I have a Strat Plus with a roller nut that couldn't be more stable with tuning. I have a Les Paul Studio that goes out of tune (old story: G) almost instantly. Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has put a roller nut such as a LSR or Wilkinson on a Les Paul.
Anyone Put a Roller Nut on a Les Paul?
- Thread starter tcadam
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I love the LSR on my studio plus as well...one of the reasons it survived the great strat purging 10 years ago. Sounds like a good idea at first, but that head angle might not work. You also have to carve into the neck deeper than the traditional nut which might also be a problem.
I am no expect though and haven't owned a Gibson in years so I can't even look at one to think about it.
I am no expect though and haven't owned a Gibson in years so I can't even look at one to think about it.
Ya know? I recently bought a CS R4 Les Paul VoS. It sits on a stand in the music room. I treat it like any other guitar. So I pick it up the other day. Warm up the strings and later tuned it with a Peterson StrobStomp. Played it a bit more and it needed tuning again. Relative Pitch can be a curse. Played a bit, out o tune. Bah. Placed it back in it's stand and picked up my '16 Nashville Deluxe Tele and "danced the night away". So to speak.
I mean, it sounds so good when right, I just didn't wanna mess with it tho.
I mean, it sounds so good when right, I just didn't wanna mess with it tho.
This might be a little out in left field ( and I haven't tried a roller nut on a Les Paul ), but working both the nut slots and saddle grooves can really improve tuning issues.
What I like to do is make SURE the nut slots and saddle grooves have proper ramps and take-off points, aren't binding, pinching, touching the sides, etc. The ramps should match ( ideally ) or be steeper than the break angle of the string. I want the string to bend only once at the take-off point at each end of its speaking length, rather than have two bends close together.
Once the ramps are sorted out, I polish the insides of the slots and grooves with wet-dry paper using 800, 1000, 1200 & 2000 grit, and finish off the "face" of the nut and each saddle with a couple of swipes with 2000, in case there is a burr sticking out that might touch the string. Then a tiny dot of lube ( Vaseline, Chap-Stik, Nut Sauce, etc. )
If you can't do the work yourself with tools you already have there would be a cost either way. Personally I would avoid the roller nut, but that's just me.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do!
What I like to do is make SURE the nut slots and saddle grooves have proper ramps and take-off points, aren't binding, pinching, touching the sides, etc. The ramps should match ( ideally ) or be steeper than the break angle of the string. I want the string to bend only once at the take-off point at each end of its speaking length, rather than have two bends close together.
Once the ramps are sorted out, I polish the insides of the slots and grooves with wet-dry paper using 800, 1000, 1200 & 2000 grit, and finish off the "face" of the nut and each saddle with a couple of swipes with 2000, in case there is a burr sticking out that might touch the string. Then a tiny dot of lube ( Vaseline, Chap-Stik, Nut Sauce, etc. )
If you can't do the work yourself with tools you already have there would be a cost either way. Personally I would avoid the roller nut, but that's just me.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do!
Nope, but I have put several self lubricating nuts on Les Pauls.
I read an interview with Larry Carlton, and he stated his tuning stability greatly improved after he did this.
You also might consider either a Tru-Glide or String Butler, too.
They correct/straighten the string‘s path behind the nut.
All of these remedies help, are non-invasive, and are fairly inexpensive.
I read an interview with Larry Carlton, and he stated his tuning stability greatly improved after he did this.
You also might consider either a Tru-Glide or String Butler, too.
They correct/straighten the string‘s path behind the nut.
All of these remedies help, are non-invasive, and are fairly inexpensive.
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The String Butler is easy to fit and remove ( should you want to go back to tuning issues ). I have one on my trem equipped SG, and with a little careful nut work and a splodge of graphite in the slots, it's stable enough for some serious trem bar wiggle without losing tune.
A puffer of graphite from a locksmiths won't cost much, and will last for years. I'd be very hesistant carving a channel for a roller nut in the weak area of an LP neck.
I think you are in for a whole lot of work which will be irreversible. The roller nuts that I'm used to are designed to sit on the end of a Fender style neck - you will need to modify your lester to make it fit. Then you have the problems of different radii, possible nut width differences, getting the "slots" (rollers) the proper height for nice first fret action....
I guess I don't understand why you think you need it but if you're going to put a roller nut on you probably should put a roller bridge on too.
@brookdalebill that is interesting!
I'm curious about the possibilities - are the White and Black Tusq XL materials the same? I've read varying explanations and Graphtech describes them in the same terms, making them seem identical.
What did you use, if I might ask?
I'm curious about the possibilities - are the White and Black Tusq XL materials the same? I've read varying explanations and Graphtech describes them in the same terms, making them seem identical.
What did you use, if I might ask?
I’m not sure if the materials are the same.
I think so.
I used the black one.
I didn’t install it, I had it done, along with other work.
How old is your LP Studio? They have been coming with Graph Tech nuts for a while. I have a late 2020/early 2021 (at least the neck was stamped the last week of 2020) LP Tribute with the Graph Tech nut and it doesn't go out of tune. I did replace the tuners with locking Klusons for convenience; but it was rock solid with the factory Gibson tuners. It might be worth getting a current nut from Gibson or Graph Tech.
hopdybob
Friend of Leo's
i have this one on my cort strat, was done at factory and it works fine.
but you need to have the space for it
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but you need to have the space for it
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oatsoda
Tele-Afflicted
Sounds like a euphemism.
danielreid27
Tele-Afflicted
String Butler,
It's 2007 or so. Looking at the string angles through the nut, seems obvious why it causes a problem.
You could be right about the way that nut is cut and how it has worn over the years. Before going to a roller nut I still suggest getting a current Graph Tech nut from Gibson or directly from Graph Tech as it could be installed without doing the surgery needed for the roller nut.
