I just bought a Dietrich Parts String Butler (V3) for my Gibson SG Special 2015.
The story:
I always had problems with nut binding and nothing really helped.
I tried different new saddles (GraphTech TUSQ, Gibson Stock Brass Zero Fret Nut, Gibson Titatnium Zero Fret Nut), Nut lube and different locking tuners.
I started with 9 gauge string, and went up to 11s and a wound G to comepensate for the tuning issues.
Nevertheless I loved this little guitar and didn't want to get rid of it.
Then I found THIS
Until some bigger guitar youtubers tested it, I thought this is nothing more than a scam.
but the hype around it convinced me to give it a try.
The Butler:
I threw the titanium nut from Gibson back on because the GraphTech one (->this one<-) had a vertical string guidance and isn't compatible with the String Butler.
The installation was fairly easy and without any modifications on the headstock.
And it's like a (engineering backed) miracle. My problems with the tuning are gone. I tested it for a week now and I'm more than thrilled. I also went down to 10 gauge strings (Rotosound MD10 [10-54])
Tuning also goes on easier because this *pling* noise is gone that appears when the string catches on the edge of the nut.
The look of it is "ok". having a chunk of metal on your headstock in't the most beautifull thing in the world, but sice I don't watch my headstock while playing I don't care and the audience won't, too.
The downsides:
The only two things that bothered me after a while:
1. The string tension and overall feel of the strings changed. Maybe because the distance between the nut and the butler is shorter than the original distance between the nut and the tuners.
I don't even know how I would describe it but my hands tell me there is something different than the last 5 years I played this guitar. Not that it's bad, but different.
2.The String butler makes the heavy headstock of a Gibson Syle guitar even heavier. I never had problems with neck dive, but I can feel the added weight of the butler.
Conclusion:
I just want to thank Sven-Horst Dietrich, the inventor of the string butler.
He made me love the instrument even more.
It's not perfect, but what in the world is?
Maybe one day it is possible to manufacture something like this out of even lighter materials without busting the bank. 39€/ 43US$ isn't cheap at all but worth it,
when I count all the hours of working on the nut and getting angry about it in the last years.
Did one of you tested one of these? What are you experiences, tell me.
And please keep hate against Gibson for yourself, that's not part of this thread and a discussion for another day.
The story:
I always had problems with nut binding and nothing really helped.
I tried different new saddles (GraphTech TUSQ, Gibson Stock Brass Zero Fret Nut, Gibson Titatnium Zero Fret Nut), Nut lube and different locking tuners.
I started with 9 gauge string, and went up to 11s and a wound G to comepensate for the tuning issues.
Nevertheless I loved this little guitar and didn't want to get rid of it.
Then I found THIS
Until some bigger guitar youtubers tested it, I thought this is nothing more than a scam.
but the hype around it convinced me to give it a try.
The Butler:
I threw the titanium nut from Gibson back on because the GraphTech one (->this one<-) had a vertical string guidance and isn't compatible with the String Butler.
The installation was fairly easy and without any modifications on the headstock.
And it's like a (engineering backed) miracle. My problems with the tuning are gone. I tested it for a week now and I'm more than thrilled. I also went down to 10 gauge strings (Rotosound MD10 [10-54])
Tuning also goes on easier because this *pling* noise is gone that appears when the string catches on the edge of the nut.
The look of it is "ok". having a chunk of metal on your headstock in't the most beautifull thing in the world, but sice I don't watch my headstock while playing I don't care and the audience won't, too.
The downsides:
The only two things that bothered me after a while:
1. The string tension and overall feel of the strings changed. Maybe because the distance between the nut and the butler is shorter than the original distance between the nut and the tuners.
I don't even know how I would describe it but my hands tell me there is something different than the last 5 years I played this guitar. Not that it's bad, but different.
2.The String butler makes the heavy headstock of a Gibson Syle guitar even heavier. I never had problems with neck dive, but I can feel the added weight of the butler.
Conclusion:
I just want to thank Sven-Horst Dietrich, the inventor of the string butler.
He made me love the instrument even more.
It's not perfect, but what in the world is?
Maybe one day it is possible to manufacture something like this out of even lighter materials without busting the bank. 39€/ 43US$ isn't cheap at all but worth it,
when I count all the hours of working on the nut and getting angry about it in the last years.
Did one of you tested one of these? What are you experiences, tell me.
And please keep hate against Gibson for yourself, that's not part of this thread and a discussion for another day.
Last edited:
). I have one guitar with a fanned string spread behind the nut that also has a trem. I never ever do that but this guitar developed itself i.e.: didn't plan ahead particularly well 
let's give it a try.
Got up at 4:15 am and as soon as I got to work, I started playing the smartass over the internet...:lame:
