Locking tuners recommendations! Too many options

tekbow

@Alvin

I actually think it's worth having them in terms of saving string change time.

Its just so much more convenient

rico

I have some Harley Benton locking tuners on a partscaster Strat and whilst they are great quality I don’t think there’s any benefit in using them over standard tuners. 

Alvin

tekbow said:

@Alvin

I actually think it's worth having them in terms of saving string change time.

Its just so much more convenient

   Yes that's the idea as far as i am concerned but whether i change strings on standard or locking tuners there isn't really much time difference for me because i don't just throw them on . I think i can actually change strings quicker on standard tuners as they are easier to take the strings off and you aren't messing with a locking wheel - unless of course you have the Gotoh Magnum lock's which i think are the best but then with those you have to have the length just right to start with (you soon get used to it) .

   I only intended to say Gotoh or Sperzel in the first place - i got a bit carried away .

FelineGuitars

Schaller ones will have the screw in the same place

ICBM

FelineGuitars said:

Schaller ones will have the screw in the same place

The most useful post here .

Although actually so do some of the Gotoh ones, including these - https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/tuning-keys-locking-mini-keys-6-in-line-gotoh-sg381-mgt

Alvin

Just to add , Sperzels can be a bit fiddly to fit as you have to drill the locating pin hole just right , ideally make a template first , but they would leave the screw hole showing in this instance so not a direct replacement as such.

TTBZ

I have the closed Hipshot ones on my strat and they're great, makes stringing up even easier.

prowla

I'm not a fan of the locking tuners - they have little bits which can fall out.

tekbow

@Alvin

Out of interest, do you wind the strings on to locking tuners? I don't. I get the hole in line with the strings, pull thru taut, lock then tune.

If the trem is floating I block it in that position with whatever portion of a deck of cards it takes.

When using regular tuners I do this:

Anyways, for me, locking tuners are much faster.

Alvin

Hope this isn't derailing but helpful to the original poster.

@tekbow ; I leave about 3/4 of string slack then wind on the thicker strings e/a/d , this normally gives me almost one full wrap on the post ( i would like two wraps but not enough room on the thicker strings ) . On the thinner strings g/b/e about 1 1/2 " of slack to give me those two full wraps , i think the thinner strings need that bit more on the posts .    

  I go for the same amount of wrap on the post with standard tuners also .  I put my strings on the same way as you have shown with the string going under the start and then with the addition of pulling the string back over itself and then wrapping the opposite way around the post .    Your way looks neater though. 

FriskyDingo

I didn't think this post would lead to this many replies. I should clarify a few things ;
1. I'm getting locking tuners. I like them more they are easier for me and I've never had any problems with th
2. Tuners that match mine would be good but if I have to drill more holes that's no problem I'm making other alterations and it's a kit
3. I have hipshot tuners on my chapman and they are good. Just want to tru something different for this guitar

FelineGuitars

tekbow said:

Yeah, I'd say gotoh over Schaller. AFAIK they're not family owned anymore and when that happened, quality suffered somewhat. But even before that gotoh was more refined in design.

See Suhr's comments in this thread from Seymour Duncan. Whether Schaller have improved since then, I don't know.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?198519-Gotoh-Locking-vs-FRO

The thread you quote is 8 years old....much has changed in that time 

Schaller went through some horrible times with the death of 2 family members about 10 years ago or more and the company took some time under new leadership to find it's feet 

However it certainly is back on good form and there have been some significant changes and upgrades to many of the products....the ratios on many of the tuners is much finer and the fit and finish has gone up in leaps and bounds.

We have fitted a lot of the newer tuners on the Blackmachine guitars we build and the quality is really good again.

stickyfiddle

+1 for Schaller. I have them on my Cabronita and they're great. You can also switch the buttons for pearl to save weight if you care about that sort of thing. 

FriskyDingo

FelineGuitars said:

tekbow said:

Yeah, I'd say gotoh over Schaller. AFAIK they're not family owned anymore and when that happened, quality suffered somewhat. But even before that gotoh was more refined in design.

See Suhr's comments in this thread from Seymour Duncan. Whether Schaller have improved since then, I don't know.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?198519-Gotoh-Locking-vs-FRO

The thread you quote is 8 years old....much has changed in that time 

Schaller went through some horrible times with the death of 2 family members about 10 years ago or more and the company took some time under new leadership to find it's feet 

However it certainly is back on good form and there have been some significant changes and upgrades to many of the products....the ratios on many of the tuners is much finer and the fit and finish has gone up in leaps and bounds.

We have fitted a lot of the newer tuners on the Blackmachine guitars we build and the quality is really good again.

What model tuners are in that picture? 

tekbow

FelineGuitars said:

tekbow said:

Yeah, I'd say gotoh over Schaller. AFAIK they're not family owned anymore and when that happened, quality suffered somewhat. But even before that gotoh was more refined in design.

See Suhr's comments in this thread from Seymour Duncan. Whether Schaller have improved since then, I don't know.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?198519-Gotoh-Locking-vs-FRO

The thread you quote is 8 years old....much has changed in that time 

Schaller went through some horrible times with the death of 2 family members about 10 years ago or more and the company took some time under new leadership to find it's feet 

However it certainly is back on good form and there have been some significant changes and upgrades to many of the products....the ratios on many of the tuners is much finer and the fit and finish has gone up in leaps and bounds.

We have fitted a lot of the newer tuners on the Blackmachine guitars we build and the quality is really good again.

@felineguitars ;

These are fair points, and in response i would say that at this point, Suhr are still using Gotoh floyds. However what Suhr does and does not do is not necessarily an indication of the quality of Schaller.

That being said, Gotoh's design for the double locking bridge remains the better one in my view. Also, I've played recent guitars fitted with new Schallers and i still experience the slop i've always experienced with them whereas Gotoh tuners are precise and immediate.

I stand by my preferences for Gotoh even by current Schaller standards.

kswilson89

Gotoh Magnum Lock

FelineGuitars

tekbow said:

FelineGuitars said:

tekbow said:

Yeah, I'd say gotoh over Schaller. AFAIK they're not family owned anymore and when that happened, quality suffered somewhat. But even before that gotoh was more refined in design.

See Suhr's comments in this thread from Seymour Duncan. Whether Schaller have improved since then, I don't know.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?198519-Gotoh-Locking-vs-FRO

The thread you quote is 8 years old....much has changed in that time 

Schaller went through some horrible times with the death of 2 family members about 10 years ago or more and the company took some time under new leadership to find it's feet 

However it certainly is back on good form and there have been some significant changes and upgrades to many of the products....the ratios on many of the tuners is much finer and the fit and finish has gone up in leaps and bounds.

We have fitted a lot of the newer tuners on the Blackmachine guitars we build and the quality is really good again.

@felineguitars ;

These are fair points, and in response i would say that at this point, Suhr are still using Gotoh floyds. However what Suhr does and does not do is not necessarily an indication of the quality of Schaller.

That being said, Gotoh's design for the double locking bridge remains the better one in my view. Also, I've played recent guitars fitted with new Schallers and i still experience the slop i've always experienced with them whereas Gotoh tuners are precise and immediate.

I stand by my preferences for Gotoh even by current Schaller standards.

Oh - I love Gotoh and use their 510 series and other ranges all the time .

And yes the Gotoh floyds are damn good

If you can get hold of a set of the SG381 with the rear lock like the ones shown , they would be a great choice

Shown here in cosmo black but chrome should be available - if you can find a set easily.

ADP

There's a set available at a very reasonable price now on eBay from North West Guitars. I bought some earlier this year.

FriskyDingo

ADP said:

There's a set available at a very reasonable price now on eBay from North West Guitars. I bought some earlier this year.

I'm ordering them now