Floyd Rose - does it need a locking nut?

axisus

Can you get away with a decent nut and locking tuners or does it require a locking nut? 

I'm thinking of swapping neck on my FR guitar, but I don't really want to install a locking nut unless absolutely necessary

ICBM

If you want the absolutely rock-solid unshakeable tuning stability that a Floyd is famous for then you do need the locking nut.

If you just want pretty good stability, a bit better than a standard Strat-type trem, then it will work fine with locking tuners if you pay attention to cutting the nut well and minimising friction at the string tree - which in my opinion you still need even with staggered posts, I find the break angle is always too shallow on the first three strings, so I prefer to fit the tree and use the lowest post for the G string.

axisus

ICBM said:

 so I prefer to fit the tree and use the lowest post for the G string.

interesting ...

Catthan

There was an episode of Tim - Pete show where @Petethorn was showing his 3TSB Suhr strat to which he had swapped the trem to a floyd-type (iirc one like the very first ones w.o. fine-tuners) and stated that with locking tuners it was good enough.

I suppose you need a well-built gtr in which the hardware works well to start with (like a Suhr) but it can be done apparently.. 

mrkb

Hmm, my Floyd Rose (with locking nut) goes so slack that the strings are floppy, so they wouldn't stay in a standard nut slots while its that slack. You would need a string retaining bar or similar behind the nut to keep the strings in the slots.

ICBM

mrkb said:

Hmm, my Floyd Rose (with locking nut) goes so slack that the strings are floppy, so they wouldn't stay in a standard nut slots while its that slack. You would need a string retaining bar or similar behind the nut to keep the strings in the slots.

They don't go quite as slack without the locking nut because the length of string beyond the nut takes up some of the movement, but if it was an issue I would put a block on the back wall of the trem cavity to stop the bridge going that far forward, rather than add a bar which will definitely cause friction and tuning problems.

BloodEagle

What if you want the bridge to go that far forward? When I use a Floyd I push it down very hard for mximum divebomb cool

crunchman

Rather than swap the neck I'd swap the guitar.  Having said that I wouldn't buy a guitar with a Floyd in the first place.

I'd rather have a Bigsby.  Who is that that gets wound up when you mention Bigsbys?

ICBM

BloodEagle said:

What if you want the bridge to go that far forward? When I use a Floyd I push it down very hard for mximum divebomb cool

In that case you do need a locking nut. They are definitely a solution to a problem, which works.

crunchman said:

I'd rather have a Bigsby.  Who is that that gets wound up when you mention Bigsbys?

It's always amusing to point out that a Bigsby also has a larger bend range than a Floyd too.

















It's just that most of it is upwards . Until the strings break, if you like...

axisus

crunchman said:

Rather than swap the neck I'd swap the guitar.  Having said that I wouldn't buy a guitar with a Floyd in the first place.

Yes, but here's the thing - It's a self made guitar but I didn't make the neck. I want to make my own neck for it.

Alnico

crunchman said:

Rather than swap the neck I'd swap the guitar.  Having said that I wouldn't buy a guitar with a Floyd in the first place.

I'd rather have a Bigsby.  Who is that that gets wound up when you mention Bigsbys?

@professorben

professorben

Alnico said:

crunchman said:

Rather than swap the neck I'd swap the guitar.  Having said that I wouldn't buy a guitar with a Floyd in the first place.

I'd rather have a Bigsby.  Who is that that gets wound up when you mention Bigsbys?

@professorben

@Bridgehouse ;

prowla

Well, the guitar will be playable with a Floyd and a standard nut, so long as you don't dive-bomb.
But it's kind of missing the point.

Maynehead

You *might* get away with it if you have locking tuners with very little wind, but otherwise there's no way it will stay in tune unless you artificially limit the range you use the floyd to that of a typical strat bridge.

Accidentally go too far on a dive? All your strings are out of tune, or worse, off the nut.

uksaint7

I've just bought a non-fine tuner Floyd Rose and a set of staggered Hipshot locking tuners for a Strat build. Kind of like the Charvel Guthrie model. Tom Anderson use the same bridge ('recessed vintage locking') on a lot of guitars too. As there are no fine tuners you can't use a locking nut!

DLM

professorben said:

Alnico said:

crunchman said:

Rather than swap the neck I'd swap the guitar.  Having said that I wouldn't buy a guitar with a Floyd in the first place.

I'd rather have a Bigsby.  Who is that that gets wound up when you mention Bigsbys?

@professorben

@Bridgehouse ;

@Bucket

DLM

@Professorben is Teles!

professorben

DLM said:

@Professorben is Teles!

 No no Bigsbys too. 
Now bigsby on a Tele!!!! 

DLM

uksaint7 said:

I've just bought a non-fine tuner Floyd Rose and a set of staggered Hipshot locking tuners for a Strat build. Kind of like the Charvel Guthrie model. Tom Anderson use the same bridge ('recessed vintage locking') on a lot of guitars too. As there are no fine tuners you can't use a locking nut!

Shh! No one tell this guy!

https://www.metal-archives.com/images/8/0/1/1/8011_artist.jpg

crunchman

Specially for @professorben ;

GoldenEraGuitars

I had an Ibanez RG870QMZ a few years back. I rarely used the locking nut. It stayed in tune beautifully. I usually spent a long time setting the guitar up and stretching the strings. It allowed me to tune  the guitar as normal without using the fine tuners