[Grendel]

Hi,

I just refinished my Ibanez Wizard neck and put a veneer on the headstock. I'm wondering if I really need to put the retainer bar back onto the headstock??? Naturally, the retainer bar goes behind the locking nut, but what is its true purpose on a guitar with a locking nut? I've heard it prevents the strings from going sharp when you lock the nut…but who cares since this can be adjusted with the fine tuners??? Also, I was wondering if the additional tension/friction the retainer bar causes on the nut affects tone or action??? Does it increase the overall tension of the strings??

Can anybody help or give their opinion on the overall purpose or benefits of the retainer bar???

Thanks.

[darren]

Originally Posted by Grendel

I've heard it prevents the strings from going sharp when you lock the nut…but who cares since this can be adjusted with the fine tuners???

That's exactly what it's for. I've often wondered if it's truly necessary on guitars with tilted-back headstocks. (In fact, i didn't install one on the Floyd-based guitar i built.)

I think the retainer bar was really designed for straight Strat-style headstocks. If the fine tuners give you an acceptable amount of range to correct for the pads pushing the strings sharp when locking them down, then i'd just leave it off and stick with the cleaner look.

The retainer bar makes absolutely no difference in terms of tension, action or tone.

[Toshiro]

Floyd rose nuts aren't typically flat(Jackson's OEMs are, that's it), they have an arch to their surface. If the string is not held down from behind the nut, it does not sit flush against the whole surface, and locking the nut will throw the strings pretty sharp when locked.

Some people say they don't notice this effect, but every single guitar I've worked on in my life without the retainer has had issues when you lock the nut. Even with the retainer the nut pads themselves have a habit of sometimes sending one string of each pair slightly flat, and the other sharp. It's far less annoying, though.

After spending the time balancing your trem to sit level, and get all the strings in tune, do you want to make extra work for yourself over a couple holes and a simple bar on the headstock?

The angle of the headstock would need to be comically steep to cure this, IMO.

PS: Once you lock that nut, nothing on the headstock has any affect on tension what so ever. You can cut the strings at the headstock and the guitar will hold tuning.

[7 Strings of Hate]

thats true, ive done it.


...cut the strings above the locked nut.

...not on purpose. Crazy night.

[Grendel]

Thanks for the advise--very interesting, totally opposite points of view that were both credible!

Last night at band practice I played without the retainer bar. I didn't really perceive any sharpness when I locked the nut. Both my neck and nut are sharply angled--that's probably the reason. Regardless, I'm still really paranoid about not puting the retainer bar back on. Seems like Ibanez wouldn't incur the additional cost of the hardware if it didn't serve a good purpose. Think I'll just put the thing back on so I can stop worrying about it.