Buzz Feiten Tuning System on my LS-05 (pictures)

[ST]

I just picked up an LS-05 that had the Buzz Feiten Tuning System. You can see some pictures and discussion about that in my discussion about my LS-05

I'll thought I should start a new discussion here in the Technical Discussion area for this topic - the Buzz Feiten Tuning System


First - a snapshot from the  Buzz Feiten Tuning System site.


--== click the picture to see it in context ==--


Now some shots of the LS-05

The Nut.

My eyes are past the point where I can see the nut clearly. I could feel the Feiten Lightning Bolt Logo, but I couldn't see it. The camera could though. So here's a look.  I can't see the overhang mentioned above.








Here is a close look at the bridge post-Feiten

If you look REALLY hard you might be able to see the old saddle slot perhaps 1/8 inch closer to the bridge pins.  There is some really tidy hand work here to move the saddle closer to the nut.



and another shot.

..



The difference between this and my other Larrivées is subtle to me. I can't compare this in a before and after way I did not know this guitar before it got the Feiten System installed.

I think I hear  that chords up the neck are (more) in tune than on other guitars around here. But I have been playing this guitar almost exclusively for a couple of days. I might be more aware of the difference when I get back to the other guitars. If I notice anything really significant, I'll post here again.

In the meantime if anyone has questions I'd be glad to try to help.

[cc407]

Can't see the shelf feature on the nut - looks like it's flush with the slot. I'm surprised that the bridge has most of the strings the same length - maybe it was a matter of very little intervention needed on that guitar.

I had a Garrison guitar with the BF system for a while. It played accurately but I could see nothing different about it.

[dermot]

I have an Earvana nut on my 50+ year old D18, this at the request of a studio engineer friend who was borrowing it for a session with the 54.40 guys;



This is the only guitar that normaly stays in standard tunning, my luithier made compensated nuts for both my OM19 & the Webber, but they are intonated for DADGAD... it takes a while with a Petersen strobe tunner for him to get it right... i think i would need a microscope to see where he ramps the slots in the nut...

d.

[unclrob]

ST I hate to say this but the Feiten system has been removed from this guitar.The Feiten nut was sanded back to a normall nut and the fill on the bridge was the removal of the feiten saddle and the saddle place where it was originally installed by the factory by all appearance's.

[ST]

Hi Unclerob,

Thank you for chiming in. I was hoping you would.

It's curious isn't it. I am glad that I got the guitar because I liked the guitar, and not because of the Feiten System. I thought it was a bonus, just because it would be interesting to see if there WAS any noticeable difference. So it was an opportunity to explore, not a reason to buy.


I've got a call in to the "Buzz Feiten Authorized Retrofitter for all Instruments - Acoustic and Electric" who did the work. I'll post here again if there is any more interesting information on that.


In the meantime - here are a couple more pictures. It tried to make these as comparable as possible.

1997 C10 Bridge  - This sure is embarrassing - like looking under the bed and finding dust bunnies




1999 LS05 Bridge - if you look hard, you can see where something used to be.




Here's a copy of the picture above with a highlight showing what I think was a different position for the saddle.

[unclrob]

The 3rd pix show's were the feiten saddle would have sat.If you look close at the first pix showing the nut you can see were the feiten nut rested on the finger board.





So all know I find that all these system do is make you spend money you didn't have to spend.I have removed about 40 of these system from varies guitars as most just screwed with the intonation or playability.I'm sure there are lots of people who love these things and will tell me to shove off but as they say we all have opinions mine in most case will differ from the rest of the world.

[ST]

Here are a couple more photos.

C10 Nut (stock - unmodified)



LS05 Nut (Feiten nut) Sorry, but I just can't seem to get a good photo of this I see a little overhang (very very little).


I had a talk with the Feiten Authorized Retrofitter who did the work on this gutiar. She tells me that  there is very little overhang on the nut because Larrivée already compensates for the issue that the Feiten system addresses with their nut.  Making adjustments to the nut is part of the retrofit process - to fit the system to the specific guitar. So she removed most of the overhang on this nut. If Larrivée already compensates for this with the placement of the first fret (I think that's what she said)  this might explain why I don't sense a huge difference between this guitar and my other Larrivées at least with respect to tuning and intonation. Seriously, I've never felt that I was really fighting my Larrivées to stay in tune up the neck.


Anyway - I'm pretty happy with the guitar.  I'm glad that I the Feiten system was not a major consideration in my decision to get the guitar. It was a curiosity and I am glad that  I got to explore this and share it with people here.

[ST]

Hi unclrob

The 3rd pix show's were the feiten saddle would have sat.If you look close at the first pix showing the nut you can see were thr feiten nut rested on the finger board.

So all know I find that all these system do is make you spend money you didn't have to spend.I have removed about 40 of these system from varies guitars as most just screwed with the intonation or playability.I'm sure there are lots of people who love these things and will tell me to shove off but as they say we all have opinions mune in most case will differ from the rest of the world.

I want to be careful to say that I'm not endorsing or recommending the Feiten Tuning System. I am glad to have had a chance to explore and think about it and to share the photos and some of that thinking with people here. And I have really enjoyed your insights and opinions (including the above) and expect to keep doing that.

Thank you.

[unclrob]

First are you sure thats the original nut on the C10 if it is thats the worst install from them I've ever seen.On the LS05 if that is an example of there work I wouldn't let them touch my guitar.Also if Larrivee already does what there nut is suppost to do why install it in the first place.
ST this is no attack on you or would I asume you of endorsing them,all I'm saying is WHY??? would anyone mess up guitar with such a pointless and in this case poorly installed product that didn't belong on a guitar in the first place.....Off my soap box now.