Tuners...Gotoh, Grover, Schaller?

[Hard2Hear]

Who do you think makes the best tuners out there? Looks, turning smoothness, ease of tuning, stability...all important factors in considering replacement tuners.

H2H

 

[sile2001]

For locking tuners, I've been really happy with the Sperzels on my ESP. They look nice, turn very smoothly, are very accurate, and I've never had them slip before. While it's a fixed bridge and not a trem, I do play that ESP pretty hard and very rarely have to retune. The locks also make string changing much MUCH faster.

 

[hixmix]

Grovers and Schallers.

Aren't Gotoh's just cheaper Grover wannabes?

 

[Easto]

I personally prefer Sperzels.

 

[zed32]

i like Grovers, have em on my Schecter and they work great. they turn nice and smooth with a good amount of resistance, and they dont "turn themselves" so its harder to accidentally de-tune them. tuning is real easy.

 

[Light]

Grovers and Schallers.

Aren't Gotoh's just cheaper Grover wannabes?

Not even kind of.


There is not a better made gear on the market than the Gotoh 510 series. Period, end of story, no question about it. I do not know of a single high end maker who will not acknowledge it. Their machining is about 200% better than anything else out there, they are SMOOOOOOOTH, they have NO backlash, the gear posts have not wiggle in them (grab the post on any other gear and wiggle - you don't get that with 510's), and their plating is impeccable.

I would NEVER use another gear on one of my guitars, not anymore.

Get 510s, and you will be happy with them.

Oh yeah, and they have a higher gear ratio than Schallers or Grovers, so your tuning is more accurate.


Light

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

 

[foo]

What Light said . . .

I had Grovers on a Les Paul, Schallers on my Strat, have had Sperzels and had Gotohs on an Ibanez.

Gotohs - hands down.

 

[gibsonguy09]

I think grover tuners. I put grover tuners on my acoustic and i like them. just a thought..

 

[lpdeluxe]

Another vote for Gotohs.

Over the years I have replaced a lot of tuners, and I have now settled on Gotohs as being the most consistent, best quality, and generally nicest finished of the various brands. The only flaw is that they don't make a model for slotted headstocks like my Dobro.

 

[Hard2Hear]

I've noticed alot of places selling those Gotoh 510's refer to them as "Super Tuners". I may try a set of them out on one of my guitars. They have a distinct look to them, also. They're pretty pricey, too.

H2H

 

[Henri Devill]

Lets just say Klusons SUCK

 

[tdukex]

Not even kind of.


There is not a better made gear on the market than the Gotoh 510 series...I would NEVER use another gear on one of my guitars, not anymore.

Get 510s, and you will be happy with them...


Light

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

What about the other Gotoh tuners? Are they also superior to the Shallers and Grovers in your opinion. The 510s are a little pricey.

My Webber has Shallers, which are nice. I'm wondering exactly what would be a worthwhile upgrade.

Thanks

 

[lpdeluxe]

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/...ll-size_Guitar_Machines/Pictures.html#details
Boy, ain't they pretty! I don't know if it'd be worth it to go from Schallers to Gotohs, but to go from Klusons or no-name Asian tuners to Gotohs is a serious improvement. I just got an Epiphone Biscuit with Grovers, and they will stay on it...but, had it arrived with the typical older style offshore tuners, they would already have been replaced.

Actually, my namesake git, a Les Paul Deluxe goldtop, has Kluson Deluxe tuners, but there are SOME limits! No tuner upgrade for Mr Lester.

 

[Henri Devill]

Actually, my namesake git, a Les Paul Deluxe goldtop, has Kluson Deluxe tuners, but there are SOME limits! No tuner upgrade for Mr Lester.

I also have the Klusons on my Les Pauls also..Im trying to get the balls to change them out I put Sperzels on my 96' Special, it seems like I violated its looks..but it works much better..The Kluson tuners on my R7 absolutly suck!Those Gotohs 510's look classie...Maybe.................

 

[Richard Monroe]

Grovers definitely come in different versions. I've got Grovers on my Epi Les Paul, and they are "adequate", nothing special. The Grovers on my Taylor are great. I wish I new more about the model numbers. I did a google search on Gotoh and the tuners certainly look good, especially the Delta series. 18:1? Sweet. The question is, who sells the entire line, and where can you get information regarding their compatibility with various headstocks?-Richie

 

[lpdeluxe]

Here's a place to start

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners.html
Stewart-McDonald is very thorough in giving the specs, post diameters, etc for all the tuning heads they sell. In my experience I have always had to drill out the holes to go from cheapos to Gotohs or Grovers.

 

[acorec]

Not even kind of.


There is not a better made gear on the market than the Gotoh 510 series. Period, end of story, no question about it. I do not know of a single high end maker who will not acknowledge it. Their machining is about 200% better than anything else out there, they are SMOOOOOOOTH, they have NO backlash, the gear posts have not wiggle in them (grab the post on any other gear and wiggle - you don't get that with 510's), and their plating is impeccable.

I would NEVER use another gear on one of my guitars, not anymore.

Get 510s, and you will be happy with them.

Oh yeah, and they have a higher gear ratio than Schallers or Grovers, so your tuning is more accurate.


Light

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

I gotta say, I like the stock Gibson pearl plastic tuners and the stock Fender tuners. I like the look, and since I can't play worth a damn, I don't care if it goes into tune, stays in tune, or any combonation of these. All I got is the looks, and that is all I will ever have.

Can Gotohs beat that?

 

[reshp1]

I gotta say, I like the stock Gibson pearl plastic tuners and the stock Fender tuners. I like the look, and since I can't play worth a damn, I don't care if it goes into tune, stays in tune, or any combonation of these. All I got is the looks, and that is all I will ever have.

Can Gotohs beat that?

The gibson pearl tuners are absolute horse shit. I've not seen tuners that go out of tune faster. You can't bend more than a whole note without the things slipping a mile on you. I can wiggle every part (knob, post, case) 1/8" relative to each other, how the fuck do they expect to stay in tune with that much play? I will be replacing those VERY soon, my SG may actually be playable then.
I've tried the Sperzels on my strat and they are very nice. definitely a dramatic improvement in tuning stability.

 

[freshmattyp]

I've used a bunch. My J45 has Waverly's, my Gretsch and Fender Jag both have Sperzels, I have locking Grover's on my Tele, and regular grovers on my Guild Jumbo. I think of all of them, I'd go with the Sperzels for future electrics, and Grover Sta-Tites for Acoustics. I'm not sure the Waverly's are worth the extra $$'s. I hate the vintage style Klusons. I can't make them stay in tune for anything.

 

[lpdeluxe]

I really don't have problems with guitars going out of tune*: my distaste for cheaper tuners (and Klusons and the rest) is simply that they are difficult to tune in the first place. My Gotohs are invariably smooth, easy to tighten or loosen in very small increments, and good looking. The other tuners exhibit the opposites. It seems like the further I get from the era of tuning forks and into electronic tuners, the pickier I am about the ability of the instrument to actually attain the pitch I want.
__________
*Many years ago, a luthier showed me how to string up steel strings so they don't slip. Even pitiful tuners WILL stay in tune if you wrap 'em right.