Which tuners would you choose?

Re: Which tuners would you choose?

First, no effing Klusons!

Of those suggested, I'll go Tulip on the Standard.

However, personally, I'd go with these, because I'm classy like that:

12357_Les_Paul_Custom_Ace_Frehley_Budokan_74_Aged_ACE_FREHLEY_052_d.jpg

Show me the rest of this guitar!
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

I like the tulips myself. I have both kinds on various guitars, I think tulips look right on Gibsons and beans look good on my Rickenbackers
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

update on my previous post....
if these tuners are for your new les paul then don't get either. The axe is perfect as it is.
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

Neither. They are both poor quality tuners these days. I'd get yourself a set of Hipshots, Gotohs, Schallers, or Sperzels.

Well stated, why go with 50's technology, when later developed tuners are better!
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

Is this even a question? Keystones for sure.

But definitely check out Schaller and Sperzel. Those companies make great tuners.
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

hipshots.
18:1 ratio and handsome. open, closed, locking, nonlocking.

you can swap out the buttons for $10 on ebay or the hipshot site, keystones, pearl, ebony, etc.
 
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Re: Which tuners would you choose?

Those are cool!! Do they require drilling like sperzels do tho??

They don't have a pin on the back(like Sperzels), so no drilling would be needed provided that the holes in the peg head are the right size.

For the OP's guitar these are a better choice. They make a locking version, but it isn't really necessary on a hardtail guitar. It may look like a kluson, but it's a better tuner than stock or Grover Rotomatics (at least recent ones). It also won't add a bunch of mass to the headstock that could change how the neck resonates or induce neck-dive.
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

I'm looking for a better way to solidify tuning. I don't know if it's that I'm not stretching the strings right and I'm bending all over the place or if there is something wrong with my guitar.

There comes a time where it holds it's tuning but the tuning heads just feel so hard to move sometimes, like I just need to rotate it a tiny amount but I end up going past the pitch because of the force I have to put on the machine head.

I put some locking sperzels I have on it for a little while but I didn't like them on my Les Paul.
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

Get the nut slots cleaned up by a tech before you go changing tuners. Also try a little Superlube paste in the nut slots once you've had them cleaned up. The paste makes it a little harder to dress the slots properly.
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

Get the nut slots cleaned up by a tech before you go changing tuners. Also try a little Superlube paste in the nut slots once you've had them cleaned up. The paste makes it a little harder to dress the slots properly.

+1

I find most tuning problems are caused by a binding nut rather than problematic tuning machines. I have two guitars with those Gibson Deluxe tuners, an SG Standard and ES-335 fatneck. The tuners on the 335 hold tune really well, and I probably won't replace them (a first for me :lol:). The SG tuners OTOH are loose, floppy, and just awful. A set of locking Gotoh Klusons will be going on when I change the strings next.
 
Re: Which tuners would you choose?

In my experience the nut/tuners are inseparable. I've had problems where a new nut solved everything, but also situations where I thought I had a bad nut & putting on precise locking tuners (so there was no string wind to bunch up behind the nut) immediately fixed the problem.

But if you're really sensitive to stuff being out of tune ditch both the gibson stock nut & tuners immediately... both suck.

Get some locking 18:1 or higher tuners and a Tusq XL nut and use a very small wind (1 full rotation or less, so the string can't rub against itself). Life-changing.
 
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Re: Which tuners would you choose?

/pile on: ON

When I swapped tuners on my Ibby 335 copy, Grovers were the shiz. Now I'd go for Gotohs or Schallers.

The look isn't my thing; I'm a kidney bean guy, but that's because I have big fingers. Tulips only feel good on my organ. ;) :naughty:
 
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