Are String Trees Necessary???

DirtySteve said:
I put string trees on all my Warmoth builds just because I thought it needed to be there for the proper tension over the nut. Having said that I never put one on my last build and I'm not having any problems. I'll probably put one on eventually but not because I think it needs it anymore, it just looks funny to me without it.

I only use these.. TUSQ XL String Trees | stewmac.com
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Forgot to say I only use one for the B & E strings, I've never used 2.
 
Kerry Brown said:
As others have pointed out it is not about stopping strings from jumping out of the nut. That is only part of the equation. It is more about the break angle being close to the same for all the strings.
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Why do you feel that the headstock break angle is important?
 
Kerry Brown said:
Without sufficient angle or pressure on the nut you may get rattles, buzz, or weird harmonics above the nut.
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I disagree. You need a fixed amount to tension at the contact points (bridge and nut) to bring the strings to pitch. This tension is maintained as long as the pitch is static. Any change in break angle would affect the downward pressure on the nut, just as the angle behind the bridge affects the angle pressure on the bridge (and could result in bridge lean), but not rattle, buzz or harmonics. The tension behind the nut is very significant and strings cannot rattle. String buzz happens between the bridge and the nut. Also, I do not think any additional harmonics enter into a tuned note by break angle changes. These seem to be the basic physics to me.
 
Well, it depends on the geometry of your guitar headstock. They are necessary for flat-style headstocks, as they provide a downward pressure needed to secure strings to stay in their nut slots.

However, for staggered tuners or tilted headstocks they are not necessary. Geometry of these creates an angle between nut and locking tuners that’s steep enough for strings to sit in their nut slots.
 
While string trees (or string retainers or guides) certainly won’t be the first thing you notice when scoping out a guitar or bass, they do play a key role in getting your instrument to sound right.

So what do string trees do, exactly?

Sitting atop flat Fender-style headstocks, these little widgets provide the correct amount of tension where the strings break over the nut. Essentially, they increase the string’s break angle—the angle a string makes where it bends over a nut or a bridge—from the from the nut to the tuning machines and ensure that the strings won’t come unseated in the nut slot. The added pressure also means you'll get more sustain when the string is played open
 
RVA said:
I disagree. You need a fixed amount to tension at the contact points (bridge and nut) to bring the strings to pitch. This tension is maintained as long as the pitch is static. Any change in break angle would affect the downward pressure on the nut, just as the angle behind the bridge affects the angle pressure on the bridge (and could result in bridge lean), but not rattle, buzz or harmonics. The tension behind the nut is very significant and strings cannot rattle. String buzz happens between the bridge and the nut. Also, I do not think any additional harmonics enter into a tuned note by break angle changes. These seem to be the basic physics to me.
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hazeguitars.com

String Break-Angle at Nut - The problem — Haze Guitars

String break angle can cause problems if it's not correct. Too shallow an angle, in particular, can be a source of buzzes, rattles, and general tone-sucking. Get the skinny on sting angles and avoid sucked tone.
hazeguitars.com hazeguitars.com
 
Session 5 said:
While string trees (or string retainers or guides) certainly won’t be the first thing you notice when scoping out a guitar or bass, they do play a key role in getting your instrument to sound right.

So what do string trees do, exactly?

Sitting atop flat Fender-style headstocks, these little widgets provide the correct amount of tension where the strings break over the nut. Essentially, they increase the string’s break angle—the angle a string makes where it bends over a nut or a bridge—from the from the nut to the tuning machines and ensure that the strings won’t come unseated in the nut slot. The added pressure also means you'll get more sustain when the string is played open
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Like i said in my previous post

I am a stickler for trees, they are on my Strats and Custom Tele. It keeps tension on the nut. Won't have a Strat or Tele without them.
 
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