Locking Nut replacement

ET-Phone-Home

Hey hey all ? ?

So I blocked off my Ibanez's Floyd Rose on both sides to make it behave like a fixed bridge (couldn't stand the floating system) as I never do dive bombs or pull ups, so the Floyd is useless to me.
It's worked like a charm and seemed to add some sustain as well. The only thing is since I'm not using the locking nut I'm thinking of replacing it. I can't image that a string sitting in between a grove of metal will have the best tone. Has anyone replaced their locking nut and also is it even worth doing the mod. I heard that fender Roller Nut fits into the cavity of the locking nut. Anyone know if there's any truth to this? If not is there anything you guys could recommend that I replace it with? I know Graphtec use to make a nut which fits into the cavity of the locking nut but was like a normal nut on the top.

Thanks guys ?

Malkav

ET Phone Home wrote: I can't image that a string sitting in between a grove of metal will have the best tone.

It's really all just personal preference and it would only affect your tone when playing open notes anyway. Personally I'd just stick with the locking nut if you're not having any major tuning issues, then again it's a locking nut so if you are having any major tuning issues then it's not performing properly and may be stripped/screwed in some way ? If you replace the nut with x or y or z new material it'll only make a difference to open strings anyway and to be honest I think that in terms of consistency of tone it's probably best to have a metal nut anyway.

ET Phone Home wrote: is it even worth doing the mod.

I'd say no honestly, it really won't make a startling difference to your tone if any, and that difference in tone would probably be subjective anyway. If you ever plan on selling this guitar then it's very likely that it would cause issues with resale value as most Ibanez players like trems and in the case of older Ibanez guitars featuring bridges like the the lo-pro any Ibanez fans who'd want to buy it would be happier knowing that the original nut is on there and hasn't been lost or replaced with some sort of lower quality generic part.

ET-Phone-Home

Hey Chad, thanks for the quick reply. I hear you, it probably won't make as big a difference in tone as I would hope for. And the originality of the guitar will also be lost. So I reckon maybe I should just keep it on. Just one last thing though, do you or anyone else know what the steel bar behind the nut is meant to do? The screws for the bar is next to the truss rod cover, if that makes sense???

AlanRatcliffe

That makes sure that the strings seat properly in the nut (otherwise locking down the string locks would pull the strings way sharp). It also pulls the strings down so they wind on the tuners properly - like string trees on a Strat.

ET-Phone-Home

Hey Alan, ye I thought it may have been something similar to a string tree on a strat. But would it be any benefit to me to have it on if I'm not using the locking nut?

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah you need it. Aside from the tuner string winding thing, there's a chance that the strings rattle and buzz in the nut without it.

ET-Phone-Home

Ok cool thanks Alan ? Will put it back on today then. ?