FR nut effect on tension

SpiderVenom

SpiderVenom

New member
Just how much of an effect does a locking nut have on string tension?

My strat and Jackson are both 25.5", and when I string them up with the same gauge, the Jackson feels much harder to bend on the high strings.

Note: trem is blocked, so I'm not fighting that.
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

I haven't noticed it being much of an issue. I know you're using the same gauge, but what guage are you using?
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

None. Things that contribute to the feel are thickness of neck, height of frets, action height, neck straightness. They all make the tension feel softer or harder.
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

Not necessarily true. When you bend a string, the string length behind the nut stretches as well. So a guitar with "longer" strings (meaning more behind the bridge or nut) can feel softer to bend. Where you're 100% correct is that the actual tension required for the string to reach pitch should be the same. In other words on 25 1/2" scale, 9's are 9's, 10's are 10's, etc. and they each will require the same tightness to reach concert pitch. But the bends can feel different.

I ran the experiment once on a lock nut guitar. I bent the note up a full step, and noticed where the string was. In other words how far did I have to pull the string to get my full step? With the nut locked, I didn't have to pull it as far. The tension may very well have been the same, but the distance to travel to reach pitch was shorter, because I wasn't spreading it across the string past the nut.
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

frankfalbo said:
Not necessarily true. When you bend a string, the string length behind the nut stretches as well. So a guitar with "longer" strings (meaning more behind the bridge or nut) can feel softer to bend. Where you're 100% correct is that the actual tension required for the string to reach pitch should be the same. In other words on 25 1/2" scale, 9's are 9's, 10's are 10's, etc. and they each will require the same tightness to reach concert pitch. But the bends can feel different.

I ran the experiment once on a lock nut guitar. I bent the note up a full step, and noticed where the string was. In other words how far did I have to pull the string to get my full step? With the nut locked, I didn't have to pull it as far. The tension may very well have been the same, but the distance to travel to reach pitch was shorter, because I wasn't spreading it across the string past the nut.
Click to expand...

This is EXACTLY why my Tele felt so tight to me compared to my Strats (bridges are tightened down). If you compare the string length between the saddle break point and the ball end, there's more string length there on a Tele because of the string ferrules on a Tele vs. the ball end going up in to the block a ways on a Strat trem.

I find that my Floyded guitars feel a little looser than my non-Floyded guitars too. Same string gauges as well. My two Strats with traditional Strat trems feel the same with the same gauge, though the neck thickness (profile) is different between the two.
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

I haven't noticed much difference. Like ^ said: action, scale, thickness, string type, frets; they all have a bigger impact imo. That being said there probably is a minute difference I just don't notice it.
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

frankfalbo said:
Not necessarily true. When you bend a string, the string length behind the nut stretches as well. So a guitar with "longer" strings (meaning more behind the bridge or nut) can feel softer to bend. Where you're 100% correct is that the actual tension required for the string to reach pitch should be the same. In other words on 25 1/2" scale, 9's are 9's, 10's are 10's, etc. and they each will require the same tightness to reach concert pitch. But the bends can feel different.

I ran the experiment once on a lock nut guitar. I bent the note up a full step, and noticed where the string was. In other words how far did I have to pull the string to get my full step? With the nut locked, I didn't have to pull it as far. The tension may very well have been the same, but the distance to travel to reach pitch was shorter, because I wasn't spreading it across the string past the nut.
Click to expand...

+10000
 
Re: FR nut effect on tension

After playing 25.5's with a floyd, 25.5's with a nut feel almost slinky. You can totally tell.
 
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