Tuners - Grovers, etc.

J

Jethro_Dull

New member
How much would you pay, including shipping, if you wanted (but didn't HAVE to have): 6 Gibson Grover Les Paul Rotomatic TUNERS Chrome?

Grovers.jpg

Additionally, just for fun, please name your top five favorite brand of tuners.

I guess I'd go with (no particular order):

1. Grovers
2. Schallers
3. Gibson
4. Fender
5. Godin
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

Like many brands whose names were established and held in great esteem in the 1950/60/70s, many of those names now exist as cheap imitations of their once-great products. Grover tuners are one of these.

I still have a set of '70s Grovers on my Tele, I bought them new back in the day, and they are still as good as the day I bought them. I have since used new Grovers and they are rubbish, despite looking the same.

Schaller is probably the best brand, they were excellent way back then and still the same today (again, I have original '70s ones I bought new and ones I bought recently, and they seem to be equally as good now as they were then. Schaller seem to still be using good-quality metal and fine tolerances).

I always loved Grovers, but in today's world, they are not loveable imho.
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

Wouldn't take them for free. I only use Planet Waves Trim Lok machines , at $58 bucks a set 18-1 ratio and the whole no pokey string ends thing.
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

I wouldn't. I would buy Hipshots with their Grover-style buttons, which would cost about $65 to $75 brand new. Grover tuners are not really much of an "upgrade" these days, though they used to be very good tuners.

Here's Hipshot's product line: http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?c=27&m=product_list. They will be a bit cheaper from one of the retailers who sell on E-Bay. I've had great service from Sporthitech (http://stores.ebay.com/sporthitech?_trksid=p2047675.l2563), as well as HD Custom Guitar Supply (http://stores.ebay.com/HDCustom-Guitar-Supply?_trksid=p2047675.l2563). The tuners won't come with the Grover-style buttons, but Sporthitech offers replacement buttons for just a dollar a piece when you buy a set of tuners.

Five favorite brands:

1. Gotoh (great locking and height adjustable features, and tons of options – several models that fit into old-style small tuner holes, while providing the best modern features)

2. Hipshot (high quality with good options, plus the enclosed models line up with old Schaller drill holes)

3. Sperzel (lightweight and good quality with lots of options, provided by a small and friendly family company – the locking tuner innovators)

4. Schaller (good quality, though expensive and not any better than anything I listed above)

5. Waverly (great quality and extremely lightweight, though they are ungodly expensive, and have more of an acoustic guitar look to them)
 
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Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

I'd never put Grovers on a guitar. It's either Hipshot, Gotoh or Schaller for me, nothing else.
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

I like Schaller or Gotoh and will pick those over Grovers any day.
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

hmm
Fender branded schaller on my candy apple strat
Carvin branded sperzels on my Ibanez
Fender branded Ping on my MIM

thinkin bout putting Grovers on my Martin acoustic
just to make string changes easier

have some off brand Sperzel style tuners on my Seafoam Green Strat
they are junk the locking pins don't fall back when the thumb wheel is released
 
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Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

With a collection of 55 guitars, I use a wide variety of tuners. I'll list Sperzel as my favorite, with Schaller close behind. Not really much to choose between...both are excellent. I would say that the Grovers on my vintage guitars are superior to the modern versions. And you won't see them on very many electric guitars, but the open-back Waverly tuners are generally regarded as the best tuner available in the acoustic guitar market. They are very expensive, but IMO, their reputation is well-deserved. So smooth.

I've never been a big fan of either Fender or Gibson Klusons, but I'd say things seem to have improved...the ones I'm using seem to work very well.

For the most part, I'd say tuner quality is very good these days. If you're having tuning issues, odds are it's not the tuners.

Bill
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

Jethro_Dull said:
IF Sperzels don't have an identifiable logo, etc., what characteristics help identify them? Any photos for examples?
Click to expand...

Sperzel tuners have the name written in a script font on the back of the tuner.

Check their website.

What guitar are these for?

Bill
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

Boogie Bill said:
Sperzel tuners have the name written in a script font on the back of the tuner.

Check their website.

What guitar are these for?

Bill
Click to expand...

I have, more or less, 30 guitars so some are in-line headstocks and some are 3 pegs per side. I have a few RAS kits (with both types of headstocks) so they will have to have upgraded tuners: 2 Strat bodies, 1 Les Paul body & 1 Flying V.

I'll post some pics of some alleged Sperzels and maybe we can see the name (if the pics blow up nicely).
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

Those are old Schallers. Damn good tuners. I have a set like that in chrome and a black set on my '88 Kramer.
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

Jethro_Dull said:
IF Sperzels don't have an identifiable logo, etc., what characteristics help identify them? Any photos for examples?
Click to expand...

A single locating pin sticks out of the surface that contacts the back of the head. Their lock knobs with the stepped pattern are also very identifiable, once you have seen them once. And, of course, they say Sperzel on the rear case of each tuner.
 
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Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

This is no lie - I stole the Grovers off of a Schecter DS Gryphon and replaced them with my "Les Paul" RAS kit tuners. I SWEAR these kit tuners are nice. I've put out a feeler for who makes them and I suspect the feeler will die on the vine and that the answer is "somebody in Asia".:lmao:
 
Re: Tuners - Grovers, etc.

crusty philtrum said:
Like many brands whose names were established and held in great esteem in the 1950/60/70s, many of those names now exist as cheap imitations of their once-great products. Grover tuners are one of these.
Click to expand...

Much truth here.

As an example the newer tonepros "kluson" types (I am assuming Gotoh, like other TP products) are far better than the cheaper Kluson repros Gibson has been using for the past 20+ years. They got with the program on those.

Many of the Grovers today are just not like the old days. Sounds like "cranky old grandpa" talk, but it's true. Especially the really cheap ones they put on modern Epiphones, And other low cost imports (Schecter, etc)
 
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