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Post subject: Anybody w/ pointers on whammy use staying in tune?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:23 pm
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Just starting to mildly use whammy bar on a Starcaster necked squier strat, but I find that it goes out of tune at the thought of the whammy. At present I am using .009 silver bullets with a graphite nut. I am going to experiment with graphite lube on the string trees and bridge. I strech my string when putting them on. Musically I am playing 70's 80's (Nile Rodgers/Chic )James Brown style R&B , Gospel and funk Any other ideas or comments till I drop in a Kahler?


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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 5:24 am
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Did you mean Starcaster? If so, the first step would be to replace the nut, which is a molded-plastic POS. The strings are sticking the nut when you use the vibrato bar.


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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 6:11 am
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Do a quick test of your nut. Tune up and bend each string behind the nut(between the nut and the tuner) about a half step. If you hear popping or if the string doesnt return to pitch then your strings are binding in the nut slots. SlapChop is correct about the nut being cheap. you could have a nut made for about $40 and it will also make a big difference in your tone. Tusq is a popular material. It is man made Ivory and you can get them through graph tech.


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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 8:08 am
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Nut lube and maybe some locking tuners. If you are a serious "dive bomber" get a locking trem.

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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 8:18 am
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A nut that requires lubrication is a bad nut. Fix it.


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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 11:35 am
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first off when you tune, tune up to std then strum a chord and do a big whammy dive then re tune that will help. on the nut id get a slip stone nut i use one in my 94 mim and i can barley get it to go out of tune when i use the whammy and i pull pretty hard on it and the tuners are klusen vintage

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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 7:40 pm
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thanks SlapChop... Yes,I did say Starcaster NECK... Squier Affinity Strat body. First thing I did was change the cheapo plastic nut for a graphite one... before I started thinking about using the whammy. At that time I wanted better contact between strings and body, i believe that makes for better sustain and tone. I will be trying the graphite lube at string/body contact points (nut, trees,bridge) at next woodshed seesion. Possibly thinking of putting original rosewood neck back on for more mellower tone. Maple neck/yellowed body great look. pictures when finished.[


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Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 8:36 pm
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If you've replaced the nut with a graphite nut, then it's not cut right for the string gauge you're using. Strings rarely hang up at points of contact like bridge saddles... it's virtually always the nut.


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