Squier tuners

[gary mac]

I'm planning on removing the silly little tuners on my squier neck and replacing with proper man size ones.

Before I get cracking with sand paper and drill bits is there any reason not to do it? What I mean is, is there a reason other than cost for the little tuners?

[attachment=75124:020.JPG]


The holes will need opening out a fair bit as the shaft is a much smaller diameter than standard tuners.


I suppose the other option would be a replacement that looks more traditional but has the smaller shaft, is such a tuner available?


Anyway, that's it I'll await the usual sound advice from more knowledgable BC'ers than me, thanks.


Gary

[hillbilly deluxe]

No reason not to do it.I would make sure that the hole centers are the same distance from the straight edge at the top of the headstock though.I would imagine that it's a fairly common mod.

[Ou7shined]

Placement can be quite tricky as headstocks built to accommodate smaller tuners tend to be smaller as well. Centre the holes too near the top (ie where they are now) and your larger machine-head base plates will stick out over the top, bring them down too far and you add a horizontal kink in the strings as they have to now negotiate a wider capstan. The best thing to do is strip your new tuners so they will sit on the front of the headstock and then mock up the positions with threads (as strings) coming from the bridge, over the nut, under your string retainer (if necessary) and finally around the capstans. Hold it all down with blu-tac or whatever then remove the capstans and mark in pencil the areas you want to remove.

[gary mac]

Thanks for the pointers.

I'll try that.

[neepheid]

I've done it twice - it looks better and feels sturdier:

Squier Affinity P




Squier Bronco




The E tuner on the Bronco was a bit tricky and has resulted in a bit of an angle between the nut and the tuner, but I couldn't have gone much higher with it. Lots of room on the P.

Edited March 20, 2011 by neepheid

[gary mac]

I was starting to think that maybe I wouldn't bother, but seeing your P bass Neepheid has made me all determined again. You're right it does look better, the little ones to me just look and feel all wrong.

So what method did you use to enlarge the holes and get everything lined up?

[neepheid]

[quote name='gary mac' post='1169635' date='Mar 20 2011, 04:17 PM']I was starting to think that maybe I wouldn't bother, but seeing your P bass Neepheid has made me all determined again. You're right it does look better, the little ones to me just look and feel all wrong.

So what method did you use to enlarge the holes and get everything lined up?[/quote]

I used a drill press with the appropriately sized drill bit.

[gary mac]

Thanks, maybe in my head I was making it more complicated than necessary.

I haven't got a drill press but know a man who has.

So just a case of finding the right size drill bit now.