Fender Strats and String Trees

[marnold]

I was looking at Fender MIM Strats at the Guitar Center near my parents' place. I noticed that all of them had a very low string tree on the E and B strings. It forced the string down at a very sharp angle. I can't imagine that would help tuning stability at all. Looking at the whammy bar funny would throw it out of tune. Have you Strat owners noticed anything with that? Do you replace the string tree?

FWIW, my Showmaster has two string trees but it doesn't force the string at such an angle. Also it's a fixed bridge so there's no whammy damage to be inflicted. It has a graphite nut as opposed to the MIM's plastic which would help too I'm sure.

 

[Jampy]

From my understanding (could be wrong) you can adjust the height of the string trees, so it my just be a poor setup.. I have looked at many "new" USA and MIM strats at the local shops and I can say without a doubt they are by far the lowest quality Fender products I have seen since the CBS years. Mind you I have not touched the ones out of reach, so I will hope they are the cream-of the-crop.

 

[weeladdie]

From my understanding (could be wrong) you can adjust the height of the string trees, so it my just be a poor setup.. I have looked at many "new" USA and MIM strats at the local shops and I can say without a doubt they are by far the lowest quality Fender products I have seen since the CBS years. Mind you I have not touched the ones out of reach, so I will hope they are the cream-of the-crop.

I bought a MIM standard strat early this year and there was no spacer under the string tree, it was just screwed down flat to the wood. I found several very small washers (from radio controlled aircraft days) and installed them under the tree.

 

[Bloozcat]

Sounds like a sloppy install. If installed perfectly, the angle of the D & G strings should follow the angle of the A, with the B & E then following the angle of the A, D, & G. The low E is usually at a more acute angle due to the close proimity of the post to the nut.

Now that's how you would probably do it if you were the one installing the trees. Generally, the string angles should be close to the above mentioned ideal, but are usually not exact (but better than what you described seeing).

 

[duhvoodooman]

String trees? What string trees?? Love that roller nut on the Strat Plus!

 

[TS808]

An inexpensive fix for that is to order some Graph Tech string trees from Stewart McDonald. They work pretty well. I rarely have difficulties with my strats going out of tune with the bridge floating.

I always lubricate the nut slots with graphite (a pencil works well), and make sure the strings are stretched well when I put a new set on. I keep my action pretty low with 10's at 2/32" of an inch at the 17th fret. With 9's the action usually has to be set a bit higher, but they still stay in tune fairly well for me.

 

[Spudman]

I got tired of having my trees grab my strings and make my guitar go out of tune so I took them both off. It worked ok for the D and G but I lost a lot of volume and sustain on the B and E so I put it back on.

I now have the Fender roller trees that come on the USA Strats. I wish I could say if I notice a difference but I quit using the tremolo on that guitar. Maybe I'll unblock it and see what happens. But, Ya, Nut Sauce or graphite in the nut helps a lot too.

 

[Jampy]

String trees? What string trees?? Love that roller nut on the Strat Plus!

Me to, makes life a little easier

 

[marnold]

I guess the reason it particularly struck me is because my Showmaster has decent height string trees. Granted, it originally retailed for much more than the MIM Strat I saw, but still. I can't imagine they save money with an itty bitty string tree as opposed to one with a decent post. I could tell just by looking at the MIM that the trem would never ever stay in tune. My Showmaster is a hard tail, so that's a non-issue anyway.

Of course, the Speedloader on my Floyd eliminates the trees and even the machine heads altogether!

 

[tremoloman]

I suggest replacing them with the modern american model string trees. They have very little friction and aid tuning stability. Last time I bought them they were $5.99 for a pack of two.

 

[hubberjub]

I put Sperzel staggered height locking tuners on my American Standard Strat. That allowed me to get rid of the string trees all together. I might be crazy but I actually think I can hear more acoustic resonance now. The guitar seems to sound better without them. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Spudman]

I too installed the staggered height tuners on my Strat and I lost the sound of the E and B strings so I put the tree back on for those stings and it sounds way better. Those two light gauge strings have a lot more resonance with the tree than without the tree on my guitar.

 

[Bloozcat]

I too installed the staggered height tuners on my Strat and I lost the sound of the E and B strings so I put the tree back on for those stings and it sounds way better. Those two light gauge strings have a lot more resonance with the tree than without the tree on my guitar.

I had the same experience. The staggered posts on the Sperzels lowered the string angle, but not enough. I put the string tree back on the B & E strings as well.