Headless Bridge + Floyd Rose Locking Nut...

[OM Guitars]

Figured I'd start a new thread with this question. I'm considering building a headless guitar, with a Warmoth neck. Using the Floyd Rose locking nut would allow me to have a wider nut (as most head-pieces for headless bridges have a narrower nut), would allow me to use Warmoth for the neck, and would allow me to have a small, aesthetically pleasing head. Additionally, I would not be constrained by having to use a proprietary type of string (i.e. Speedloader, double ball-end).

All that being said, will this combo work? Are there any limitations?

I got the idea from this picture on an eBay auction for an inexpensive headless guitar:

Pearl River headless, locking nut

Thanks for the help...

PS I'm planning to use an ABM headless bridge and tailpiece.

[Nitefly SA]

I believe Scott French, professional luthier and PG member had made a headless with a Floyd locking nut.

[verhoevenc]

SF sure has, and the idea sure does (work that is).

He actually chose that OVER using the supplied headless nut.

Chris

[Nitefly SA]

I'm making a headless with a Floyd nut but instead of the headless bridge I just made a rig so that I can tune it up, lock own the nut then cut the strings. it's a hardtail so not much problem with tuning stability.

[Robert Irizarry]

Yes it will work. I've seen several examples of its use with several different approaches to headless designs:

A Spanish guitar builder (Cotta Guitars) used it with a Steinberger bridge on a Klein electric clone.

Luthier Todd Keehn uses a locking nut in combination with "conventional" tuners mounted at the bridge side (Steinberger gearless tuners on his personal guitar. I posted about it on my blog back in September - Alternative Headless Guitar Design- TK Instruments. Personally, I think this is a great solution that frees you to use a wider variety of bridges, necks, strings, etc. I'm looking at this for a future build. My current build uses a Steinberger bridge and headpiece.

Regards,

Rob

[OM Guitars]

Yes it will work. I've seen several examples of its use with several different approaches to headless designs:

A Spanish guitar builder (Cotta Guitars) used it with a Steinberger bridge on a Klein electric clone.

Luthier Todd Keehn uses a locking nut in combination with "conventional" tuners mounted at the bridge side (Steinberger gearless tuners on his personal guitar. I posted about it on my blog back in September - Alternative Headless Guitar Design- TK Instruments. Personally, I think this is a great solution that frees you to use a wider variety of bridges, necks, strings, etc. I'm looking at this for a future build. My current build uses a Steinberger bridge and headpiece.

Regards,

Rob

I would highly recommend Steinberger gearless tuners. My alternate plan to the headless design is to use a conventional fixed bridge with the 'berger gearless tuners. I have them on two of my guitars, and love them. Aesthetically pleasing, very smooth action, very stable. The shafts are somewhat delicate, so be sure not to overtighten the nut when installing.

Thanks for all the feedback so far... any other pictures of these Headless + Floyd Nut guitars?

[Robert Irizarry]

Thanks for all the feedback so far... any other pictures of these Headless + Floyd Nut guitars?

Here is a guitar built by Chris Shaffer over at Kronosonic that uses an ABM bridge with a Kahler nut:

Regards,

Rob