String tree placement - does it bother you?

victorludorum

I'm a traditionalist, so as far as I'm concerned there's only one place to put a Strat string tree, and that's in-line with the A tuner. For a Tele, it can be either in the same place, or in-between the D and G tuners. It irks me a little when I see Custom Shop Fenders that have the string tree out of whack with the traditional placements, and to me it smacks of sloppiness. Am I mad, or are there others out there who share my (admittedly very anal) point of view?

Lebarque

I know what you mean, but if it's providing a good break angle and the nut has been cut to accommodate that angle, it doesn't bother me too much. 

ICBM

Placement not so much, but if it's too close to the nut *and* too low it does.

But what really looks (and in my opinion is!) wrong, is no tree - even with staggered tuner posts, it's rare that it doesn't affect the tone or sustain of the top strings not to have one.

I have a trick with staggered posts - fit a tree but swap the G and B tuners. Like this...



That keeps a nice break angle on the G, and in fact gives roughly the same angle on all six strings.

Headphones

I find the missing spacer troubling.  If the "tree" sits on the face of the guitar without a spacer the break angle's too steep.  It's a cheap and easy fit that screws up the guitar, so why's it missing so often?

RandallFlagg

Headphones said:

I find the missing spacer troubling.  If the "tree" sits on the face of the guitar without a spacer the break angle's too steep.  It's a cheap and easy fit that screws up the guitar, so why's it missing so often?

Historical accuracy?

crunchman

I'm planning building myself something Tele'ish but It will have a 4 + 2, or 3 a side headstock.  Avoids the need for string trees entirely.

Lebarque

crunchman said:

I'm planning building myself something Tele'ish but It will have a 4 + 2, or 3 a side headstock.  Avoids the need for string trees entirely.

Tempted to flag this.