Mastery String Tree....

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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MrJagsquire
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by MrJagsquire » Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:55 am

adamrobertt wrote:
Tue Sep 29, 2020 6:08 am
I've never had an issue with the old school butterfly style ones. Just me?
Me either, but it was only since I started going on forums, that I found out my guitars had so many problems that I needed to buy upgrades to fix them. ;) ;D

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alexpigment
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by alexpigment » Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:27 pm

Yeah I've also never seen a reason to upgrade from the standard vintage ones either. I've honestly never found a situation where there was binding from the string tree. Just make sure you have a post under it so it's not pulling the strings all the way down to the headstock, never use one for the D/G strings, and maybe put some vaseline under there once every few years. I'd just save the money and buy some strings that you know you'll eventually use ;)

Don't get me wrong, roller string trees seem conceptually good, but I think they're just a device in search of a problem.
Last edited by alexpigment on Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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alexpigment
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by alexpigment » Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:34 pm

ThePearDream wrote:
Tue Sep 29, 2020 7:18 am
Anymore I always use Gotoh RG15/RG30 string trees. A fraction of the price of the Mastery, Gotoh quality, minimal footprint, no sharp edges, easy to retrofit, and easy to find.

Image
I know this picture probably isn't yours, but I would bet that this string winding technique causes more tuning issues than a stock string tree ever would ;)

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ThePearDream
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by ThePearDream » Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:47 pm

alexpigment wrote:
Tue Sep 29, 2020 3:34 pm
I know this picture probably isn't yours, but I would bet that this string winding technique causes more tuning issues than a stock string tree ever would ;)
Nope, not my pic, just one of the first ones I could find that showed it in use. But you're right about that winding job, that E is awful.
Doug
@dpcannafax

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GAZINGUK
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by GAZINGUK » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:00 pm

Thank you for your replies. Personally, I've never had any problems with the string trees on any of my guitars; even with trem use. That particular piece of hardware is not something I think about. It's just there and does what it does.

I love Mastery products and the company has always been fair to me. For example, when things have gone missing in the post they have replaced them and given me the chance to buy other items for just under fifty percent of the normal price. I also love dealing with them directly, they have some nice people working at the company. I do use and recommend Mastery Vibrato units, but I prefer the Staytrem bridge. However, I can't fault the quality of any of their products.

To me the Mastery string tree seems like a rather novel item. A lot of thought has been put into the product and it’s could be considered over-engineered. I understand that it creates more downward pressure on the strings. I also think that it’s handy that you don't have to lubricate it, so that's good for tremolo use (as long as the nut is cut correctly and/or lubricated). I may try one out of curiosity more than anything, but I'm on the fence regarding the design. I’ve never cared for the look of the Mastery Bridge its saddles. Aesthetically I'm used to it/them more than anything. I suppose this is the only thing holding up the purchase at the moment. However, functionality always wins and if an improvement is achievable then why not try I suppose.

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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by HNB » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:23 pm

MrJagsquire wrote:
Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:55 am
adamrobertt wrote:
Tue Sep 29, 2020 6:08 am
I've never had an issue with the old school butterfly style ones. Just me?
Me either, but it was only since I started going on forums, that I found out my guitars had so many problems that I needed to buy upgrades to fix them. ;) ;D
Same. I don't use the tremolo much, but when I have them set up correctly on my strat, jazzy, etc, I never have an issue with the guitar going out of tune from tremolo use, so I don't see a need to change them. I have used a Mastery tree because I had one with a bridge and tremolo, but I don't seek them out. I find the cheap butterfly ones work just fine for me. I would rather put money into a nicer nut. That makes more of a noticeable difference to how a guitar sounds to me.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

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mackerelmint
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by mackerelmint » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:30 pm

Just speaking to the "butterfly" style ones, and those have never given me problems. But the earlier style, the disc that has two slots underneath for strings, that type can be janky as shit if you're playing with a trem on there. They're made super cheaply and some are kinda sharp/jagged in places where your string runs, so even without a trem they could presumably cause problems. I used to get B strings breaking right underneath it if I wiggled the bar or even bent that string a lot.

Worth the dollar or two to fix.
This is an excellent rectangle

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alexpigment
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by alexpigment » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:43 pm

mackerelmint wrote:
Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:30 pm
Just speaking to the "butterfly" style ones, and those have never given me problems. But the earlier style, the disc that has two slots underneath for strings, that type can be janky as shit if you're playing with a trem on there. They're made super cheaply and some are kinda sharp/jagged in places where your string runs, so even without a trem they could presumably cause problems. I used to get B strings breaking right underneath it if I wiggled the bar or even bent that string a lot.

Worth the dollar or two to fix.
Yeah, I assumed were all on the same page about the *butterfly* ones, not the round ones. I think Fender realized their mistake around 57 and switched to the butterfly design, so I don't think there are any offsets with a round string tree to my knowledge.

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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by mackerelmint » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:51 pm

Yeah, I think Fender did, but I've encountered them on other makes, for some reason. Cost, I guess. And Fender does break them out sometimes for some stupid reason that's almost certainly the fact that vintage purists will scream bloody murder about a period incorrect detail like a string tree that doesn't chew their B strings up or a neck volute that keeps their headstocks from snapping off constantly. Guitarists are a bunch of yowling cro-magnons sometimes, setting their huts on fire while they're still inside and stubbornly loving every minute of it. That style is on a bunch of CV Squiers, too, although admittedly better made than the string mangling originals.
This is an excellent rectangle

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HarlowTheFish
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by HarlowTheFish » Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:31 pm

mackerelmint wrote:
Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:51 pm
Guitarists are a bunch of yowling cro-magnons sometimes, setting their huts on fire while they're still inside and stubbornly loving every minute of it.
TGP & TDPRI: "But that's how great-granpa George kept himself warm in the winter! These newfangled 'heater' things are bad for yer tones, gosh-darnit!"

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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by echobaseone » Thu Oct 01, 2020 11:37 am

I was getting a bit of buzz on my G and couldn't figure out why. I don't recall if that was my reason for buying THIS:
http://store.reverendguitars.com/product/triple-tree/
But it sure works. Might be worth a look?

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Snowmonkey
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by Snowmonkey » Wed Nov 18, 2020 2:24 am

echobaseone wrote:
Thu Oct 01, 2020 11:37 am
I was getting a bit of buzz on my G and couldn't figure out why. I don't recall if that was my reason for buying THIS:
http://store.reverendguitars.com/product/triple-tree/
But it sure works. Might be worth a look?
I was thinking of getting one of those to stop my "dead" open G string sound. But I was worried that the pressure of 3 strings on one screw might one day rip it out of the headstock. Unnecessary worry?

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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by adamrobertt » Wed Nov 18, 2020 6:41 am

Snowmonkey wrote:
Wed Nov 18, 2020 2:24 am
echobaseone wrote:
Thu Oct 01, 2020 11:37 am
I was getting a bit of buzz on my G and couldn't figure out why. I don't recall if that was my reason for buying THIS:
http://store.reverendguitars.com/product/triple-tree/
But it sure works. Might be worth a look?
I was thinking of getting one of those to stop my "dead" open G string sound. But I was worried that the pressure of 3 strings on one screw might one day rip it out of the headstock. Unnecessary worry?
ridiculous concern lol

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Snowmonkey
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by Snowmonkey » Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:33 am

Yeah, thought so. I often overthink these things :unsure:

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2after909
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Re: Mastery String Tree....

Post by 2after909 » Fri Nov 27, 2020 3:28 am

I’ve got a mastery string tree on a jazzmaster. It’s good.

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