Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
I am generally a fan of locking tuners, primarily because they make string changes so effortless and secondly because I hate winding strings and they don't slip, helping me stay in tune better.
However, since I purchased the vintage split shaft tuners with the hole in the top, I am converted. These are so easy to use, and I thought I had found a new way to wind them which locked the string in place very nicely, but then I was browsing the Kineman site, and found this diagram, which is just how I string them up. I was also interested to read that Chris Kineman thinks that the LESS winds you put on the tuner, the better. I guess there are several schools of thought, and whatever works for you is great, but I thought I'd share this diagram I found.
Anyhow, unless I decide to put together a strat with a floyd, I will use these vintage style tuners from now on. I've NEVER had a strat stay in tune better. My only beef is that I can't adjust the tension of the knobs and how tough/easy they are to tune. Small price to pay for me.
Basically you need to keep the turns around the shafts to a minimum. In 1984 I developed a way of limiting this to half a turn and with no slippage, provided you have the split shaft tuners such as Klusons or Gotoh (my favorites because the split in the shaft allows you to lock the string on with an absolute minimum of turns). Many players believe that wrapping all of the excess string around the tuner shafts will prevent slippage but actually the reverse is true. All those overlapping turns provide a lot of scope for slippage and sudden re-seating. Same goes for tying strings onto the tuner shaft.First step, cut the E & A strings 25mm (1") past the corresponding shaft and poke the end into the hole at the bottom of the split. Then, after bending the string sharply out of the slot and with the string pulled tight with your fingers (see daig 3 and 4 below), wind the string around the shaft and up to pitch.Second step, cut the D, G, B & E strings cut 40mm (1 -5/8") past the respective shafts (shown in diagram 1 below). Poke the end into the hole and wind tightly around the shaft for 1/2 turn, then lead it back through the slot again (for a second time) and continue winding up to pitch. Take care to ensure that on the second pass through the slot that the string exits the slot underneath the first loop of string, not on top of it (see diag 2 below). This helps to maintain more break angle over the nut by providing a steeper exit angle behind the nut.
However, since I purchased the vintage split shaft tuners with the hole in the top, I am converted. These are so easy to use, and I thought I had found a new way to wind them which locked the string in place very nicely, but then I was browsing the Kineman site, and found this diagram, which is just how I string them up. I was also interested to read that Chris Kineman thinks that the LESS winds you put on the tuner, the better. I guess there are several schools of thought, and whatever works for you is great, but I thought I'd share this diagram I found.
Anyhow, unless I decide to put together a strat with a floyd, I will use these vintage style tuners from now on. I've NEVER had a strat stay in tune better. My only beef is that I can't adjust the tension of the knobs and how tough/easy they are to tune. Small price to pay for me.
Basically you need to keep the turns around the shafts to a minimum. In 1984 I developed a way of limiting this to half a turn and with no slippage, provided you have the split shaft tuners such as Klusons or Gotoh (my favorites because the split in the shaft allows you to lock the string on with an absolute minimum of turns). Many players believe that wrapping all of the excess string around the tuner shafts will prevent slippage but actually the reverse is true. All those overlapping turns provide a lot of scope for slippage and sudden re-seating. Same goes for tying strings onto the tuner shaft.First step, cut the E & A strings 25mm (1") past the corresponding shaft and poke the end into the hole at the bottom of the split. Then, after bending the string sharply out of the slot and with the string pulled tight with your fingers (see daig 3 and 4 below), wind the string around the shaft and up to pitch.Second step, cut the D, G, B & E strings cut 40mm (1 -5/8") past the respective shafts (shown in diagram 1 below). Poke the end into the hole and wind tightly around the shaft for 1/2 turn, then lead it back through the slot again (for a second time) and continue winding up to pitch. Take care to ensure that on the second pass through the slot that the string exits the slot underneath the first loop of string, not on top of it (see diag 2 below). This helps to maintain more break angle over the nut by providing a steeper exit angle behind the nut.
