I'm looking for a little wisdom on string trees. My MIM strat has one, the old butterfly style. I'm considering replacing it with the kind of trees that are on the Am. Std. Strats - a $6 mod that might make tuning a little easier, as sometimes it seems like the butterfly tree tends to stick a bit and the rollers on the Am. Std. tree look like they'd let the string move more easily....
While I'm at it I'm considering adding a second tree for the middle two strings. The reason I'm considering this is that my #3 string always buzzes just a little bit and I suspect that it's because it meets the nut at the shallowest angle of all the strings.
Some Strats come with one tree, others with two. What can anybody tell me about what goes into the decision as to whether a second tree is installed and about the pros and cons of adding the second tree?
TNX,
Shane
you sholud be able to upgrade the one string tree with the rollers.
I dont have an answer for the other part of your excellent question.
I am a long time strat player and that never occured to me.
hope someone informs us.
My strat has the same rattle on the open G. I took it to a luthier and he filed the slot a bit and it helped, but he recomended a 2nd tree to help it contact the nut better.
-Metaellihead
I own a Squire strat. Affinity series. It came with 2 string trees, the D/G tree is slightly higher than the B/E tree. Maybe this will help.
Mark
You can ride a Yamaha, or play a Yamaha, it is up to you.
The roller type may help, or you could try the Graph-Tech string trees. GuitarElectronics.com has pretty good prices on Graph-Tech stuff, and they also carry the rollers. The Graph-Tech trees come in two different heights, so be sure to look and/or measure before ordering. http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/category/4partshardware.6bridgesstoptails.4bridgesaddles/
I bought new nuts, saddles, and trees for my Johnson JS-050-¾ Strat copy and my Squier Bullet Special, and put a new nut and saddles on my Memphis LP copy. I think the G-T parts really do improve the sustain. 8)
Well, I went ahead and did it. With a little trepidation, as it meant taking a drill to my headstock. The Fender Am. Std. trees require you to drill two holes - one for the screw and one for a pin that keeps the tree from rotating around the screw.
When I got them I realized that the Am. Std. trees aren't actually rollers, just round pins, but there's much less surface for the string to move over so there's less friction. Tuning on my E and B strings seems to be slightly easier and quicker.
After giving it a lot of thought I decided to add the second tree, and I think this will turn out to be a good decision. I immediately noticed that the buzz on my G string was gone and it seems like that string now has a little better tone and presence.
There it is....
When I go to GC tomorrow I'm adding trees to my list of amp, picks, and trem springs.
-Metaellihead
Even the smallest Mod to a guitar effects the tone for better or worse. I wonder what they would sound like if if they made of brass.
Joe
i intend on taking my strat into the shop one night this week and have a 2nd tree quickly installed. im not taking drill to my headstock...i'll let the pros do that
I've found the Strat rollers(which dont really roll do help) but for even more improvement use the GraphTech retainers even though they're not rollers they are slicker than cat scat on linoleum. Then if you got some more cash laying arond get a set of Graphtec saddles see them here http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/product/GTS8001 Then you can Whammy all you want without tuning every time.
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ChuckNorrisFactsdotCom
I've found the Strat rollers(which dont really roll do help) but for even more improvement use the GraphTech retainers even though they're not rollers they are slicker than cat scat on linoleum.Nice turn of phrase, there. :lol:
Then if you got some more cash laying arond get a set of Graphtec saddles. Then you can Whammy all you want without tuning every time.I agree. My Memphis LP copy doesn't have string trees, but it came with a Bigsby, apparently added by a previous owner. That owner or somebody else must have replaced the nut without getting all the old glue out of the slot, so the nut was somewhat "off." A quality nut and saddles were a must.
Graph-Tech makes parts for many different guitars, but doesn't list obscure brands like Memphis in their "what fits what" menus. A Scientific Wild Guess led me to order "Epiphone and other imports" parts, and they fit. My local tech guy did a little filing on the saddles to get them to sit right in the "wannabe Tune-O-Matic" bridge, so they match the arch of the guitar top.
Cooool. 8)
GuitarElectronics has the best prices I've seen on G-T parts, and a lot of other stuff, too.
I just ordered some American trees from MF. GC didn't have any.
-Metaellihead
