Opinions on locking tuners?

Looking tuners dont lock it in tune, all they do is lock the string into the post. From what I can see all they realy help with is making string changes faster.

But I think that is the point of locking tuners to help keep the strings in tune if you are doing dive bombing. Personally I'm liek fleaaa don't use the whammy bar much and hate having to deal with locking tuners and the Floyd Rose on my Jackson.

But the Strat without locking tuners will go out of tune fairly easily if you do alot of whammy stuff.

Agreed, they probably help quicken string changes. But otherwise they're more on the gimmick side of improvement. I play a start and I rail on the bar often and I actually change out any tuners that aren't the vintage style kluson's. I've never had a problem with tuning. I prefer the old klusson's because string changes are so easy with them as much as the vintage appeal. A telling sign maybe with the fenders' is many of the signature models don't have the locking tuners. Fender is really gimmick and fad happy. For gads sake, they offer about 200 versions of the stratocaster last I looked - and that thing ain't really changed since the mid 50's! The American standard seems to bare the brunt of "innovation" in the form of the latest fad. It's kind of their test bed, and they always seem to depreciate faster than anything outside the custom shop models.

Okay lol I feel silly now..... I thought the locking things on the fender were used to lock it in tune - apparenly just makes changing strings easier.....

I still want a standard stratocater, but to me Standard Strat says that it doesn't have any additional or unnecessary crap and just has what a standard strat had since day one (probably newer pick ups).

Yeah, that's not the standard strat, your looking for the American Vintage Re Issue AVRI to get a plain old as Leo intended it strat. The "Standard Strat" is similar to the AVRI in features and vintagesq appointments, but it isn't made in america. It's all very confusing.

American Standaed Stratocaster is not made in America? Really? Do go on........

American Standard is made in America .... Standard is made in Mexico .... but the American Standard has some modern appointments and is not like the origional Leo designed. That I think, is Ezra's point. Here, I copied the American Standard specs.
Solid alder body (urethane finish)
Modern C-shaped maple neck with rich, deep neck tint, glossed neck front with satin back
22 medium jumbo frets
3 hot American Strat single-coil pickups
Delta-toneâ„¢ no-load circuit (includes high output bridge pickup and special no-load tone control for middle and bridge pickups)
Bent steel Fender saddles
Copper Infused Cast Strat® Bridge Block (steel with copper- 100% metal) for Increased Mass and Improved Tone
Thinner undercoat for improved body resonance
American 2-point trem
Rosewood or maple fretboard
Staggered machine heads
Fender SKB hardshell case, cable, strap, and polishing cloth

The MIM Strat will be close to the origional but not made in USA and a cheaper made model. (Not that I don't love mine)
The AVRI would be like the old ones.

For the locking tuners, yeah, I have one guitar that came with them and interestingly enough no trem. Tunomatic and stop bar. It is my Kramer Standard Pro. The only tuning stability gained is that there are no string windings to tighten, settle or otherwise move around. Tuner clamps on string, post turns part of a turn, you are in tune. Nut can still bind, things can happen at the bridge end. To lock or otherwise stay in tune better a trem needs to be a trem "system". Some lock, some roll. I have seen locking tuners used with roller nuts and roller bridges. not for me though.

I'm gonna take a guess here "dive bombing" is going flat (or loose) on the whammy?? Right?

Pat

American Standaed Stratocaster is not made in America? Really? Do go on........

I did say it was confusing, right?

TR's got it; The "Standard" is mexican and has basic hardware similar to a vintage strat. It bares no resemblance to the "American Standard" which gets all the slick new stuff. AVRI is what you would expect the American Standard to be in my opinion - a new (not modern) version of the same old strat. And from there we descend into lunacy. Fender decided some time ago that they were going to have a "Fender for Everyone!", it it's kind of absurd, but it seems to be making them money.

I should have been more clear. Thanks to TR for picking up my mess.
You can get an 80's AVRI for less than a new American Standard on this side of the pond and I think over there too. The Japanese '62 and '57 are really nice too.

I had thought about getting a MIA Strat when I bought my Marshall Haze recently so I had been doing a little reading on what the new ones come with. I was actually looking at the American Special cause it was on sale for a good price, $799 but got the amp instead.

I had thought about getting a MIA Strat when I bought my Marshall Haze recently so I had been doing a little reading on what the new ones come with. I was actually looking at the American Special cause it was on sale for a good price, $799 but got the amp instead.

And made the right choice in my opinion.

I'm confused (as always!). You guys do realize that there are those wheeled locks (Kluson) and those slotted locks, right? One is for keeping it tuned and the other is for changing strings easier. To tune the wheeled ones, you need to loosen them up, tune, and re-tighten. This is a hassle if you need to do it fast...and there's usually a little tool to fumble around with, too.

Cat

You are correct sir! Not the kind I have but I forgot about those.

...and I hate them. Imagine you are playing a gig and an E goes. Okay, it happens...but fumbling around for that little tool as well is a hassle. So, what do ya do? Ya forget the tool and force the tuner to where you want it but it now has a faulty clearance worn into it and it never works right again.

My Firebird X (WHAT a lemon!!!) has these slots that you push the string through and screw down the cap that seizes the end of the string in place. Actually, it's the only thing that works on that thing! :shock:

Cat