“The future of guitar tuning”: Graph Tech’s new ‘game-changing’ sub-$30 Un-Lock Nut looks to replace the locking nut – and solve your tremolo issues in one go
Tired of locking nuts? Suffering annoying tremolo troubles? The Un-Lock Nut could be the answer, with some choice innovations promising to deliver “the future of guitar tuning”
(Image credit: Graph Tech)
Graph Tech has seemingly ushered in the next evolution in guitar tuning, unveiling an all-new electric guitar nut that it promises “revolutionizes tuning”.
Called the Un-Lock Nut, the new innovation looks to completely remove the need for fiddly traditional locking nuts and Allen keys, and instead offers in its place something far more straightforward, and immensely more intuitive.
In practice, the Un-Lock Nut looks like your average TUSQ XL nut but with a slightly expanded face and intriguingly fanned string slots, and has been optimized to work seamlessly with Floyd Rose-style bridges and locking tuners.
In what will come as pleasant news for tremolo loyalists, no substantial guitar modification is required to fit the Un-Lock Nut (just simply use some white wood glue and file it to size) and tuning is easy as “turning the machine heads” – no unlocking or loosening required.
(Image credit: Graph Tech)
Some specific specs include an advanced slot design, which works to accommodate string behavior associated with Floyd Rose-style systems “ensuring precision and stability”, as well as “precise radius matching” that is said to be another benefit over conventional locking nuts: here, the nut can be matched specifically to the radius of your guitar.
Graph Tech is also keen to note the fact the Un-Lock Nut has customizable string heights for each string, and an Enhanced String Stress Distribution design that is delivered via the extended string ramps for “friction-free glide without affecting the nut slot integrity”.
“Locking nuts have always been a necessary evil for guitarists with a locking tremolo system. Love them or hate them, they're essential – until now,” says Graph Tech.
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“Embrace the future of guitar tuning and performance with Graph Tech's Un-Lock Nut – a game changer in the realm of tremolo systems.”
All-in-all, it’s a lot of buzz [hopefully not - Ed] and anticipation from a humble piece of TUSQ, but if it’s even half as effective as Graph Tech says it is, then we imagine fans of the Floyd Rose – and those frustrated with locking nuts – will most definitely take interest.
It’s also affordable, weighing in at only $29.95. An innovative answer to all your tremolo troubles that will rid you of any and all issues you may have with your current Floyd Rose setup? For just shy of $30? It might be one of Graph Tech’s most important releases in recent memory.
The Un-Lock nut is currently available in FR Original #2 and FR Original #3/4 sizes, with 12" and 16" options on the way.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
