New grovers - can't get them all the way in

espskully

espskully

New member
I bought a set of Grovers for my Gibson J30 acoustic. They are the right size but won't go all the way thru - I lightly tapped with a mallet but it didn't work and I don't want to hit it too hard. Any suggestions, or do I need to take it in to a tech? I'm nervous about messing with the holes on the headstock myself.
 
They need to be reamed out, but probably just a very little bit. You probably don't have the reamer, and probably don't want to try to do it yourself, as it is very easy to go too far. Whatever you do, do NOT use a drill to try and enlarge the hole. Bad, bad idea, that.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
A "rat tail" file is the tool you need, and a light touch. Carefully enlarge the holes just enough so the machine fits. A "chain saw" file (used to sharpen chain saws) works nicely for this job too.
 
If you would like to complete this job DIY without a reamer, your tool of choice would be sandpaper rolled into a tube. 150 grit would be about right. Try to get fairly stiff paper. Take your time. Be careful of your finish even where your work will not show. I personnally would not mask the area as tape may pull up some loose finish around the edges.

A qualified luthier probably not charge much to ream the holes for you. He should be able to quote this job over the phone.
 
Hate to be a bore but ignore all of the above with the exception of lights info. On that guitar it is not worth messing with DIY dodges on such a cheap and easy job. Any decent luthier or tech will have a half dozen reamers one of which will be the right size. It will cut a perfect hole and will cost you very little. It is VERY VERY VERY easy to get the holes off centre and off the perpendicular with the the wrong tools without being aware of it. OK on a junker not good on a decent guitar.

By the way a Mallet is definitely not the right tool;)
 
Thanks guys - I'm going to take a trip to the Luthier. I have to get my LP Custom worked on anyway.

Cheers
 
Zaphod B said:
You're probably not a great fan of duct tape and baling wire, either. ;) :D
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Rubbish. The anything can be done with just duct tape and/or wd40.

If it moves and it shouldn't use duct tape.
if it doesn't move when it should use wd40.
If you then can't stop it moving use more duct tape.
To get the duct tape off use wd40......

Its a symbiotic thing one is no good without the other.....;)
 
muttley600 said:
Rubbish. The anything can be done with just duct tape and/or wd40.

If it moves and it shouldn't use duct tape.
if it doesn't move when it should use wd40.
If you then can't stop it moving use more duct tape.
To get the duct tape off use wd40......

Its a symbiotic thing one is no good without the other.....;)
Click to expand...

Ah, symbiosis. :D
 
muttley600 said:
Hate to be a bore but ignore all of the above with the exception of lights info. On that guitar it is not worth messing with DIY dodges on such a cheap and easy job. Any decent luthier or tech will have a half dozen reamers one of which will be the right size. It will cut a perfect hole and will cost you very little. It is VERY VERY VERY easy to get the holes off centre and off the perpendicular with the the wrong tools without being aware of it. OK on a junker not good on a decent guitar.

By the way a Mallet is definitely not the right tool;)
Click to expand...

I wish I had known this...I have always drilled them with the correct size bit for the tuning key shaft (big damn bit). Luckily, I have never screwed up a headstock doing this, although I've only done 4 or 5 guitars. I just took it very slow and easy.

Glad to know there is a better way.
 
jimistone said:
I wish I had known this...I have always drilled them with the correct size bit for the tuning key shaft (big damn bit). Luckily, I have never screwed up a headstock doing this, although I've only done 4 or 5 guitars. I just took it very slow and easy.

Glad to know there is a better way.
Click to expand...
You can drill a decent peg hole with a drill bit that will work. The best thing to use is a Forsner bit. There are a lot of things to watch. First you need to get a snug fit, not too tight not too loose, so the correct size bit is essential. As light said to ENLARGE a peg hole you need to ream, you will get into all sorts of problems trying to re drill them. If you really MUST drill larger holes the only way to do it safely and accurately is to bush or plug the existing holes. When drilling the initial hole you need to keep several things in mind. Make sure you centre the bit exactly on the spot. Make sure the exit point is well secured against a false plate of wood to avoid breakout. Go slow with both the drill speed and pressure to avoid wandering.

The reason I and most others use a reamer to finish the hole is that is gives you several advantages which end with a perfectly sized and centred hole. With a reamer you can make very slight adjustments to the angle of the cut. You can finish the hole without fear of breaking out the wood or finish, you can get an exact sized hole, most decent tuners will fit better in a reamed hole.

Another reason I always use them is that my headstocks are tapered in the thickness from the nut to the tip. A lot of headstocks are made that way it's a small detail not many people notice and is very common on archtops. Not by much but enough to mean that the hole cannot be cut at right angles to the face. A reamer allows you to get the angle right once the pilot hole has been drilled.
 
muttley600 said:
Hate to be a bore but ignore all of the above with the exception of lights info. On that guitar it is not worth messing with DIY dodges on such a cheap and easy job. Any decent luthier or tech will have a half dozen reamers one of which will be the right size. It will cut a perfect hole and will cost you very little. It is VERY VERY VERY easy to get the holes off centre and off the perpendicular with the the wrong tools without being aware of it. OK on a junker not good on a decent guitar.

By the way a Mallet is definitely not the right tool;)
Click to expand...

ignore muttley, I can tell you as a machininst with over thirty years exp. there is no such thing as a perfect hole.:eek:
 
certainly don't use a drill!

A good reamer costs enough that if you're never gonna need one for anything else ..... take it to the tech.
 
Dani Pace said:
A "rat tail" file is the tool you need, and a light touch. Carefully enlarge the holes just enough so the machine fits. A "chain saw" file (used to sharpen chain saws) works nicely for this job too.
Click to expand...

Only if you are a complete fucking idiot.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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