sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

everdrone

everdrone

New member
I am thinking of getting them in the far future. any insights/thoughts are appreciated - have you tired them? do you like the locking feature? does guitar stay in tune better? any problems with the drilling and install? anything you liked better for tuners for a gibson sg standard? many thanks :) reason I want em is cause the chrome ones would look great, easier to tune and stay in tune for recordings. cheers :beerchug" (pe drinking a stella artois right now :) ) :friday:
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

I have the Grover "Roto-Grip" locking tuners on my SG (as seen HERE) and can recommend them with confidence.

I've used locking tuners by Sperzel, Schaller, and Grover and have only good things to say about any of these options. I don't like the top locking Grovers though, I like the rear thumbscrew style.

General consensus on locking tuners in general seems to be that a well cut nut is the more important in terms of tuning stability, but locking tuners can't hurt and they certainly make string changes a breeze.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

Sperzels are good tuners, but on an SG, I'd rather keep the double ring keystone look, personally. Gotoh and Tone Pros make locking Kluson style tuners, though I don't think you can get them with double-ring buttons. Or you can get Grover lockers and put plated keystones on them.

SGs were simply made to sport those double-ring keystones. Nothing else looks quite right to me:

img_0598.jpg
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

The previous owner of my new R9 historic LP put Sperzel Lockers on it and it just doesn't look right. He did it himself and butchered the install, to boot. I don't think they are really worth putting on an SG Standard with a Stop Bar tailpiece.

If you still want locking tuners, look at the Tone Pros lockers, which will keep a somewhat original appearance. I'd leave any installation to a pro.

If you are having tuning stability issues, get a good set up. Try a different brand of string. Change strings regularly; mine last only 12-15 hours of gig time--less in the studio. Try the Big Bend's Nut Sauce on the nut and the saddle slots--it really helps.

Make sure you are winding the string properly. The Martin Guitar website has a excellent tutorial on installing strings.

Bill
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

ALL sperzels have 12:1 ratio, big nono to me... I'd Go Grover or Gotoh
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

I like Sperzels more for the convenience of easier/faster string changes. I also like the look of them.

Iommi has Sperzels on his SG's.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

I think it's probably a convention thing for me, but I like seeing strings wound onto the peg. I've got a Tele that has Sperzels, and while I can't deny that they do their job very well, I don't think I like them, but I'll be damned if I can give you a reason as to why. If you wind strings onto the peg the right way to begin with, I don't think you need a locking tuner. Again, just my 2 cents.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

I put Grover locking Rotomatics on a Les Paul I once had and they dropped right in - no need to redrill any holes and it looked stock until you looked very closely. They worked just as well as Sperzels. I'd get them again if I had to.

That being said, I like Sperzels and Schallers on my other guitars.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

i have a set of Sperzel's that came off a les paul and that i in turn installed on a Wolfgang neck... made them work on that parts mutt guitar as they were the only 3x3 tuners i had at the time, odd with a floyd but they are just plain quicker to change strings...

after seeing them on the 70's Les Paul that they came off of i'm not sure i'd install them on a Gibson... they had to fill the tuner holes and re-drill and reem for installing the original tuners back in..

i'd look into tuners that are locking and a direct fit for your guitar...

i will add my own 76 Deluxe has never stayed in tune for me... 20 years ago i had a tech install Gotoh tuner's, changed the bridge to a Gotoh too after a mishap bent the original... new nut... i still knock it out of tune easy...
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

thanks whofan for the heads up, sounds like installs are complex with old drillhole/new drillhole

thanks, good luck with the 76 in the future
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

If you're not hung up on looks the planet waves tuners will go right in with no modifications.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

B2D said:
I put Grover locking Rotomatics on a Les Paul I once had and they dropped right in - no need to redrill any holes and it looked stock until you looked very closely. They worked just as well as Sperzels. I'd get them again if I had to.

That being said, I like Sperzels and Schallers on my other guitars.
Click to expand...

Same for me. I replaced the std. tuners on my Singlecut SE. Not because the tuners were bad, just because I liked the looks of the butter beans better.

Hey, they work. String changes are fast and it seems that they're faster to tune then the regular ones.

Schallers were the next choice but I chose the Grovers for the price and looks.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

Are you sure that the nut is properly cut? A lot of tuning issues are blamed on the tuners while the nut is the actual problem.
I know you like dropped tunings so you probably use a heavier set of strings compared to what comes stock on SG's. In that case, you should get a new nut cut to the proper height and width for the heavier set of strings.

Also keep in mind that too much added mass on the headstock can cause the neck to dive on SG's.
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

I use super slinky 8 strings...thanks for all the feedback :) lots to consider, definitely dont want worse tuning or (more) sg neckdive

many thanks all, thanks Nightburst, I got stuffz to consider, they are new tuners, they are prolly fine, I am just a gassologist looking to improve if possible :beerchug:
 
Re: sperzel locking tuners for Gibson sg standard?

those locking Klunson's sound like the right tuners... mind ya the metal locking knobs may look odd at first but i like them...

when it comes to most Gibson style headstocks, and pointy headstocks i find the extra angles the strings bend at the nut to the sides to the tuners help them bind... more friction then a headstock design like a Fender or a Music Man where the strings pass thru the nut and go straight to the tuners...

plus with a SG/Les Paul style headstock you get the angled back headstock design too... helps tone but helps string binding too...
 
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