do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

everdrone

New member
do locking tuners make a difference in keeping a guitar in tune at all? or are they just for convenience in changing strings. I almost never change my strings, I dont strum hard. I just want my strings to stay in tune - I only use 8 gauge strings and tune to c# just like Iommi does, for my heavy rock music. only tuners I have are on my relatively new gibson sg standard, and my 2006 Limited Edition Epiphone SG Standard G-400 with EMGs and chrome Grover tuners.

I was thinking about sperzels, but what would be the point? prolly it is just adjusting the "nut" - neck setup and graphite. Also, was thinking about getting chrome gibson tuners but that would be just for looks; would I need to drill new holes to install these in my black gibson sg standard?:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...ickel-machine-heads-with-metal-buttons#review

DV019_Jpg_Regular_306089.jpg
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

IME, yes, they do make a difference...BUT everything works together. You also need a well-cut nut, either with or without locking tuners. Going to locking tuners or to a custom-cut graphite nut alone will make a difference. But doing both is way better than either of them alone.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

cool brutha, I never tried tuners other than factory nonlocking tuners, thanks :)
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

do locking tuners make a difference in keeping a guitar in tune at all? or are they just for convenience in changing strings.

Your Honor..if it pleases the court, the defense would like to submit into evidence the following articles- Exhibit A. Any Quality tuner will lock down the string in a proper form and fashion, thus eliminatung any detuning of the string to any extent short of a locking Nut.
Exhibit B. Locking tuners do not do anything a quality normal tuner will do beyond provide a simple way to tighten the strings IF proper string winding procedure is followed.
The defence rests its case.
 
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Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Your Honor..if it pleases the court, the defense would like to submit into evidence the following articles- Exhibit A. Any Quality tuner will lock down the string in a proper form and fashion, thus eliminatung any detuning of the string to any extent short of a locking Nut.
Exhibit B. Locking tuners do not do anything a quality normal tuner will do beyond provide a simple way to tighten the strings IF proper string winding procedure is followed.
The defence rests its case.

thankz for ur insightz councel

lol u can submit a post hearing brief on that shiz for brownie pointz ;)

next time, no improper conduct please when pointing out ur meritz of teh case. u r dismissed and are free to go. :joke:
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

I concur, locking tuners just make it easier to change strings, and break them.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Depends if you have a trem. My Washburn MG's with the factory locking Gotos and Wilkersons will dive bomb with any Floyd Rose guitar and stay rock solidly in tune.
The right locking tuners can be a BIG help if you are using a Bar.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

I don't remember what my Epi LP was like before I installed my Grover locking tuners. They're pretty high mass and quality, so that may contribute to this, but it stays in tune really well. Then again, my Hamer doesn't have them and it stays in tune really well too haha! So I guess in the end it just makes changing strings a bit easier and possibly adds some stability but not a huge amount.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

As far as tuning stability goes, locking tuners = regular tuners.

As has been pointed out already, the big difference is string changes. Any quality regular tuner will stay in tune just fine if you're wrapping your strings properly.

But hot damn do locking tuners made string changes quick and easy.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

if you have a guitar with both bad tuners and a bad nut, then it wont stay intune any better with a bad nut and locking tuners.

Like all the other guys said, locking tuners mainly just make string changing faster.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

For everyone saying it makes it easier never met this guy. I sure he can change strings on an electric just as fast.

 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

ive had locking tuners since 1991. They dont add to stability. They just make string changes faster cos you need less winds.
Tuning stability is all about the nut.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

A well cut nut has solved all the tuning problems that any of my friends have ever complained about.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Not sure. My guitar has Sperzels, but after one of the bridge screws got busted off and the bridge became half floating, the tuning goes out every time I mess with the bar.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Yeah I think quality plain-jane tuners stay in tune quite good. My two guitars have non-locking Grovers and they are stable. Probably the fact that the bridges are hard tails contribute to the stability also.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Do locking tuners make a difference in keeping a guitar in tune, or are they just for convenience in changing strings. I almost never change my strings, I dont strum hard. I just want my strings to stay in tune - I only use 8 gauge strings and tune to c# just like Iommi does, for my heavy rock music. only tuners I have are on my relatively new gibson sg standard, and my 2006 Limited Edition Epiphone SG Standard G-400 with EMGs and chrome Grover tuners.

I was thinking about sperzels, but what would be the point? prolly it is just adjusting the "nut" - neck setup and graphite. Also, was thinking about getting chrome gibson tuners but that would be just for looks; would I need to drill new holes to install these in my black gibson sg standard?:

Strings don't stretch out of tune. Steel that has been stressed to the point that it changes shape has exceeded its elastic limits

Rather, in replacing strings, the new strings do not immediately conform to the bend over the bridge, and the wrapping around the peg. The string, over time, cinches up on the peg, causing it to go flat. The cinching provides more length of string between the peg and the bridge. This comes from having to wrap enough string around the peg to keep it from slipping.

With locking tuners, les than ¼ of a wrap around the peg is necessary (well, maybe a full ½ turn on the first string), and so there is much more nearly an immediate, full conformity to the peg. That makes that cinching process nearly non-existent.

A locking nut does the same thing, and to a greater degree.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

In my experience locking tuners give me greater stability especially with my trem fitted guitars. However, I do have great nuts on my guitars and the bridges are well maintained. Tuning stability is the combination of many factors but in my opinion locking tuners do help.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

do locking tuners make a difference in keeping a guitar in tune at all? or are they just for convenience in changing strings. I almost never change my strings, I dont strum hard. I just want my strings to stay in tune - I only use 8 gauge strings and tune to c# just like Iommi does, for my heavy rock music. only tuners I have are on my relatively new gibson sg standard, and my 2006 Limited Edition Epiphone SG Standard G-400 with EMGs and chrome Grover tuners.

I was thinking about sperzels, but what would be the point? prolly it is just adjusting the "nut" - neck setup and graphite. Also, was thinking about getting chrome gibson tuners but that would be just for looks; would I need to drill new holes to install these in my black gibson sg standard?:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...ickel-machine-heads-with-metal-buttons#review

DV019_Jpg_Regular_306089.jpg

Locking tuners do make a difference; they allow you to use less winding around the tuning peg (only what you need to get the string up to pitch from slack), which increases tuning stability by reducing the total length of string placed under tension, which can change as you saw on the trem arm. A low-friction nut (or a locking nut) is also key, however; the strings have to be able to slide easily through the slots in the nut. A roller nut is not necessary; a well-cut nylon, bone or Tusq nut with a little Chapstick will do the trick.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Strings don't stretch out of tune. Steel that has been stressed to the point that it changes shape has exceeded its elastic limits

Rather, in replacing strings, the new strings do not immediately conform to the bend over the bridge, and the wrapping around the peg. The string, over time, cinches up on the peg, causing it to go flat. The cinching provides more length of string between the peg and the bridge. This comes from having to wrap enough string around the peg to keep it from slipping.

With locking tuners, les than ¼ of a wrap around the peg is necessary (well, maybe a full ½ turn on the first string), and so there is much more nearly an immediate, full conformity to the peg. That makes that cinching process nearly non-existent.

A locking nut does the same thing, and to a greater degree.
Pretty much that.

IME, 90% of the tuning issues with non-locking tuners derive from the fact that the string wasn't properly locked in so the string slipped or, the part of the string wrapped around the tuning peg simply stretched over time.

Locking tuners solve both of those problems by not leaving much room for user error plus, not allowing a whole lot of string wrapped around the tuning peg for it to stretch.

That being said, exactly 100% of my 6-in-line headstock guitars have locking tuners, the last one with 3+3 being an LP-copy.
 
Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Re: do locking tuners help the guitar stay in tune? or is it just the "nut".

Locking tuners help and are also way convenient when changing strings. Nut, string angle from the bridge to the nut to the tuners, and the bridge itself also make a huge difference.
 
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