Best Explorer Style Guitars With Locking Nut in 2024
Here are the top Explorer style guitars with Locking nut. Instead of the typical nut, this nut locks the strings in place and will make them stay in tune even after heavy tremolo use. This type of nut provides the best tune stability, but they also make the guitar more expensive.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
1. Jackson USA Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (30 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (33 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Hot (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson USA Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly
Jackson USA Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- No Locking Tuners
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
2. Schecter E-1 FR S Special Edition
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Easy (2 votes)
- Fret edges: Smooth (2 votes)
- Tuning stability: Won't get out of tune (2 votes)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (2 votes)
- Neck profile shape: C (42 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (37 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Hot (3 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter E-1 FR S Special Edition
Schecter E-1 FR S Special Edition
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Sustainer Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Retainer Bar
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
3. Solar E1.6FRLB
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (12 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (7 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (9 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (9 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Solar E1.6FRLB
Solar E1.6FRLB
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
4. Dean Zero Select Floyd Fluence
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What our users think
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (2 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Dean Zero Select Floyd Fluence
Dean Zero Select Floyd Fluence
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Multi-Voicing Pickups
- Tremolo
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
5. Epiphone Brendon Small GhostHorse Explorer
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What our users think
- Fret edges: Smooth (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (1 vote)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: D (10 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (7 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Clean (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Brendon Small GhostHorse Explorer
Epiphone Brendon Small GhostHorse Explorer
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
6. Schecter Balsac E-1 FR
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (15 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (12 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (20 votes)
- Pickups power: Hot (17 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Balsac E-1 FR
Schecter Balsac E-1 FR
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Multi-Voicing Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
7. Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (30 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (33 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (4 votes)
- Pickups power: Hot (4 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
8. Solar E1.6 Priestess
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (12 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (7 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (9 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (9 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Solar E1.6 Priestess
Solar E1.6 Priestess
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
9. Jackson Pro Series Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly Ash
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (30 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (33 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Hot (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson Pro Series Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly Ash
Jackson Pro Series Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly Ash
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
All Prices
10. Schecter Jake Pitts E-1 FR S
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Easy (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (15 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (12 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (9 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (5 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Jake Pitts E-1 FR S
Schecter Jake Pitts E-1 FR S
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Sustainer Pickups
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock