String Butler v4 for oversized headstocks

LiveeviL2000

LiveeviL2000

Ambassador of Pentagonal Pentatonics
Country flag
I have a Dean Select V. I love it and it’s one of my favorites to play. But the tuning stability on it isn’t the best. After a few bends of the strings and it needs retuning.

I read about this thing called the String Butler and I thought I’d give it a try.
I ordered it off Amazon the other day and it arrived today.
IMG_2552.jpeg
This is what the headstock looks like.
As you can see the A and B strings come really close to the E posts. Matter of fact. The A is slightly touching the E on the bass side.
IMG_2547.jpeg

Installation is very easy. You take the nuts off the E string posts slip the String Butler in and tighten the nuts on top of it. Restring and tune.
Now here is what the strings look like.
IMG_2550.jpeg
I gave it a pretty vigorous test. By vigorous I mean I bent the B string all the way up to the E string multiple times and it only went off my a few dimes.
Also. The guides on this add on are fitted with roller sleeves. You can zoom in and see the collars. All in all I think this is an A+ mod if you have stability issues with your tuning. It’s simple and requires no special tools.
IMG_2551.jpeg
 
Question:

Do you lube your nuts?

I ask because we both have that same guitar, as you and I are already aware, but I have not experienced this issue. My nuts generally get cleaned and re-lubed at string changes. Just wondering what's up. Doesn't Bob like rubbin' down his nuts?
 
mcblink said:
Question:

Do you lube your nuts?

I ask because we both have that same guitar, as you and I are already aware, but I have not experienced this issue. My nuts generally get cleaned and re-lubed at string changes. Just wondering what's up. Doesn't Bob like rubbin' down his nuts?
Click to expand...
I lube my nuts regularly. Thanks for your concern.
Matter of fact I lube any contact points on the strings. Bridge slots, nut, and any trees and guides that may be present.

I think it’s because I have oversized strings installed and that causes the strings to touch.

So far it seems to have helped out a lot.
 
Man that is crazy....just how large a guage do you have on that baby?

Here's mine with 11-48s, it's usually always in either D standard or Drop C, and the strings are pretty dang close, but they don't actually come into contact with one another:

Screenshot_20240505_133354_Gallery.jpg

You must have some real fatties on her!
 
Thatbastarddon said:
Hmmmm…. @LiveeviL2000 ’s high E string tuner (hi C#?) looks to be drilled further from the bound edge of the headstock by about 1 or 2 millimeters….could be just the pic, I guess. @mcblink ’s look to be uniformly drilled(at least the E and B tuners- or D and A- or whatever).
Click to expand...
That’s what I’m seeing too.
Buy like you said. It could just be the pic angle.
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
That’s what I’m seeing too.
Buy like you said. It could just be the pic angle.
Click to expand...
Have/can you measure to check the distance from the post to the edge(using the edge to set the measurement approximately square)?

Edit: That would explain the difference in string geometry.
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
Maybe there should be an offset of some kind.
Or maybe the slot in the nut is off from the factory
Click to expand...
Whatever the issue is, it seems the solution that you’ve reached may be effective. Congratulations on that! I thought it looked like a good answer. I mean, if you have found a guitar that you really like playing…and it has one minor difficulty…at least you seem to have found an acceptable fix.
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
I have a Dean Select V. I love it and it’s one of my favorites to play. But the tuning stability on it isn’t the best. After a few bends of the strings and it needs retuning.

I read about this thing called the String Butler and I thought I’d give it a try.
I ordered it off Amazon the other day and it arrived today.
View attachment 99347
This is what the headstock looks like.
As you can see the A and B strings come really close to the E posts. Matter of fact. The A is slightly touching the E on the bass side.
View attachment 99346

Installation is very easy. You take the nuts off the E string posts slip the String Butler in and tighten the nuts on top of it. Restring and tune.
Now here is what the strings look like.
View attachment 99348
I gave it a pretty vigorous test. By vigorous I mean I bent the B string all the way up to the E string multiple times and it only went off my a few dimes.
Also. The guides on this add on are fitted with roller sleeves. You can zoom in and see the collars. All in all I think this is an A+ mod if you have stability issues with your tuning. It’s simple and requires no special tools.
View attachment 99349
Click to expand...
It's just the way the strings are put on the guitar.
If you install the strings a different way, it won't slip out of tune.
I taught Paul Reed Smith how to do it. But I learned this from Dan Armstrong.
The string butler isn't really necessary.

 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
It's just the way the strings are put on the guitar.
If you install the strings a different way, it won't slip out of tune.
I taught Paul Reed Smith how to do it. But I learned this from Dan Armstrong.
The string butler isn't really necessary.

Click to expand...
That is all kinds of good, and important, but I think the issue he’s looking to address here is the radical headstock/string geometry that comes into play on his particular guitar when he strings it up with his desired gauge of strings for the pitch range he prefers to tune to….it has “problem zones” circled in this picture…
1714957285219.jpeg
The A and B strings make contact with the two E strings….well probably more the A string, but it shows there.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
That is all kinds of good, and important, but I think the issue he’s looking to address here is the radical headstock/string geometry that comes into play on his particular guitar when he strings it up with his desired gauge of strings for the pitch range he prefers to tune to….it has “problem zones” circled in this picture…
View attachment 99354
The A and B strings make contact with the two E strings….well probably more the A string, but it shows there.
Click to expand...
this. ^^
@Amp Mad Scientist
I’m due to restring all my guitars and I will be using that technique. Seems pretty fool proof.
I usually pull the strings tight and pull back from the nut to about the first fret. Less on the treble side. The two finger technique is something I will try.
Looping and locking is what I do normally unless I am using locking tuners.
 
Nice , neither of my Dean's have a tuning stability issue .
But I don't use anything over 10's
I just bought a 3 pack of 9's.
Sometimes E flat or D. I do like C# but mostly play in standard.
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
this. ^^
@Amp Mad Scientist
I’m due to restring all my guitars and I will be using that technique. Seems pretty fool proof.
I usually pull the strings tight and pull back from the nut to about the first fret. Less on the treble side. The two finger technique is something I will try.
Looping and locking is what I do normally unless I am using locking tuners.
Click to expand...
If you use string butler, or not:
So after you lock the string as above:

Tune the string to pitch, then pull stretch the string really good.
Now repeat that, stretch retune over and over, until
when you stretch the string really good, it no longer needs to be re-tuned. After all the slack is pulled out it won't slip out of tune anymore.
 
LiveeviL2000 said:
I gave it a pretty vigorous test. By vigorous I mean I bent the B string all the way up to the E string multiple times and it only went off my a few dimes.
Click to expand...

Serious question; not trying to be a smart-alec, but do you really mean a few cents?

I ask, because a dime would be ten cents, which is getting to the point where it would start to sound noticeably out of tune.

Interesting review, by the way. I’ve wondered about the String Butler before.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top