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Post by ninworks on Sept 25, 2021 15:35:39 GMT -5
www.amazon.com/String-Butler-Guitar-Tuning-Improvement/dp/B074CNX799I had never heard of one of these before until I saw a reference to it today on a YouTube video from a guy who records metal music. I ordered one because I play my Les Paul more than any of my other guitars and it certainly has tuning stability problems. I have known why those problems exist and had actually considered making something like this myself to help alleviate it. I like that this simply mounts underneath the nuts on the machine head posts. Very smart. If this works well I am going to order another one for my Custom Shop CS356. They make an adapter kit for guitars with vintage tuners without nuts on the posts and use ferules instead. My 63 SG Custom has that style pegs on it and if these work out I will get another one for it.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Sept 25, 2021 15:41:21 GMT -5
The String Butler does work, but a properly-cut nut does exactly the same thing. If you get the nut worked on and problems still persist, then by all means try the String Butler.
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Post by Leftee on Sept 25, 2021 15:42:59 GMT -5
I’ve thought about these for my Deans. Otherwise I don’t have any tuning issues. The Deans ware pretty good, but I think they would benefit the most.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Sept 25, 2021 15:49:56 GMT -5
The String Butler does work, but a properly-cut nut does exactly the same thing. If you get the nut worked on and problems still persist, then by all means try the String Butler. They do work, but they're also a bit ugly and add mass to the peghead. Personally, I'd only consider one if there was a tremolo in the mix somewhere. Then again, I can also make a new nut whenever I want from whatever I want, so various DIY solutions really aren't meant for someone like me.
Edited to add I'd probably take one of those before a set of locking tuners, which I find to be overrated.
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Post by Leftee on Sept 25, 2021 16:40:11 GMT -5
IMO… locking tuners help with quick easy string changes. Tuning stability… no.
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Wrnchbndr
Wholenote
Posts: 353
Formerly Known As: WRNCHBNDR
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Post by Wrnchbndr on Sept 27, 2021 11:30:42 GMT -5
I made something like this a few years ago and I’ll post a picture if I can find it. I took the general shape of the plastic Gibson truss rod cover and then modified the shape keeping the same screw hole locations. Used 1/8” brass sheet to make a base. I found small diameter solid oil impregnated bearings and precision stainless bolts with the perfect length of plain shaft at McMasterCarr.
I got flamed on a Les Paul forum for mentioning the tuning instability issues on Gibsons 3X3 head stocks. We can discuss these things here safely without reprisals. Sometimes I can totally fix the problem via nut files and sometimes I can only achieve an improvement but there are those who will deny that the problem exists. On my bench right now is a new LP Special with Gibsons weirdo metal sorta zero-fret nut. This one is working very well and there are no tuning instability issues. The D and G-strings both return to perfect pitch after bends and the pitch response is immediate both up and down from tuning key rotation but I’ve seen this nut on an SG and it didn’t work.
If you can do a little metal work and tap a few threads, I posted pictures of this gizmo on my facebook page. Just go to FB and search “Mark’s Guitar Creations” and the pictures are right at the beginning. I built a pair of these many years ago and never installed them on anything. I thought about trying to sell it to Hipshot but I’m totally unqualified to deal with stuff like a non-disclosure agreement that they mentioned. I tried to look up the part numbers for the things I ordered from McMasterCar but the records don’t go back that far. But figuring it out wasn’t hard. The screws are what are called Shoulder Screws and I think these were a #6-32 thread. Find an appropriate shoulder screw with an appropriate shoulder length and then find a solid oil impregnated bearing for it. I did need to slightly shorten the length of the bearings I used with a file but I’m damn sure that my bearings are gonna spin freely, easier and for longer than anything you could buy commercially.
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