Does tuner head material, affect tone?!

[Erlend_G]

Sorry- this isn't a joke question.

I'm asking; since I was watching a YouTube video of Marius Muller (norwegian guitarist), playing a custom guitar. That used bass guitar tuners! :o

- I guess he'd gotten it built that way, for some reason.


I very much want to find some rosewood/ebony tuner heads for my Epiphone Wildkat; mostly because of asthetics. And maybe save a tiny bit of weight..
.but will this affect tone or sustain in any way?

Thanks,
-E

[Erlend_G]

...Is "tuner head" the correct term? I mean, the key/"ear" you turn to tune .

[GuitarStv]

Adding weight to the headstock will impact the way that the neck vibrates and could have some slight tonal difference.

[Wattage]

This just sounds like a Forum Deathmatch waiting to happen lol

I would say it would likely have some small impact but I wouldn't obsess over it too much

[Securb]

No

[PFDarkside]

If I’m understanding correctly, a larger tuner key will allow more precise tuning by allowing smaller adjustments.

[idsnowdog]

The nut material and fretboard material plays a bigger role.

[nexion218]

Adding weight to the headstock will impact the way that the neck vibrates and could have some slight tonal difference.

That's why Fender had those Fat Fingers or whatever they called those brass clips intended to be put on the headstock I believe.

But I wouldn't obsess about it either.

[GuitarStv]

That's why Fender had those Fat Fingers or whatever they called those brass clips intended to be put on the headstock I believe.

But I wouldn't obsess about it either.

I feel like I can hear a slight difference in tone if I put both a clip on tuner and a capo on the headstock of my guitar . . . but it's pretty darned slight.

[Benjy_26]

I have a fatfinger on my Carvin. It makes a difference.

[ErikH]

It's all in the strap buttons. Nickel strap buttons are where it's at!

[Mincer]

Lightweight tuners do indeed sound different than high mass tuners. I don't know if just swapping out the buttons will have enough weight difference that you could certainly hear, though. It is cheap enough to try, though.

[solspirit]

It's all in the strap buttons. Nickel strap buttons are where it's at!

This belongs in "How different straps affect my tone"

[JB_From_Hell]

A few Strats ago, I replaced the stock late 80's MIA tuners with locking tuners of some type. I'd had the guitar for awhile and knew it inside and out. Something seemed off about it, and on a whim I put the old tuners back on, which fixed the issue. I can't say more or less sustain, or bass, or mids, or whatever, just that there was a perceivable difference I did not like.

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

More weight out on the extremities can add a minor amount of sustain.

It *could change tone in the absolute slightest bit.... If at all. It would most certainly be virtually impossible to measure.

That's my 2 cents.