Headless tuners

Roland

Inspired by @sweepy ‘s Klein build I went back to thinking about making a headless guitar. There’s a couple of designs in production, including ABM and Hipshot. One’s nice but expensive. The other’s very nice, and very expensive, compared with a traditional bridge and tuners. Strandberg makes his own tuners, but no longer sells them. Then there are the Overlord and KD bridges from China. Both cheap but clunky.

Who’s actually used headless tuners? What’s your experience?

sweepy

There is a fella in the US who is re-engineering the R Trem, look up MGR Design on Facebook, they look very promising indeed

Roland

You mean this one https://www.facebook.com/mgrcooldesign/

sweepy

That’s the chap and a very interesting design it is too

DaveMon

I've just picked up a Reiver Kompakt 6 headless which uses the Hipshot bridge/tuners and so far I like it.
Nice and simple to adjust, compact and the tuning thumbscrews have a fairly fine adjustment.

Alan @skelf at A C guitars/Reiver uses the hipshot fixed bridge and tremolo on all his headless guitars and a ETS unit on his basses.
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/84307/ac-guitars-finished-work-and-build-progress#latest
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/84240/reiver-guitars-finished-work-and-build-progress#latest

Andyjr1515

I used the 4 string Overlord one on this bass build (there's a full build thread somewhere on it):

It had been supplied to me by the customer (who had some pretty exacting requirements).  In that I was going to hack it about, I was OK with using it.

However - in the end I bought another identical one to rob bits to make one good one out of the two and then gave him the leftovers as spares in case it fails in use.  Problems were accuracy of manufacture and quality of materials used.

For a bass, it is working fine, but you have to remember that basses are not constantly being re-tuned.  I think I would be reluctant to use one on a 6 string, even though they are crazily cheap!

Plukky

Never used, just for info:

ETS - Bass & Guitar Hardware

Blumenstr.62, 63860 Rothenbuch

Fon         +49 (0) 6094 989387

Fax         +49 (0) 6094 989387

info@ets-hardware.com

http://www.ets-hardware.com/

Roland

Andyjr1515 said:

I used the 4 string Overlord one on this bass build (there's a full build thread somewhere on it) ... Problems were accuracy of manufacture and quality of materials used.

For a bass, it is working fine, but you have to remember that basses are not constantly being re-tuned.  I think I would be reluctant to use one on a 6 string, even though they are crazily cheap!

I remember the build thread well. Quality and weight worry me every time I look at the Overlord. Having looked at making guitar tuners, and realised the tolerances involved, and the pressure on the knurled tuning knob, I’m leaning away from all the cheap designs.

CasperCaster

I've not used them, but Headless USA sell the J Custom bridges. Reputed to be a quality item, but at a price.

axisus

I wanted to make a headless guitar, I was surprised at how hard it is to get hardware. I was lucky in the end, I did a search here and found that someone bought some secondhand ABM bits here a year ago, I got in touch and asked if he had used them, he hadn't and sold them to me. Game on!

DrBob

Just found this on Amazon 

MagiDeal Set of 6 String Roller saddle Tremolo Bridge Tailpiece for Headless Electric Guitar Parts https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077YDVB52/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lzscBbRVWX0WH

guitarmangler

J custom do a new upgraded R Trem that looks quite reasonable :
https://reverb.com/item/8420185-jcustom-steinberger-steinberger-r-trem-vibrato-for-steinberger-spirits-hohners-gr4-s

A guy in Italy will make you steinberger style tuners 
http://www.technologyformusicians.com/

The hipshot on the Kiesel's look cool.  

I hadnt seen that new take on the steinberger, will check it out.