what's the point in string trees...

what's the point in string trees on a hardtail saddle lock bridge? from what i understood, trees were there to help hold down the angle from when you used a trem, to prevent it from slipping out of the nut.

the string trees on my ASAT deluxe were catching the strings, and on my Superhawk too. i noticed, for example, on the superhawk B string, i'd be tuning it, and it would stay in around the same place even after a short turn..then when i turned some more, would suddenly go far in the direction i'm turning. it doesn't do this when i pull the string out from the tree.

so my question is, what's the point of having them on a hard tail bridge? should I pop them out? should i replace them with something that won't catch so easily?

Jay,

I have a couple of thoughts on this:

1. The string trees also dampen vibrations on the bit of string between the nut and the tuner. Without the tree, you may get odd tones when you play an open string.

2. I would look closely at the tree to make sure there is nothing catching the string, but I would also keep in mind that you might get some binding in the nut with the slight downward angle from the string tree that isn't there when the string is straight. In other words, try lubing the nut slot for the affected string(s) and see if that makes a difference.

Ken

The Graph-Tech string trees will sometimes get grooved and cause hang-ups. I just apply a little dot of the Big Bend's Nut Sauce to the string channel and that fixes it. I use it in the nut slots and on bridge saddles too.

And yes, these guitars need the tree.

Bill

thanks for the reply guys, and i just realized how dumb i am and posted this in the wrong forum..craig could you please post where necessary?

so, i read somewhere someone used chapstick to lube them up. any good?

Would definitely say Nut Sauce is the stuff.
Doesn't need more than a film of it, not a blob.

And all Leo-type necks need a string tree, to get a proper angle over the nut, since the face of the headstock is flat. The necks were always basically made from a flat section of wood, with the back and front of the head both parallel to the neck. A tilted-back head like a Gibson gets the same angle for all the strings, and so doesn't need a tree. Some latter-day Fender-a-likes have back-angled heads too, and so avoid the tree. But a lubed tree is not a problem at all.

I'm sure that the reason for your tuning "ping" is at the nut, and it's the change in force there that's stopping the ping when the string has very little angle over it.

when I got a new neck for my Comanche it didn't come with the string tree and somehow I lost the original tree to install on it , my Tech said if I hear any weird harmonics bring it back in and he will install one , so far no problems , he said if any guitar can get away with from NOT using a tree it would be a G&L

You could always use roller string trees. My tele has got one on it, and they never catch or get stuck. Holds tune like a champ, no issues whatsoever. Some trees are just mediocre, IMO.