Cheap Harley Benton acoustic - has anyone swapped the tuners?

[Huge Hands]

Good evening fellow basschatters. 

About 4 years ago I bought a B stock Harley Benton black 5 string acoustic from Thomann. I strung it with Roto 88's and it just sits in my lounge for when the occasion takes me.

Tonight, I picked it up and the G-string wouldn't tighten, only slacken. All of a sudden there was a twang and the string went slack. I thought I'd snapped the string or core, but I now realise the tuning peg is broken. I can turn the wound peg over a quarter turn with my fingers with no resistance and it won't turn in the tighten direction using the cloverleaf equivalent (handle?) 

My question is - has anyone upgraded theirs? What did you buy? Did they fit without any fettling?

Apart from this, I only own Fender style basses so am used to huge cloverleaf things - I don't have a box of spares that will fit this.

Any help would be appreciated! I'm happy to spend a few quid on some new tuners to keep it going.

[Huge Hands]

Hi all,

I should add that I spotted that you can buy HB replacements at Thomann - I'm not looking to put the same ones in if I can help it - was hoping to get something better built.

Anyone?

[KiOgon]

There should be something here: https://hipshotproducts.com/collections/bass-tuning

[Huge Hands]

2 hours ago, KiOgon said:

There should be something here: https://hipshotproducts.com/collections/bass-tuning

Thanks Kiogon

Their 3/8 Y ultralites look about right.  I was kind of hoping someone might have done the same to the same bass to confirm they will fit etc before I take the plunge....

[tauzero]

Or try Warwick - https://shop.warwick.de/en/Parts+for+Instruments/Parts+for+Basses/Machine+Heads and look about halfway down the page at the Warwick machine heads. For example https://shop.warwick.de/en/Parts+for+Instruments/Parts+for+Basses/Machine+Heads/Warwick+Parts+-+Warwick+Machinehead,+Left+_Bass+Side_+-+Satin+Chrome at 13 euros a pop. I'm not going to pull the machine heads off my HB acoustic to check, but they look compatible.

[Dan Dare]

Got a set of Grover clover leaf tuners on my Bitsa P. Decent and won't break the bank - around £65. Google "Grover bass tuners".- 

[Huge Hands]

5 hours ago, tauzero said:

Or try Warwick - https://shop.warwick.de/en/Parts+for+Instruments/Parts+for+Basses/Machine+Heads and look about halfway down the page at the Warwick machine heads. For example https://shop.warwick.de/en/Parts+for+Instruments/Parts+for+Basses/Machine+Heads/Warwick+Parts+-+Warwick+Machinehead,+Left+_Bass+Side_+-+Satin+Chrome at 13 euros a pop. I'm not going to pull the machine heads off my HB acoustic to check, but they look compatible.

Thanks @tauzero.  They certainly look the same.  I liked the idea of the Hipshots with the open gears, but a set would probably be more expensive than the bass itself! 

As there are a lot of tinkerers on here and everyone is obsessed with telling me to change the hardware on my Sire, I figured someone would have done this!

I might take a punt on the Warwicks.  Probably still more than the bass cost me, but probably worth it to keep it going.

[Huge Hands]

For anyone else that may be interested in this, I found this site:

https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Electric_Bass_Tuning_Machines/

I think they are based in the US, meaning it would probably involve import taxes so probably won't buy from here, but each item has a full measurement drawing for the tuning peg.

Time to get the old ruler out!  

[Huge Hands]

Ok, I know it sounds like I'm talking to myself on my own thread, but I thought I'd update for reference in case anyone else is thinking of doing this. After a bit of measuring and looking at the various site specs, I plumped for a set of Gotoh GB707 tuners.

The bushings were a much more snug fit but everything went in easily without any problems or modifications once I'd found a 15mm spanner to get the nuts off.

I've attached a couple of photos. The tuners look a little on the wonk compared to each other - they are all in the original holes, so the originals were the same! The string windings have been tidied since the photo - this was my attempt to put the same strings back on to test without messing about! Although they fit through the same headstock holes, the winding posts are a lot wider too, so gives a sense of much better quality  

All in all, it is £50 of tuners on a guitar that cost me £70, but I'm happy with it and it means my lounge bass still lives.

There you go....hello? Oh yes, that's right - I'm talking to myself.... 😀