Locking Nut problem with Charvel Spectrum

[Spectrum]

Hi to all. I own a beautiful Charvel Spectrum (the one with jt590 made by Schaller) that plays so great..but don't stay in tune!
I think the problem is in the locking nut. As you can see looking at the pictures, the lower strings don't sit perfectly on the nut and tend to stay on the left side of their area...so the d-a-e strings (in particular) don't touch the the locking base but stay higher!.

As you can imagine when I lock the strings E strings became an F suddenly. The other ones do not increase so much. But when using the whammy bar all the tuning is a mess!

Charvel adverts found on internet say that the Spectrum come with a Schaller jt590 and an R2 locking nut (5/8 nut width).

How can I solve the problem? (buying another R2..maybe mine is a facotry "wrong"? or maybe replacing it with an R3 ?)
-Putting a shim under the locking nut?
-Raising the Bridge?

Thank you!!

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[Spectrum]

No one with a similar problem? (I mean not necessarily a Spectrum ..)

[Axewielder]

I'd guess the string pulling sharp and the tuning stability issues are unrelated. The first thing I'd try for tuning stability is the pull test. Lock the locknut, tune up the guitar, and with your tuner connected press down on the strings behind the locknut (don't push hard enough to break the high strings). If you can pull any of the strings sharp, the locknuts are slipping. Try tightening the locking nut screws until they don't pull sharp.

[Spectrum]

I'd guess the string pulling sharp and the tuning stability issues are unrelated. The first thing I'd try for tuning stability is the pull test. Lock the locknut, tune up the guitar, and with your tuner connected press down on the strings behind the locknut (don't push hard enough to break the high strings). If you can pull any of the strings sharp, the locknuts are slipping. Try tightening the locking nut screws until they don't pull sharp.

Ok, thank you. I'll try that. But the E string that become an F everytime I lock his nut? Should I tune the E strings to D sharp so when locked it will be an E? Hope there's a solution to the stupid solution I've just written

[Axewielder]

Ok, thank you. I'll try that. But the E string that become an F everytime I lock his nut? Should I tune the E strings to D sharp so when locked it will be an E? Hope there's a solution to the stupid solution I've just written

You might be stuck with that issue. I have a few guitars that have that issue, and yes I usually tune up that string slightly flat before locking it down. In some cases I think the locknut platform can be angled incorrectly which causes it. Yours looks pretty severe though.

[Spectrum]

You might be stuck with that issue. I have a few guitars that have that issue, and yes I usually tune up that string slightly flat before locking it down. In some cases I think the locknut platform can be angled incorrectly which causes it. Yours looks pretty severe though.

Do you think that the strings will touch better the platform replacing the locking nut with a brand new R2 by schaller?
Or maybe trying an R3?
It seems that the strings run from the back of the locking nut towards the tuners is not well aligned..... But I'm not so acknowledged to say if:
1: Mine is a locking nut turned out bad from factory with bad strings space
2: the locking nut and/or tuners have been factory installed slightly off set

[Axewielder]

I doubt replacing the nut will make any difference. You could possibly have a luthier build a shim or platform that angles it up a bit. Is the string height at the locknut OK?

[Spectrum]

Yes the guitar play so great when locking nut is not "locked". Not a buzzing, just plays wonderful.

[Matt_B]

From your pic I'm wondering how the low E strings is going around its tuner. Is it from the the outside or inside? I'm betting it's coming from the outside. I'd like to see a pic of of the whole headstock.

[ralph]

Maybe put a string bar on it like an ESP, this will hold the strings down

[Spectrum]

From your pic I'm wondering how the low E strings is going around its tuner. Is it from the the outside or inside? I'm betting it's coming from the outside. I'd like to see a pic of of the whole headstock.

Yes from the outside. But yesterday I thought that this could be the problem so I've tryed to mount the E string from the inside. NOTHIN' changed

[fidelis]

Wound the strings at least 4-5 times around the tuning post in order to get a lower angle going to the nut. It is a fairly common problem with J/C headstocks but nothing you can't adjust with the fine tuners on your bridge. About the tuning instability, make sure you pull all the strings a couple of times and tune to pitch before locking them down. Also make sure that there is no slip from the bridge.

[Spectrum]

What can I say now after having locked and unlocked 3-4 times the strings is that when i'm using the whammy bar pressing or depressing it, the tunings of all the strings togheter go up or down. All the strings from the same cents amount circa. Until the point E string (for example) is almost going to F or D but howewer stay in the E area.

Springs seems well tight and in tension. Bridge is parallel to the body (maybe its tail is up 4-6 millimeters). I tend to suspect the pressure pad aren't doing very well their job to lock the strings well...

What do you think or suggests?

[xenophobe]

Should I tune the E strings to D sharp so when locked it will be an E? Hope there's a solution to the stupid solution I've just written

If it bugs you, yes.

With a locking Floyd system, you need to lock the nut before you fine tune the guitar.

[paranoid]

there are many things that effect the tuning stability. the fact that the strings do no line up with the nut does cause the tuning to go sharp when locking the nut, the only cure for this with that reverse head stock would be a string tree. Do as already suggested and press on the strings one at a time between the nut and the tuners with it locked. if the strings do not go sharp the locks are working.