String Trees
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David Collins
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No, if we're talking about warpage in the neck, string trees have no influence there. If the headstock is warped, string trees may have lessened the severity, but not entirely, and it's not that common an issue unless we're talking about something like an EKO or Framus 12 string. When it happens on a Tele, it's more typically attributable to just being a piece of bad wood that was prone to warp, and string trees wouldn't make much difference.
Again though, if we're talking about the main section of the neck warping rather than the headstock, string trees would have made no difference.
Again though, if we're talking about the main section of the neck warping rather than the headstock, string trees would have made no difference.
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diceman
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Not trying to be a dick - but when a guitar is that cheap, there are often major issues associated with it. Everything is slapped together and quickly/cheaply made - and unfortunately, the neck and frets (the most precision parts of the instrument) often have problems.
jayj
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Not trying to be a dick - but when a guitar is that cheap, there are often major issues associated with it. Everything is slapped together and quickly/cheaply made - and unfortunately, the neck and frets (the most precision parts of the instrument) often have problems.
No, I totally understand. My situation is one where I can finagle some pedals here and there, but it's hard for me to justify a (nice) guitar purchase to my wife. The sub-$200 Xaviere that I upgraded the hell out of (new Wilde Pickups, RS wiring, new tuners) has been a good compromise.
I think the answer is it's just time to upgrade the neck too
. I figure once I upgrade the body, I'll just put the original Xaviere back together and I can sell it on Ebay.
jayj
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So when is the string pressure over the nut important? Only so the string doesn't pop out of the nut slot?
David Collins
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Yes, string pressure over the nut is important for keeping strings from popping out, but it also helps define the boundary conditions for waves in the string. The more rigidly it is secured at the end from increased angle and pressure, the less energy will pass beyond the nut and more will be reflected back within the speaking length. There is a reason the old gut stringed lutes had pegheads at 90° to the neck.
Now with steel strings, there's a threshold you pass where increased angle doesn't make quite so much of a difference. Where this threshold is, is of course somewhat of a gray area, but once you reach the 7°-10°, your string is pretty firmly seated. Fender headstocks without any string trees however can be less than 3° on the high E, especially if you don't wrap your string low enough on the post. I know some people are fine with this, and some even seem to prefer it. I have never found it acceptable though, as it doesn't provide nearly a firm enough anchor across a 1/8" wide nut to clearly define an end point for the waves. A Fender G string without a string tree is barely suitable in my opinion, but works well enough.
Breakover angle at the nut does make a difference, though ultimately defining them as better or worse is of course somewhat subjective. I am certainly in the camp that prefers a stronger breakover angle though, with a minimum of 5° or so, preferably 7°-10° or above. This does not however have any effect on the static tension on the neck from the nut onward.
Now with steel strings, there's a threshold you pass where increased angle doesn't make quite so much of a difference. Where this threshold is, is of course somewhat of a gray area, but once you reach the 7°-10°, your string is pretty firmly seated. Fender headstocks without any string trees however can be less than 3° on the high E, especially if you don't wrap your string low enough on the post. I know some people are fine with this, and some even seem to prefer it. I have never found it acceptable though, as it doesn't provide nearly a firm enough anchor across a 1/8" wide nut to clearly define an end point for the waves. A Fender G string without a string tree is barely suitable in my opinion, but works well enough.
Breakover angle at the nut does make a difference, though ultimately defining them as better or worse is of course somewhat subjective. I am certainly in the camp that prefers a stronger breakover angle though, with a minimum of 5° or so, preferably 7°-10° or above. This does not however have any effect on the static tension on the neck from the nut onward.
jayj
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Thanks, that's very helpful! In short: more of an angle after the nut, less energy loss.
It sounds like a shallow break angle would manifest itself in potentially weaker sounding strings, or more of an imbalance betwen the high and low strings (all other things being equal).
The flip side is that string trees (so I've read) tend to not be as nice for string bending, though maybe that depends on if you get a crappy string tree, or nicer ones that don't cause friction on the string.
It sounds like a shallow break angle would manifest itself in potentially weaker sounding strings, or more of an imbalance betwen the high and low strings (all other things being equal).
The flip side is that string trees (so I've read) tend to not be as nice for string bending, though maybe that depends on if you get a crappy string tree, or nicer ones that don't cause friction on the string.
w666
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jayj
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There's a problem for every solution.....behold, roller string trees!
Yup, exactly what I was thinking.
David Collins
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It can certainly affect the sustain by keeping more energy in the string or allowing more to pass beyond the nut, but it can also affect the tone and potential inharmonicity of open notes. A "loose" boundary point can leave the end node more subtly suggested than rigidly defined. This can affect how overtones may ring relative to the fundamental, and present some weird issues in tonality of the open string.
If the nut is cut perfectly, these odd issues can be lessened, but this can be a very demanding task for the luthier, requiring the right tools, experience, and attentiveness, leaving no room for error.
String trees do introduce another friction point, but this is worth dealing with in my opinion. Most of the time it doesn't cause any problems, but when it does there are ways to help. Roller string trees can be good, as can the new GraphTech versions. Usually I will just use the old stamped metal style, but will often roll the edges and polish and burnish the under side to a smooth, well-polished surface. With this done, they usually end up working just fine.
If the nut is cut perfectly, these odd issues can be lessened, but this can be a very demanding task for the luthier, requiring the right tools, experience, and attentiveness, leaving no room for error.
String trees do introduce another friction point, but this is worth dealing with in my opinion. Most of the time it doesn't cause any problems, but when it does there are ways to help. Roller string trees can be good, as can the new GraphTech versions. Usually I will just use the old stamped metal style, but will often roll the edges and polish and burnish the under side to a smooth, well-polished surface. With this done, they usually end up working just fine.
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