Tuning Heads

[Folderol]

Is it possible to get ones with a finer gear ratio than 'normal'. I find mine are really critical especially on the 5th and 6th strings.

This is on a Squier Tele.

[zenguitar]

Before spending on tuners I would make sure that the nut slots are the right width and properly finished. But if you are confident that the nut is in good shape and not sticking or pinching the strings there is hope for you.

I present, for your amusement and collateral damage on your wallet....

Steinberger Gearless Tuners.

That's a link at StewMac, and I am sure that Warmoth have carried them in the past (they used to offer necks with the headstock drilled for them). Can't think of any other supplier off the top of my head.

Gear ratio 40:1

The only issue I've heard of is that sometimes there isn't enough adjustment to bring a high E or B up to concert pitch. With a strat the trick is to divebomb the trem a little when you load those strings. Alternatively, you could just pre-tension the string by pulling it tight by hand before tightening the mechanism.

I discovered them when considering putting together a right hand strat with a left hand neck. Still a project for the future.

Andy

[agent funk]

One other point to check (please don't be offended if this is obvious to you) - make sure you haven't wound the strings on top of themselves, that is on the machine head post, as you wind the string it overlaps the previous pass. This is never a good practice, but is worse on the thicker strings. It will have the effect of making the post thicker, and change the "gear" of the machine head (like a bigger chain wheel on a bicycle).

Just a thought.

[4TrackMadman]

Have you tried graphite, or something like Big Bends Nut Sauce for the nut and saddle to reduce slippage?
Different brand name strings, bigger strings?
I personally swear by locking tuners, I put them on all my non locking trem guitars.

[Folderol]

@Zenguitar
Interesting link and they look good - trouble is they cost almost as much as the guitar did!

Everyone else.
The strings aren't sticking. Well, OK, the top E does a teensy-weensy bit. There is no slippage and the strings are neatly wound on the pegs.

The problem is that with the heaviest strings it seems to take a miniscule movement of the tuner to make a significant change in pitch.

[zenguitar]

The problem is that with the heaviest strings it seems to take a miniscule movement of the tuner to make a significant change in pitch.

That is often a symptom of friction in the nut slots. The friction allows the string tension to be slightly different on either side of the nut. A slight change to the tension from a small adjustment of the tuner is enough to overcome the friction and let the tension equalise and a bigger change in pitch than you would expect.

Have a look at my sticky post about cutting a replacement nut. Some good tips there for sorting your slots.

Andy

[RitchieM]

As someone who plays in a band with a guitarist who can't afford the super expensive end of the guitar price bracket, just be careful when it comes to buying cheaper guitars, as fundamentally, all the part are of a lower quality, so it's very easy to keep spending money to upgrade bits and pieces do all you are left with is the wood of the body and neck which is also not as good as higher end models.

I am fortunate to earn decent money, so I can afford to buy great guitars, but when it comes to buying at the lower or mid-range I found that buying a £350-£400 guitar today gets you so much more than it would 10 years ago. So if you are looking to buy one in the future, don't look at one and think "well, I will soon make this bit better". Save and get the best you can afford , it will be worth it in the long run.

[4TrackMadman]

Sounds like a "nut case"

[Folderol]

The problem is that with the heaviest strings it seems to take a miniscule movement of the tuner to make a significant change in pitch.

That is often a symptom of friction in the nut slots. The friction allows the string tension to be slightly different on either side of the nut. A slight change to the tension from a small adjustment of the tuner is enough to overcome the friction and let the tension equalise and a bigger change in pitch than you would expect.

Have a look at my sticky post about cutting a replacement nut. Some good tips there for sorting your slots.

Andy

Ah! Didn't think of that. I shall have to make further investigations.

[Daniel Davis]

Its amazing how many guitars don't come with a decent set-up. And not all cheap guitars are made of rubbish bits. In fact I could stick my head out and say buy a mid-priced guitar and give it to a good guitar tech for a set-up and you'll probably have a better playing instrument than many more expensive models.

[4TrackMadman]

Your selection process of that mid priced guitar will probably be much longer though, i.e. you'll be traveling to quite a few guitar shops and spending quite a bit of time on it.

Case in point - I ordered an Ibanez 5 string bass, mid priced at about $600. First one sounded great but the frets cut into my hand and there were several fit issues on there fretboard joined the body, tuners and bridge their respective wood parts. Mostly cosmetic but not very nice to look at. The frets were so badly crowned that they were cutting my hand when making a slide. So I figured, this must've been a bum one and called the shop and replaced it with another Ibanez same model. This one didn't sound good at all but had all the other issues taken care of minus the fretboard which still cut like a knife. That one went back and I replaced it for a Music Man budget Sterling bass for around the same price range which didn't have any of these issues and plays wonderfully.