Anyone ever take a drill to their Les Paul?

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

So..... I ordered some Gotoh locking tuners for my newest Gibby.
turns out it was the first time I didn't double check the peg hole sizes before I ordered!! FML! I'm am idiot...

And since I'm also an impatient idiot....

So.... I looked online and got the diameter... I had a drill bit close enough.... Eyeballed the depth and put a lock on the bit..... Carefully carefully used my best judgement and drilled the peg holes out in 2 stages.

Either I'm skilled, I'm a complete idiot, or I have giant steel cajones!
I am completely ok with any assessment you deem fitting..

Pics of tonight's excitement in the garage!


these suckers stumped me for a while, didn't feel comfortable hammering them out... I finally figured out that they are splined in... So I had to tap pretty hard..



Success!!!

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I've used a hand reamer a couple of times for enlarging holes for tuners or pots.
Takes a little longer but reduces the likelihood of mishaps.

 

[ICTGoober]

Use a violin reamer if you can find one - only has 1 or 2 flutes, won't turn the round hole into a hexagon like a standard machinists reamer with 6 flutes.

 

[Securb]

80's you got balls

 

[Mincer]

This is the kind of mod I certainly like!

 

[beaubrummels]

It's the kind of mod I enjoy watching someone else do.

 

[Bogner]

I am about to pass out...lol.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

80's you got balls

"And I'm just itching to tell you about them"

 

[ErikH]

You got lucky it didn’t split the headstock at one of the tuner holes. Happened to me when I tried to do the same thing some years back. Thankfully it was a cheap guitar and the break was clean enough that I was able to repair it and wasn’t seen afterwards. I will never do that again without using a reamer. It doesn’t take much to make the hole bigger.

How’s the weight of those Gotoh’s? The Grovers I got for my Classic Vibe went back for their weight and they also loosened up after tightening them down and tuning up. Made a couple strings slip. I slapped non-locking Gotoh vintage style tuners on it. The Grovers on my Les Paul have never had that issue.

 

[Artie]

Nice mod, and like others have said, I think you got lucky. I always use a reamer.

Use a violin reamer if you can find one - only has 1 or 2 flutes, won't turn the round hole into a hexagon like a standard machinists reamer with 6 flutes.

I've never had that problem using a 6-flute chassis reamer. But then again, I always do it by hand. Never a power tool.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

You got lucky it didn’t split the headstock at one of the tuner holes. Happened to me when I tried to do the same thing some years back. Thankfully it was a cheap guitar and the break was clean enough that I was able to repair it and wasn’t seen afterwards. I will never do that again without using a reamer. It doesn’t take much to make the hole bigger.

How’s the weight of those Gotoh’s? The Grovers I got for my Classic Vibe went back for their weight and they also loosened up after tightening them down and tuning up. Made a couple strings slip. I slapped non-locking Gotoh vintage style tuners on it. The Grovers on my Les Paul have never had that issue.

The weight is beautiful on these. I'm never one to complain about neck dive, I'm usually bouncing around so much I don't even notice it. But this one does Not neck dive at all.
I feel as though it was a much needed upgrade. This guitar actually held tune (which is my first Gibson with these deluxe crap tuners that ever did hold tune) but asthetically it was huge improvement. Plus now ...locking! Way easier string changes.

 

[ErikH]

The weight is beautiful on these. I'm never one to complain about neck dive, I'm usually bouncing around so much I don't even notice it. But this one does Not neck dive at all.
I feel as though it was a much needed upgrade. This guitar actually held tune (which is my first Gibson with these deluxe crap tuners that ever did hold tune) but asthetically it was huge improvement. Plus now ...locking! Way easier string changes.

That's good. I was surprised the Grovers weighed what they did. While smooth operating, the issues I had with them were a no-go. I doubt I'll change the tuners on my Dean ML (Grover non-locking) but if I do, the Gotoh's might be an option. I don't really play it enough to justify the change though.

 

[JMP/HBE]

No. Kluson to Grover need to ream the hole. [that's what she said]
But i replaced some tuners on a 85 Tokai and when i went to remove the old bushings from the headstock it ripped the headstock veneer.
Was able to fix that and ended up just using the old bushings with the new tuners.
The older your guitar the greater the chance to F it up.
Experience matters. You wouldn't think a nut replacement on a Gibson is a big deal but it really is.
Totally easy to screw that up.
Ive had friends for years tell me i should work on guitars & amps for a living.
No thanks because when you screw things up you gotta pay for it.

 

[GuitarDoc]

You got VERY lucky, especially using a hand drill instead of a drill press!

If you knew all of the possibilities of things that could go wrong, and you did this the way you did anyway...I'd say you got balls.
If you just did this without really knowing anything, I'd say you were just dumb (actually really stupid) lucky.

 

[Mincer]

I've only done this with a hand reamer...I'd be scared to use a drill, especially on a tilt-back headstock.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

I have some skills. I did understand the risks.
I was settled on a 30% chance I'd snap the headstock off especially using a hand drill.
My dad's got all kinds of tools and lathes and mills etc but I didn't want to drag it over there.
I knew if I was really careful I'd be done in the time it would take to drive over to dad's.
I just went for it.

I certainly would not recommend anyone do it this way.


I did use a locking collar on the bits to keep them from cracking out the face. Really only needed the holes widened at the backside to fit the new tuners in.

If it broke, I would just take it over and then glue it up... No big to me. This guitar is a keeper so I'll set it up how I want it.

Now she's got a black winter in her and sounding just about perfect!

Very pleased.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Power tools can be risky.



An old friend of mine had a band in NYC called the Power Tools.
Always though that was a great band name.

.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Glad you got the job done with no bad accidents. Also glad that it is such a great ("perfect") guitar for you.

ps: I don't think you had much of a worry of snapping the headstock off, just possibly splitting it at the tuner holes or chipping out the hole too big to hide with the new tuners.

Anyway, all's well that ends well. Looks sweet.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Power tools can be risky.



An old friend of mine had a band in NYC called the Power Tools.
Always though that was a great band name.

.

Ha ha ha that made me laugh, I sent it to my mom this how dad ... He can run a lathe, but not a smart phone!

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

"Sent it to my mom to show dad".... Wish we could just edit a post!!

This 503 error is about to piss me off for the last time....