Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Factors?

[shreddermon]

Here's the dealio...

I just received a GMP Pawnshop. Great guitar, played her for about an hour last night. In that brief time, I could already tell that this guitar was superior to my other non-trem axe (KE2T) for maintaining tuning stability. The Pawnshop hardly moved, even with persistent and big bends.

This got me wondering what design factors were the biggest contributors to tuning stability. (For non-trem guitars, I mean. This isn't a Floyd vs. non-Floyd discussion.) So here's the different specs....

Pawnshop

- Tone Pros locking TOM-style bridge
- Stop Tailpiece
- Graphite (...I think?) nut, with straight-cut string slots
- 3+3 headstock design, with nearly straight string pull. (i.e., Angle of string from the nut to the tuner)
- Tilt-back angled headstock
- Sperzel locking tuners

Kelly

- Non-locking Gotoh TOM-style bridge
- Strings-through-body design (no tailpiece)
- Bone nut, with angled-cut string slots (i.e., the slots are cut at an angle, pointing toward the respective headstock tuner.)
- 6 in-line pointy headstock, with sharply angled string pull
- Tilt-back angled headstock
- Gotoh non-locking tuners

What design factors do you think are the biggest contributors to tuning stability? Which ones are not so much? (...Did I forget any other factors?) [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Also, although this is a cool issue to think about and debate, this may not end up being just a theoretical question. I've given serious thought to doing a TOM-style custom Kelly order. So the feedback might make it into a real design. TBD, though. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[noodlesatf]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

You can get some string hang with a bone nut, so try using a pencil to line the inside of the slots with some graphite. With non-locking tuners, it is all about how you string the guitar. I've also noticed that the angle-cut nut slots help a good deal (mainly you don't need the graphite).

[Newc]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

Or some Big Bends Nut Sauce.

I'd say the bridge and tailpiece (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with it in this case - it's all in the nut and the tuners. Put some Sperzels on the Kelly and either replace the nut or Sauce it.

[eaeolian]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

[ QUOTE ]
Or some Big Bends Nut Sauce.

I'd say the bridge and tailpiece (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with it in this case - it's all in the nut and the tuners. Put some Sperzels on the Kelly and either replace the nut or Sauce it.

[/ QUOTE ]

That will do what most people need. The TonePros bridges are cool idea for string changes, but I doubt they effect tuning stability much, unless you're replacing a TOM with a lot of wear...

[shreddermon]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

You guys are mostly suggesting ways to improve the Kelly's tuning stability. That's not what I'm looking for. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I know the old greased nut, etc. tricks. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

I'm looking for opinions on which design factors are the biggest stability/instability contributors. But I can INFER from your responses ( [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) that you think the nut and the tuners are where most of the stability difference lies. Correct?

[Thoraby]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

I say the nut.

[eaeolian]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

[ QUOTE ]
You guys are mostly suggesting ways to improve the Kelly's tuning stability. That's not what I'm looking for. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I know the old greased nut, etc. tricks. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

I'm looking for opinions on which design factors are the biggest stability/instability contributors. But I can INFER from your responses ( [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) that you think the nut and the tuners are where most of the stability difference lies. Correct?

[/ QUOTE ]

Correct. After that, it's probably the string pull on the headstock, and the other factors are minimal, as long as things are machined well.

[noodlesatf]

Re: Non-Trem Tuning Stability - Contributing Facto

Correct, the nut, then the tuners. Graphite nuts are great for tuning stability, but they suck away your highs. If you have a bone nut with no burs in the string slots, and straight pull headstock (or angled slots), you should be fine. Well, as long as you know how to properly anchor the strings at the tuning peg to prevent slipage. That is something that not many people ever learn how to do properly. I've used locknuts for a long time, so I only learned this a coupld of years ago.