Wrap-lock headless tuner concept by Sankeyguitars

[PlungerModerno]

I'm not sure where to post this really: http://www.sankeyguitars.com/whatsnew/2018/10/1/new-invention-wrap-lock-headless-tuner It's from a few years ago, and the examples are all guitars - but I can see it working with tapered or exposed core bass strings without scaling it up significantly. Not sure if it would be that useful on most basses with all wound strings but a piccolo bass or a six string (or more) with plain strings might benefit immensely over some of the standard set screw arrangements.

I think I might have stumbled across a possible path to tool-less headless single-ball-end string changes, if only you could implement a nifty automatic clipping system like some locking tuners have!

Does anybody know of something that exists that does all this singing and dancing? The closest I can think of is the  NS Design Self-Clamping Tuning System which you still will want to clip the strings for - even if it was on the market as a bridge seems like a lot of routing, forces a certain string spacing, and would not allow for rear or other interesting, shrouded or angled tuner arrangements due to the tuning knobs being where they are (like a volume knob, 90 degrees from the usual headless arrangement, parallel to the strings).

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by PlungerModerno
Inserted pic. It really needed a pic.

[itu]

The picture is cropped, so I suppose there is a bridge? That kind of a system moves the string so much that fine tuning would be next to impossible. Status, Steinberger and all others using double ball end strings have similar bridges.

How about Phil Kubicki Ex-Factor:

[BigRedX]

You need to look at all the photos in the link provided in the OP for this system to make complete sense. 

I was struggling to see how this worked for both tuning and intonation adjustment, and why the "return" on the string didn't interfere with it until looking at the other photographs I realised that these are just the tail-pieces and there is a completely separate bridge that goes with the system.

[PlungerModerno]

1 hour ago, itu said:

The picture is cropped, so I suppose there is a bridge? That kind of a system moves the string so much that fine tuning would be next to impossible. Status, Steinberger and all others using double ball end strings have similar bridges.

How about Phil Kubicki Ex-Factor:

 

41 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

You need to look at all the photos in the link provided in the OP for this system to make complete sense. 

I was struggling to see how this worked for both tuning and intonation adjustment, and why the "return" on the string didn't interfere with it until looking at the other photographs I realised that these are just the tail-pieces and there is a completely separate bridge that goes with the system.

Yup there's a bridge in that implementation, a slightly longer sleeve/tube and you could easily add a side-clamping set screw or front adjustment screw and a saddle (I say easily, it would be fairly detailed to make it easy to access in such a tiny footprint in single saddle form. I think a separate saddle assembly or individual saddles may be a better overall approach, depending on what you're after of course.

@itu - the Kubicki solution is like the NS Design solution. I like the angle of the tuning knobs more, at least to look at, but it has a lot of the same issues (availability, how to vary string spacing, routing requirements). Other than that it's a beast of a bridge with a fanbase it's clearly earned.

@BigRedX Yup the single pic is quite confusing. I added it in an edit lol.