Are String Trees Necessary???

[Inspector #20]

On my new Warmoth CBS neck, I have gold played brass roller string trees, but I haven't installed them yet.

On my Fender replacement neck, that I was using previously, the b& e strings would jump out of the nut when I would do a back pick in open E, so I added roller trees.

On this neck, with Gotoh SD-91 Vintage Tuners, I'm not sure I need them.

Thoughts???

 

[heltershelton]

id say play it awhile.....pull all the stops....then if everything stays put, dont add them. but if strings start jumping out of their slots, add one.

 

[Beagle]

My Strats all have SD 91s and a string tree. If I forget to put the strings under it, sitar time...

 

[Amp Mad Scientist]

On my new Warmoth CBS neck, I have gold played brass roller string trees, but I haven't installed them yet.

On my Fender replacement neck, that I was using previously, the b& e strings would jump out of the nut when I would do a back pick in open E, so I added roller trees.

On this neck, with Gotoh SD-91 Vintage Tuners, I'm not sure I need them.

Thoughts???

View attachment 60512

View attachment 60513

You only need string trees - if you have string monkeys.
If you don't have monkeys, you need no trees.
Law of the Jungle.

 

[CoyotesGator]

Try it first without them.

Sometimes they are necessary on B&E to kill vibrations.

 

[Cadorman]

You only need string trees - if you have string monkeys.
If you don't have monkeys, you need no trees.
Law of the Jungle.

String monkey. Don't change strings when he is around.

 

[Astral Traveler]

My 77 strat has two of them but I only need to use the one for the D and g strings.

 

[RVA]

id say play it awhile.....pull all the stops....then if everything stays put, dont add them. but if strings start jumping out of their slots, add one.

^^^^
This

 

[Don O]

I’d say try it without them first too. I have 3 Fender Strats without them (2 CS) and 3 of my Warmoth builds with Strat necks without them. I have not had an issue with any of them.

 

[Amp Mad Scientist]

On my new Warmoth CBS neck, I have gold played brass roller string trees, but I haven't installed them yet.

On my Fender replacement neck, that I was using previously, the b& e strings would jump out of the nut when I would do a back pick in open E, so I added roller trees.

On this neck, with Gotoh SD-91 Vintage Tuners, I'm not sure I need them.

Thoughts???

View attachment 60512

View attachment 60513

To be less than ludicrous,
Yes you do need trees, to pull the string down at a good angle from the nut.
The more angle the better really.
This affects the intonation.

 

[Session 5]

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.

 

[Don O]

Also depends on your tuners The staggered tuners have a much lower hole in the post for that reason.

 

[Kerry Brown]

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.

 

[Beagle]

Also depends on your tuners The staggered tuners have a much lower hole in the post for that reason.

View attachment 60522

SD91s are tall tuners with a hole down the centre.

 

[gball]

With the vintage tuners I say yes, install the tree(s)

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Robert i swapped out the neck on my Jimi Strat and it didnt have string trees.Only trouble i had was id tear the high E string out of the slot.Like others said if ya dont need them dont add them.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

They do look right at home with vintage tuners

 

[Cadorman]

I don't have them on my Strat, but I am using Sperzel staggered tuners. I do have one on my bass with a Jazz style neck. Knowing how persnickety you are about set up I would install them with the tuners you are using. Why even set yourself up for aggravation?

 

[Amp Mad Scientist]

 

[Inspector #20]

My Strats all have SD 91s and a string tree. If I forget to put the strings under it, sitar time...

I've never experienced that anomaly.