String retainer and locking nut

[Pale Rider]

Is a string retainer bar really necessary with a locking nut? On a strat straight headstock?

[FELINEGUITARS]

Yes - it is there to hold the string down on both the front edge and the rear of he floyd nut so that when you lock the strings down they don't go sharp from the pressure of the clamp , which they would without a correctly adjusted bar

It is only on some lean back headstocks that the bar is not needed for this reason as the tilting back angle of the headstock is great enough to hold the strings firmly down right across the nut

On non tiltback headstock guitars it is essential to have the bar

[Pale Rider]

Thanks FelineGuitars! Yeah that makes sense.

So what's a good height for it?

[FELINEGUITARS]

Needs to be set so the string makes good contact right across the locking nut
Take the clamps off and lower the bar till the string makes firm contact both front and back

This will mean that the clamps wont bend the strings sharp when locked down

[Pale Rider]

Cool, thanks for the tip!

[webweave]

Here's an alternative to the Floyd lock nut and string retainer. Graphtech sells a nonlocking replacement nut that is made to fit in the floyd lock nut mounting holes. You'll also need to change to locking tuners, I used Sperzel as they have staggered string thru holes which eliminated the need for the string retainer.

Although the Sperzels are heavier then the stock vintage style tuners the overall weight is about the same as the new nut is much lighter and the string retainer removed.

I believed this mod corrected a number of problems the guitar had and removed the need for the small hex wrench.

I was never a huge fan of the locking tuners but in this instance they are a great improvement. I'm sourcing parts for a new guitar with a floyd right now and I'm going to use a regular strat neck with Graphtech nut and Sperzels, that's how good it worked.