No locking tuners are not required. Clapton strats don't have them. I don't have them on any of my guitars. They don't really help keeping your guitar in tune

Your guitar shouldn't be doing that no matter what kind of tuners you're using. What you desperately need is to take your guitar to a competent tech and get it set up. I've seen way too many people blame the tuners (and waste a lot of money on a new set) because of issues caused by other things.

1. Check the strings. Are they wound properly? Do you restring your guitar yourself and are you confident in your ability to do so or not? When was the last time you changed your strings? People each have their own opinions on when it's best to change strings. But on any guitar I use regularly, personally I don't leave them on for any longer than two months.

2. Check the frets. Are there divots in the frets where you play often? Do spots of the frets appear flatter than others? Does your guitar register that it's in tune when you play a string open but not when you fret a note? If you have fret wear, the flatter areas of the frets can make your notes go out of tune, even when the open strips are tuned fine. You would need a tech to preform a fret level. (This is one of the more unusual issues that it could be.)

3. Check the tremolo. Is it sitting flush with the top of the guitar or is it in an upwards, "floating" position? If it's floating too high, it causes havoc for tuning. The closer to flush with the body it gets, the better your tuning stability will be. If you never use the tremolo, consider adding more springs to bring it down. It's an easy fix, but you still might want to bring it to a tech for a set up since lowering the tremolo could result in lower action/bad intonation and a tech could take care of those things.

4. Check the intonation. Are all the saddles lined up in a straight line or are they staggered? On any USA Fender, they should come from the factory staggered as they should be. If you haven't touched them they should still be ok, but a tech (or yourself armed with a good YouTube tutorial and a screwdriver) could get it just about perfect.

5. Check the saddles/nut for rough spots and burrs. This is something definitely bet left to a tech. I can fix most things on my guitar, but filing the nut and/or smoothing the saddles have always been something I've shyed away from. But sometimes strings get caught in the nut, and suddenly slip while you're playing causing the guitar to go out of tune. Have you changed the gauge of string to something heavier than a standard set of 9's? Using larger strings than the nut was originally cut for makes it easier for that sticking to happen. Even if you haven't, it's still normal for strings to dig their way into nuts and create rough spots and burrs. Have a tech check it out for you.

And as for your original question, in general I do like locking tuners better because string changing can be quicker with them. I don't know how much difference they actually make unless you're using the tremolo bar a lot. I am on one of my Strats, and I plan to buy a set of locking Fender tuners for it when I can.

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Re-read the last post, all the information was good. if you do have an "expensive" American Strat, I have to wonder. If you've never taken it to a good tech, do so, you mentioned that it was a problem finding one, start by calling all the places that sell guitars and ask for a name or number.

Good luck.

Every guitarist has to have a good tech. Proper set-up saves a bunch of aggravation and the other posters are dead on target.

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Sent from my K&E slide rule.

When I played in road bands and was doing 7 nights a week I never used or needed locking tuners. These days I do choice gigs and like using them.

Need to have - no
Nice to have - yes

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

He got nothing fancy. Just a well maintained guitar. You can buy the same guitars he plays. Itas a CS Masterbuilt Clapton model with vintage tuners

all but one of my strats have the vintage style tuners and the other is a plus deluxe with locking tuners. they all stay in tune perfectly ( when set up properly)
binding strings in the nut will affect overall tension. if you hear creeks and pops at the nut while tuning you will not be in tune after you bend on that string and sometimes you don't even hear it. and strings can also bind at the string tree, but I have a strong feeling you need some minor nut work, but unfortunately most average " Techs" are not qualified for that.
one thing you can try is putting a little pencil graphite in the nut slot. just take a mechanical pencil and run it through the slots. even a little dab of Vaseline in the nut slot works fine.
but a locking tuning peg has no beneficial effect with a binding nut.

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If are having issues finding a competant tech, you should be able to find a good boinhibit how to set up guitars and do it yourself They should tell you the steps on how to set up a guitar, what tools needed, and some trouble shooting tips.

A good lubricant on all points where the strings touch the guitar should help. Also make sure your tremolo is balanced correctly. I had seen a video of a tech state that ince you stretch our your strings, tune it and climb and dive your tremolo all the way forward and back as you tune each string. Also make sure your nut is properly cut so strings are not binding. Check for burrs in the saddles and remove them if felt.

I use locking tuners in my non Floyd Rose guitars, needed...no, nice to have...yes.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

No locking tuners here either. Never had them on any guitar. As long as the guitar is set up properly, the nut cut correctly and the strings installed, wound and stretched properly, you shouldn't have a problem.

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

I have locking tuners on some guitars and some have what ever came from the factory. One thing that I found that helps with tuning stability is proper temperature and humidity. I can pull a guitar out of it's case after a long while and it will be in tune.

Proper set up is very important especially the nut. Are locking tuners necessary? No but they are nice for a quick string change.

I have locking tuners on three out of 65 guitars and these three were all bought that way. I have two guitars with locking nuts and Floyd Rose trems. I have never installed replacement locking tuners on any of my guitars. I have been playing out live for almost 50 years and I usually tune my guitar(s) at the end of a set (after 45-60 minutes of serious playing) and sometimes find one (usually the G, but I bend it the most) or two strings just slightly out of tune. When I play at home I check the tuning before I start to play and seldom if ever have any strings go out of tune while I am playing.

Your guitar should not be going out of tune all the time - it's just not natural. Something is definitely wrong.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

Could be the nut by the sounds of it.

A thorough setup is in order though to make sure all is well.

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-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

+1K...would not have them

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Never.

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Gary

I'm not afraid to say I like my locking tuners. They make string changing quicker. And with the LSR nut, my Strat never goes out of tune. And I mean, almost, never. Well, once in a while I touch it up, but you get the idea.

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