Detail 01
String guide (retainer)
Presses the top strings down behind the nut to set break angle. Too little angle causes buzz and strings popping out of nut slots.
Product detailSKU #1273888003972
FenderVintage Stratocaster String Guide (2)
Sale
1/2
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
Pair of vintage-style string guides for a Stratocaster headstock. A replacement part for worn, missing, or rattling retainers.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Restoring a Strat headstock during a hardware refresh
- Replacing a guide that has worn a groove into it
- Builders assembling a Strat-style neck from parts
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Guitars with locking nuts or staggered tuners that need none
- Non-Fender headstocks with different guide placement
- Players chasing tuning stability — this is not the usual cause
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Vintage style
The round guide with a spacer, as used on traditional Strat headstocks. Different look and height than a flat butterfly retainer.
Detail 03
Quantity of two
Enough for one Strat headstock with a second guide position, or a spare for a single-guide layout.
Detail 04
Stratocaster fitment
Sized for the six-in-line Fender headstock. Guide placement on other shapes will not match the hole positions.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Screw and spacer may need to be sourced separately — check what is included
- 02A worn guide can bind strings and cause tuning issues; polish or replace, don't reuse
- 03Guide height affects break angle, so a swap can change nut clearance
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01How many string guides does a Strat use?
Depends on the model. Some use one covering the B and high E, others add a second for the G and D. Match what your headstock is drilled for.
02Do I still need this if I have locking tuners?
Usually yes, unless your tuners are staggered height. The guide sets string break angle behind the nut, which tuners alone don't do.
03Will this fix my tuning problems?
Only if the old guide is worn or grooved and binding the strings. Tuning issues more often trace to the nut, bridge, or string winding.
04Is installation difficult?
It's a single screw per guide into an existing hole. Loosen the strings, swap the part, retune. No drilling if replacing like for like.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsPickups & controls
- Pickup Configuration
- SSS
1 detailsBody & build
- Body Shape
- Stratocaster
