Cheap tuners - good value or waste of money?

[TrevorR]

Well, if the Wal Tuners thread is anything to go by you should buy some Schallers. If they break in 20 years time the MD of the company will pop over and fix them for you!

[Fionn]

Maybe hunt out another cheap Thunder, with good tuners, potentially even with other things wrong with it which are good on your current Thunder. Make one complete and working Thunder with original parts, and mod the hell out of the other one using quality components? Check out post #65 in the Westone Porn thread, and imagine it with black hardware ...
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/68900-westone-porn-thread/page__st__60__p__2221411__hl__westone%20thunder%20modified__fromsearch__1#entry2221411"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry2221411[/url]

Nothing to do with cheap tuners (I still haven't received mine yet), but a nice thought, is it not?

Edited September 2, 2016 by Fionn

[tauzero]

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1472663507' post='3123072']
My thought was that Warwick purchase them in bulk and thus get OEM pricing which is passed on to customers. The quality seems good and they work well enough on Warwick basses which is why I also have a set waiting to go in the current bass build. Now what can I call it that begins with W?
[/quote]

A Wossname?

I've bought a few cheapo tuners, and I've probably got them on my Antoniotsais. The quality has been a bit variable, none have been up to the quality of the tuners on my Warwicks but most have been perfectly acceptable.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1472750868' post='3123936']
Cheers! Click on the Myspace link in my sig, and The Gift and When It's All Over are on that bass. Crumbs.. recorded over 8 years ago!
Rather like this one as well, although glad to report I've had a haircut since!
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3AfKFkErR4"]https://www.youtube....h?v=w3AfKFkErR4[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for the yooboob link. If you have a myspace link in your sig file it will not show up here. I run script blockers and social networks are on the blocking list.

[Fionn]

Here's a set of Vantage (another Matsumoku make, of the same era) tuners for sale. Re-branded Gotoh's ...
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/291113-vantage-gotoh-tuners-22-2-full-sets-to-give-away/page__pid__3125160#entry3125160

[Grangur]

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1472906692' post='3125256']
Here's a set of Vantage (another Matsumoku make, of the same era) tuners for sale. Re-branded Gotoh's ...
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/291113-vantage-gotoh-tuners-22-2-full-sets-to-give-away/page__pid__3125160#entry3125160
[/quote]

Ace opportunity! Many thanks

[Smythe]

I've always found with higher quality tuners you get a better tuning response per turn and the teeth on the turning cogs hold your tune better. I can always remember a cheap bass I had in the past that had black painted tuners had a chip on the cog part, and I could see when it would slip back a few teeth.

Edited September 3, 2016 by Smythe

[Fionn]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472907194' post='3125264']
Ace opportunity! Many thanks
[/quote]

No probs man. I hope you got them. You could pop the wee metal disc with the Westone logo straight into one of those. They are the same tuners as are already on your bass.

[Grangur]

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1472979334' post='3125662']


No probs man. I hope you got them. You could pop the wee metal disc with the Westone logo straight into one of those. They are the same tuners as are already on your bass.
[/quote]

Yes, I got a set. Plus our good friend with the tuners is running in a 10k run in aid of the Samaritans. So I was invited to make a donation. Did so, with pleasure, of course.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Chris-Kowalski1

... just in case anyone else would like to give to this admirable cause.

[Fionn]

In answer to the original question, for anyone who might still be interested ...

I've had my new £6.91 set of tuners on a bass for a couple of days now, playing the hell out of it.

They are absolutely fine. No complaints whatsoever. In terms of gearing, they feel like the 1:20 ratio Schallers I'm used to. The turning action is smooth, and the overall finish is decent enough, although not as nice as you'd find on a more expensive set, sure.

The said tuners ... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151848365468

[Grangur]

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1473189689' post='3127893']
In answer to the original question, for anyone who might still be interested ...

I've had my new £6.91 set of tuners on a bass for a couple of days now, playing the hell out of it.

They are absolutely fine. No complaints whatsoever. In terms of gearing, they feel like the 1:20 ratio Schallers I'm used to. The turning action is smooth, and the overall finish is decent enough, although not as nice as you'd find on a more expensive set, sure.

The said tuners ... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151848365468
[/quote]

Thanks for the update. It's good to hear your findings.

[Baxter]

I wanted to upgrade a set on an Ibanez once and I got a set of staggs from somewhere. I decided to push the boat out and got a set of Grovers. Turns out they were exactly the same as the staggs right down to the casting marks. The only difference was the Grover name on the caps

Edited September 20, 2016 by Baxter