Question Locking tuners with Floyd Rose ?

[PinkPR]

Hi guys !

I'm in love with my EBMM Luke I (floyd version), but I keep thinking that locking nut is very annoying to adjust tuning, especially when I just changed strings for fresh ones. So I started thinking about replacing tuners with locking ones, and removing the locking part of the nut.

Have you guys ever tried to do that on your EBMM locking nut guitars ?

I'm not using the floyd like Vai or Satriani, just a gentle vibe for chords, like I do on my Luke II that keeps perfectly in tune. And spending 10 minutes to re-tune each time I play, makes me choose the Luke II even if I prefer Luke I's tones !

Thank you guys

PinkPR

 

[steevo]

As long as you have a nicely cut nut that wont cause friction you should be ok.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[MajtasticVoyage]

I'll never understand why some people, including our beloved EBMM, thing that locking nuts and locking tuners are either replacements for each other or mutually exclusive. I have literally ZERO interest in the JP16 because no locking tuners (and no MM bridge, which, IMO, is the best floating bridge in the world; though I do wish they could make one with fine tuners...).

Anyway, TC, what I did when I had my guitar with a Floyd & locking nut & tuners, was I kept the nut unlocked for the first day or two after changing strings so the strings could settle. Then I put the locks back on and used fine tuners from then on. It's the best of both worlds. As Steevo said, as long as the nut is cut right, you shouldn't have an issue. But I would still like to stress that there's NEVER a bad time for locking tuners. I honestly do not see why every guitar in existence doesn't have these by default across the board (of course you could argue cost, potential to break, etc.). They just make life a hundred times easier and string changes a hundred times faster. But I'll digress.

TLDR: yes, get locking tuners - you'll be fine

 

[JamieCrain]

When restringing with a FR/locking nut, I tune half a step sharp initially and, as Majtastic says, leave the nut unlocked for a couple of days whilst you play it. Combined with some decent string stretching (yes, use the whammy like Vai), it will then stay in tune perfectly.

 

[Craiguitar]

It is a pain letting new strings stretch in. I find i often need to reach for the Allen key a few times and re tune until the strings are bedded in. However, once settled it stays in tune beautifully. I recently replaced the entire nut because the old one had finally worn out after many years. Now it's really good. One thing to remember is to check the retainer bar is low enough to get the strings to sit flat right across the nut. This means when you lock down the strings they stay roughly at the same pitch as when they were unlocked. I love my Luke 1 which I've owned since April 1994.

 

[PinkPR]

Hello guys, I just did the operation ! I've put some Schaller Locking Tuners (exactly the same than the ones on Luke II/III) and let the nut opened.

It is f****n bad. It's impossible to keep the guitar in tune. But I think, the problem is that there is too much friction on the nut and the string retainer. I'll try to lubricate it with graphite. If it still doesn't work, I'm thinking about getting a graphite nut and installing it in place of the Floyd's nut.

I'll keep the thread up to date to share my experience !

 

[Slater]

You may want to think about a roller-nut. A roller-nut should fit nicely on the neck's Floyd nut-shelf, but I don't know if there's one made narrow enough for a Luke neck?...

 

[DrKev]

Buy all means try lubing the floyd nut but you may have to get rid of it. It's designed to hold the strings in place, the opposite of friction-free operation that a lubed standard nut will come close to. Roller nut if you can find one that fits, would be great!