How to get tuners straight and alligned?

[astrozombie]

I've replaced the tuners on my Les Paul with Milk Bottle Grover Rotomatics, they're beautiful and well made but I can't seem to get them alligned in the sense that the screw doesn't hold in the tuner perfectly straight and when I tighten the nut on the top of the headstock the tuners move with the nut and become lopsided. Have any of you found a solution to this problem besides eye balling it?

 

[ChAoZ]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Do the top nut up finger tight ,fit screws ,tighten top nut?

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

It's best to over think it.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Wait you guys aren't obsessive compulsive too? Darn.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Toothpicks?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

What portion of the headstock and each 'head are you attempting to align?

A six inch steel rule might help.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

I've replaced the tuners on my Les Paul with Milk Bottle Grover Rotomatics, they're beautiful and well made but I can't seem to get them alligned in the sense that the screw doesn't hold in the tuner perfectly straight and when I tighten the nut on the top of the headstock the tuners move with the nut and become lopsided. Have any of you found a solution to this problem besides eye balling it?

Sounds like the machine holes may be bigger than 10mm Otherwise why else would they move? Also are the washers decent?

 

[AlexR]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

The screw into the headstock should be holding it straight.....thats its only job after all. If the tuner moves with that screw installed I'd be checking how and why it is moving.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

IMO, the screw is there to prevent the 'head rotating in the reamed hole through the headstock.

There will be some slack in the fit of the locating screw through the metal lug. There will also be some slack between where the threaded parts of the 'head meet up and the surface of the hole cut through the headstock.

Assuming that the machinehead holes were drilled accurately by Gibson, it is possible to get each 'head on one side of the headstock square with respect to its counterpart on the opposite side. (E with E. A with B. D with G.)

Initially, install only the 'heads for the high and low E strings. Tighten these up 95% of the way. Fit the locator screws. Again, tighten up 95% of the way. Leave a little play to work with.

Lay a straight edge widthways across the headstock. Position the straight edge in contact with the key shaft housing portions of the two Grover casings. When both 'head cases line up wit the straight edge, tighten up the hex nuts. Finally, tighten up the locator screw.

Repeat with the 'heads for the A and B strings. Repeat with the 'heads for D and G.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

IMO, the screw is there to prevent the 'head rotating in the reamed hole through the headstock.

There will be some slack in the fit of the locating screw through the metal lug. There will also be some slack between where the threaded parts of the 'head meet up and the surface of the hole cut through the headstock.

Assuming that the machinehead holes were drilled accurately by Gibson, it is possible to get each 'head on one side of the headstock square with respect to its counterpart on the opposite side. (E with E. A with B. D with G.)

Initially, install only the 'heads for the high and low E strings. Tighten these up 95% of the way. Fit the locator screws. Again, tighten up 95% of the way. Leave a little play to work with.

Lay a straight edge widthways across the headstock. Position the straight edge in contact with the key shaft housing portions of the two Grover casings. When both 'head cases line up wit the straight edge, tighten up the hex nuts. Finally, tighten up the locator screw.

Repeat with the 'heads for the A and B strings. Repeat with the 'heads for D and G.

do you believe the bushings must be very tight or only as tight as needed?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Over tightening runs the risk of stripping the threads and damaging the lacquer top coat.

Are your Grovers US-made or Asian?



P. S. - If you are going to rest a steel rule against the headstock, it might be wise to protect the nitro-cellulose.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

nevermind, i don't care if they're alligned anymore.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Sorry, Glenn, but Hare Krishna will not protect nitro-cellulose lacquer against scratches.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Oh, Glenn...don't give up so easily. I know that you are kinda OCD like me, and you will only be frustrated every time you look at your guitar.

I can see that the G, D, and A tuners are pretty good (the D is drooping down a little). But the others are drooping down quite a bit.

Turn all of the tuning keys like your G tuner is in the photo...straight up and down. Do like Funk said and only tighten the head nuts 90-95%. Place a ruler across the top of the shafts of the G and D tuners line up those shafts. Now, (I differ from what Funk said...) tighten the locator screws completely. Now finish tightening the nuts. Do the same for the B and A shafts. Then the E and E shafts.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Over tightening runs the risk of stripping the threads and damaging the lacquer top coat.

Are your Grovers US-made or Asian?

usa

P. S. - If you are going to rest a steel rule against the headstock, it might be wise to protect the nitro-cellulose.

usa

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Oh, Glenn...don't give up so easily. I know that you are kinda OCD like me, and you will only be frustrated every time you look at your guitar.

I can see that the G, D, and A tuners are pretty good (the D is drooping down a little). But the others are drooping down quite a bit.

Turn all of the tuning keys like your G tuner is in the photo...straight up and down. Do like Funk said and only tighten the head nuts 90-95%. Place a ruler across the top of the shafts of the G and D tuners line up those shafts. Now, (I differ from what Funk said...) tighten the locator screws completely. Now finish tightening the nuts. Do the same for the B and A shafts. Then the E and E shafts.

I apologize, this is actually Eric Clapton's ES-335!

I meant to joke that if it's good enough for slowhand, it's good enough for me!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Yeah, ...OK.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

I apologize, this is actually Eric Clapton's ES-335!

I meant to joke that if it's good enough for slowhand, it's good enough for me!

Doesn't look like the screws were ever installed

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

Doesn't look like the screws were ever installed

oh theyre there trust me

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: How to get tuners straight and alligned?

On an LP-style head with the curves like that pic, the tuner housings will not be straight with each other, but will be angled such as to have the keyheads equidistant from the edge of the headstock on both sides of the button.
Ergo, the Es will curve slightly inward, the A and B will be nearly 90 degrees to the nut, and the D and G will angle slightly outward.