Does Anyone Use A Floyd Rose Guitar Without Locking The Nut?

[bigswifty]

80s shredder style..

I like to be able to do as much as possible with one guitar, but my main 7 has a Floyd Rose.

The tuning stability is amazing, but of course that comes at the cost of being able to down tune, etc.

I have been considering other guitars that might hit a better compromise, but also considered maybe pulling the locking pads off the nut and putting in a Tremolno or something like that - so I can drop to D on the 6 string and back while keeping the trem floating in standard.

Does anyone have experience doing something like this? How is a Floyd's stability without the locking pads but with locking tuners? Any experience with a tremolno on a 7 string?

 

[nightsprinter]

Following this thread... have wanted to do the same to make my floyd more like a gotoh 2pt.... trouble is I haven't seen a 7 string non-locking floyd shelf nut. The un-lock by graphtec seems to only come in a 6.

 

[Surveyor 777]

Haven't done it, but would it be as simple as replacing stock tuners with good locking ones, then just removing the locking pads but leave the nut as-is?

 

[bigswifty]

Haven't done it, but would it be as simple as replacing stock tuners with good locking ones, then just removing the locking pads but leave the nut as-is?

This is what I'm wondering. What the mechanics and pros/cons of just going for this would be. Because really then the only extra step would be to add a method for modifying the Floyd when required and it would be a good system.

Of course a guitar like a Suhr Modern with a Wilkinson 510 style bridge would be more ideal for this kind of thing (already having a regular nut, etc). But on a 7 string there are other challenges..

 

[Celtic Frosted Flakes]

Haven't done it, but would it be as simple as replacing stock tuners with good locking ones, then just removing the locking pads but leave the nut as-is?

Locking tuners doesn't really work as a locking nut. They will make the tuning stability better, but your guitar will go out of tune if you abuse a Floyd without the locking nut. But locking tuners will make string changing much easier.

 

[MythicSquirrel]

I used my old Indo Ibanez (rg350?) like this, never touched the trem but it had great tuning stability without the nut locked down.

 

[bigswifty]

I used my old Indo Ibanez (rg350?) like this, never touched the trem but it had great tuning stability without the nut locked down.

Thanks for chiming in! This is why I was asking - I've seen it before, mainly from the 80s shredder Charvel guys, who would just not clamp down the nut. So there's got to be something to it

 

[High Plains Drifter]

I've done it on at least one guitar... not sure why and I don't typically push/ pull heavily on the bar but stability wasn't an issue short term iirc. I had probably just replaced strings and was maybe leaving the nut unlocked for them to settle but I do remember leaving the nut off for an extended period of time. I eventually tightened the nut back down, possibly b/c the tuning stability was suffering. But at least for a while it was fine.

 

[Omzig]

so I can drop to D on the 6 string and back while keeping the trem floating in standard.

Keep the looking pads and put a D-Tuna on the Low E ?

 

[BenjaminW]

Guthrie Govan uses a Floyd without a locking nut.

 

[bigswifty]

Keep the looking pads and put a D-Tuna on the Low E ?

I'm not too keen on the D-Tuna. It would limit the Floyd range of motion upwards, which isn't what I'm after. Something like a Tremol-No makes more sense to me because it would be temporary and as needed.

Guthrie Govan uses a Floyd without a locking nut.

I was just watching this video today! Guthrie is a big inspiration, for sure. His Floyd is a bit different but I think the bridge would be just fine - just the nut mostly I am curious about. His guitar would have a bone/tusq nut, whereas the regular Floyd's would have the large metal locking nut.

 

[Grindspine]

I'm not too keen on the D-Tuna. It would limit the Floyd range of motion upwards, which isn't what I'm after. Something like a Tremol-No makes more sense to me because it would be temporary and as needed.


I was just watching this video today! Guthrie is a big inspiration, for sure. His Floyd is a bit different but I think the bridge would be just fine - just the nut mostly I am curious about. His guitar would have a bone/tusq nut, whereas the regular Floyd's would have the large metal locking nut.

You could run without the locking pads, but unless the strings are running straight through the nut, they might not always return exactly to pitch.

As far as tuning stability whilst downtuning, I would highly recommend blocking the trem. Yes, it would limit upword pull, but you can use bends to increase pitch, and dives are still viable along with changing tuning.

Otherwise, just get a second guitar for different tunings, preferably a used Prestige.

 

[Alex_C]

I replaced the locking nut on a 6 string with the Graphtec Unlock nut. It works really well. I don't know if they have a 7 string version.

 

[tedtan]

A Floyd nut without pads is probably a recipe for tuning issues. You’ll want to replace the nut with something like a PRS or Tusq nut, and even that will only work if you have a straight string pull to the tuners.

 

[jl-austin]

Graph Tech makes a nut that is meant to replace the locking nut. I have used it briefly, and it was great. I don't think they make a 7 string version though.

 

[spudmunkey]

Graphtech now makes a nut designed specifically to replace Floyd locking nuts. It's likely your best option. Apparently it has "triple the lubricity" of their normally Tusq XL nuts, which sounds great on paper anyway.



A Floyd-equipped guitar without the locking nut, but with a properly-cut, good-quality material like a Graphtech nut is a completely different animal than just running a Floyd nut with the locking nut, but with the locks removed.

For years and years, Carvin sold Floyd-equipped guitars without the locking nut, with the nut as an optional extra. It's automatically included now, though. But it was quite bafffeling for a lot of people, for a long time, and was a line in the sand for many people itching to pull the trigger on an in-stock that was perfect, but for the lack of locking nut.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Otherwise, just get a second guitar for different tunings, preferably a used Prestige.

Just get another guitar for each different tuning, ensuring each is a Prestige - this is the way

I'm half joking, but it's my justification for owning lots of Prestiges (and a J. Custom).

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Graphtech now makes a nut designed specifically to replace Floyd locking nuts. It's likely your best option. Apparently it has "triple the lubricity" of their normally Tusq XL nuts, which sounds great on paper anyway.



A Floyd-equipped guitar without the locking nut, but with a properly-cut, good-quality material like a Graphtech nut is a completely different animal than just running a Floyd nut with the locking nut, but with the locks removed.

For years and years, Carvin sold Floyd-equipped guitars without the locking nut, with the nut as an optional extra. It's automatically included now, though. But it was quite bafffeling for a lot of people, for a long time, and was a line in the sand for many people itching to pull the trigger on an in-stock that was perfect, but for the lack of locking nut.
View attachment 160671 View attachment 160672View attachment 160673

What was Charvel thinking?

Something I love about locking nuts, which the "unlocking nut" falls short on, is that they don't need to be re-cut / replaced when I change string gauge (to set a guitar up in a different tuning).

 

[owlexifry]

YES.

RG550 does this no worries.
technically not a floyd (ibanez edge original), but it is blocked/locked and the nut is free/open. fortunately there's a flat bar string retainer thing, so the strings sit stable on the metal nut.

Tried it on my Jackson DKA, w/ floyd rose 1000, but I don't think it works well on this guitar due to the headstock design/string break angles and the lack of a string retainer thing or whatever it is called.

 

[Riverview]

I’m not claiming to be a Luthier but I’m under the assumption that the piece that threads into the nut to “ lock “ it , is most effective when used as a clamping force . I don’t think the angle or material is as effective without that force applied , sort of like having a load on the back of a truck , that weight compresses the suspension to an ideal rebound when normally it’s stiff . Just my 2 cents . It would still work however but it sort of defeats the purpose of a trem .