the tunning problems.along with the method of tying strings on the post. String trees will not help a guitar stay in tune, only supplys string angle at the nut, which can cause the string to stick in the slot if the angle is too great. If you don't needem, don't useem, its just one more contact point the string can stick to.
 
Stan,

Thanks for the info, makes scense. Will better tuners help, or am I barking up the wrong tree?
 
Hey GT, my idea on tunning machines is that as long as they are not slipping, and most don't, I think they are ok. I never have to retune in the middle of a set. Tying the strings on correctly and stetching them out until they stop stretching are two of the most important things to do. Also, the nut slots have to be right, and lubricated with graphite, pencil lead or powdered. All tunning machines have some backlash, so I guess you know to always tune up to a note, never down to note. All these new locking tuners, i've never needed them.
 
GT,
As far as keeping guitars in tune, its all about your nuts. If they're sticky, or tight, you'll go all out of whack.(hee-hee!) This applies to locking tuners as well. If the nut's not right, it won't matter that you spent 75 clams on sperzels. As for the trees, when I put the lockers on my strat, I took off the roller trees that came stock on it (the sperzels have graduated height posts so you supposedly don't need the trees), but I found that the slight difference in break angle over the nut seemed to affect my lower fret string bends (tension) and I put some graph tech trees on there...back to normal. The Eric Johnsons of the world probably would say that the break angle would also affect open string tone, (love ya Eric!) but one too many feedback freakouts of yore has rendered me unable to differentiate.

peace.
 
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