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I was pretty sold on it though. I don't really see how the same problem could be solved by cutting the nut. The problem it addresses is the one that PRS address by having the tuners for the middle strings closer together on the headstock.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
It basically comes down to a couple of points:
The points of contact for the string on the string butler are rollers.
Many people have tuning stability problems with the middle 2 strings on Gibsons despite having played large numbers of high end models.
The few reports I've seen say the string butler helped the issue quite a lot, I haven't seen a report where it didn't but I didn't get to try mine.
If the tuning issue proves to be a big problem for me I'll consider drilling the headstock to install it though but the guitar is one of my lesser used ones now so it's not really been much of a problem for me yet.
But perhaps they haven't played any well set-up ones? Gibsons are well known for badly cut nuts from the factory.
Isn't that because anyone who isn't already having tuning problems won't need to try one?
Noone's saying it won't help. Just that it's not the best answer.
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
To me, the idea that all those guitars he's played just happen to all have poorly made nuts is a bit of a coincidence.
To think that someone with the resources and gear collection he has (including custom made amp switchers made specifically for his setup) has just never had access to anyone who could properly cut nuts on Gibsons, in my opinion, is far fetched.
Note: Tim does a video about the string butler where he claims it fixes the problem but, since a lot of YouTube recommendations are just dishonest paid advertisements, I wouldn't trust that at all. His comments about Gibson tuning aren't from anything to do with the string butler though, he's just mentioned it a few times over the years as one of the cons of Les Pauls.
(I know looks aren't everything...)
This.
A properly-cut *hard* material nut, with a little lubrication if necessary, will work fine. A badly-cut or soft material nut will still snag with a straight string path, because there is still a downward angle which is the cause of most of the friction.
Exactly. As so many things to do with guitars and tuning seem to be, it's a gadget to avoid having to fix the real problem correctly.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I'd never thought of that but I'll be taking that into consideration if I do go back down the route of installing it.
The design intention of the String Butler is to give straight pull to a typical 3+3 fanned headstock.
Straight pull headstock design is generally considered better from an engineering point of view and less prone to strings sticking in the nut slots. Nevertheless a well cut ‘normal’ 3+3 nut usually does the job fine. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if you do decide to fit one you’ll probably have to straighten up the nut slots to suit it – or fit a new nut.
In what way does this piece of metal answer the door/phone, server coffee at 11 and ensure your mail is dealt with?
They should have called it String Shepherd.
http://i66.tinypic.com/25z1qbc.jpg