Locking tuners...

[Pierre]

I can't stand them.

Here's my feedback (based on: 3 x Musicmen with stock locking tuners, and a Fender Strat with retrofitted Fender locking tuners):
1) Never broke so many strings
2) They don't stay in tune as well as standard tuners

Saturday I had restrung my Axis SS and the high E kept slipping. I finally got it stable and in tune, and put the guitar down. Without even touching it, 5 minutes later I hear a noise and the string had snapped at the tuner. I also tend to break strings a lot with locking tuners while it had NEVER happened to me before.

Being modest by nature I'm assuming it's something I'm doing wrong. So what tips would you guys have in dealing with these annoyances?

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Locking tuners...

Every locking tuner i have tried is great, I use ernie ball 9's with both gotoh and sperzel and never once have had a string break.

Maybe its just your fender and axis.... seems odd.

 

[mojosman]

Re: Locking tuners...

Every locking tuner i have tried is great, I use ernie ball 9's with both gotoh and sperzel and never once have had a string break.

Maybe its just your fender and axis.... seems odd.

I had Sperzels on a Strat+ and also never had a single string break at the tuner. Perhaps you are over tightening the locking mechanism and pinching the string? I don't know. Ive neve had that issue.

 

[LReese]

Re: Locking tuners...

I'm an old timer and think lockers are great. Never a problem on several guitars.

Wonder if some exploratory surgery on that high E tuner is in order. Remember the old lockers - Used to tighten the heck out of them - ain't supposed to do that.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Locking tuners...

I've never had a problem with them. I've had three guitars with Sperzels, and one with Grovers.

I LOVE my locking tuners.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Locking tuners...

the 2 things that immediately come to mind as possible causes are overtightening the lock, and pulling the string too tight before locking.... barring burrs on the tuning peg or similar technical inadequacies.

Overtigtening the lock is more or less self explanatory, but as far as teh tension goes: you just want to thread the string arrow-straight through the hole, but not put any tension on it. Then cinch down the lock, and cut at opposite end.

You should have roughly between 1/2 and 3/4 of a turn on the strings when at tension, but a full turn is not an issue either.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Locking tuners...

I own two guitars with Sperzels. No complaints at all.

That said, I don't find that my guitars with locking tuners are more stable than the others. The main benefit to me is quick and easy string changes. Aside from that, I perceive no benefit over good non-locking tuners on a properly set up guitar.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Locking tuners...

I've got a couple of Strats with Planet Waves locking tuners and haven't experienced any issues.

 

[MojoMonster]

Re: Locking tuners...

I've had Sperzel, Gibson and Schaller (or maybe Gotoh) locking tuners and I've loved them all.
I've never experienced string breakage like you are talking about, OP.
Even without locking tuners.
What strings are you using and how are you winding them?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Locking tuners...

I've got Planet Waves on 6 or 7 guitars and Grovers on a couple more, and have never had a problem...even if I tighten the locking screw as hard as I can.

Check for burs on your tuners. That's the only logical cause I can think of that would cause a string to break at the tuner post.

 

[blues]

Re: Locking tuners...

Sounds like burs to me also. Get a small file if you have one and file inside the holes that the string goes through. If you dont have a file get some course emery cloth or sandpaper roll it up and run it through the string holes.

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Locking tuners...

The Gotoh locking tuners are brilliant. I've got the HAP-M height adjustable ones on my strat, so no need for string trees either. Unlock the string with a coin, thread in a new string, and just start tuning. Turning the key locks the string and then starting tuning the string. No chance of over tightening, and simple and quick to set up.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Locking tuners...

These have been my favorite locking tuners since I used them the first time. Basically, what ^he^ said.

You loosen the top part enough that the string can fit through, then you tighten them by 'tuning up' until it grabs the string. Can't really over tighten it in my experience.

They look vintage, and have less mass than the modern locking tuners so IMO they're a great compromise.

I retrofitted my strat with traditional locking tuners and never had a problem with strings breaking. Like someone said if you locked the string at an angle rather than locking it straight the string could be resting on a sharp part of the tuner where it is in contact with the tuner.

Edit: one bad thing about the Gotoh tuners is that the screws that come with them strip very easily. I usually have to get replacement flat-head tuner screws. This last time I didn't have a single philips head (that came with the tuners) make it through. Had to replace all 7. Even drilled the headstock for the screws first, so I know it wasn't me trying too hard to muscle them.

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Locking tuners...

Edit: one bad thing about the Gotoh tuners is that the screws that come with them strip very easily. I usually have to get replacement flat-head tuner screws. This last time I didn't have a single philips head (that came with the tuners) make it through. Had to replace all 7. Even drilled the headstock for the screws first, so I know it wasn't me trying too hard to muscle them.

Tell me about it! That's the one thing I HATE about Gotoh tuners. When I installed the HAP-M ones two of the buggers actually had the head break off! I had to get them drilled out and have two new ones put in at the music shop. Unfortunately they were short one black, so I have five black, one chrome at the back.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Locking tuners...

3 x Musicmen with stock locking tuners

Totally not my experience with EBMM locking tuners. Not saying that you're over-tightening but I don't have the issue on my guitars. Could be a burr.

Nearly all of my guitars have locking tuners -- I do a "lock wrap" on those that don't.

 

[constant mesh]

Re: Locking tuners...

There's probably a rough edge on the hole or the ball is rusty. Could be that you don't put enough winds either. By default locking tuners don't need a single turn to work, but I always like to put a little over 1/2 of a turn or maybe go almost a full turn. If there's not enough string on the post, the string could be prone to break IMHO. This is because a string bends where it exits the hole, if there ain't enough turns to distribute the force all around the post, not just on the kink, it might break.

I would swap the low and high E tuners if they are the same, not like Fender ones, where you have 6 & 5 pair separately. If that tuner has a burr it won't bust the fat E string. I wouldn't file anything around the string hole on a locking tuner, shavings will go inside the tuner and wear it out faster. If you see the burr, scrape or break it off lightly with an xacto knife or something similar.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Locking tuners...

Mhmm I'll check the tuner for burr and try to not overtight. I use the same method as for every screws: go softly until I meet resistance, then one last rotation with my tumb and that's it.
The weird thing is that all of my guitars with locking tuners show this behavior, hence why I think it's me. I'll go softer on the tightening screws.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Locking tuners...

the 2 things that immediately come to mind as possible causes are overtightening the lock, and pulling the string too tight before locking.... barring burrs on the tuning peg or similar technical inadequacies.

Overtigtening the lock is more or less self explanatory, but as far as teh tension goes: you just want to thread the string arrow-straight through the hole, but not put any tension on it. Then cinch down the lock, and cut at opposite end.

You should have roughly between 1/2 and 3/4 of a turn on the strings when at tension, but a full turn is not an issue either.

Exactly how I do it, down to the amount of turns on the post when I'm done. Good calls on the overtightening (although I did try different methods there too) and burr inside the tuner, and very good tip on swapping the high e and low E tuners... will give this a try!

 

[Stratman]

Re: Locking tuners...

Pierre:

Come on, you are not strong enough to over tighten tuners...

Please stop buying used strings!

 

[Bludave]

Re: Locking tuners...

Zerbs diagnosis is right on either you are over tightening the lock or there is a burr causing the string to break. Take the guitar to a tech and see if he can sort it out if you can't. I have sperzels on two Strats and they work perfectly. Both of these guitars I use the whammy(not aggressively like Gilmorish stuff) I also have a graphite nut and saddles. Haven't ever broken a string and the tuning stability is great