Teesee Posted October 21 Share Posted October 21 I have a lovely little Bronco I bought for my son in around 2002 - 2003, I recently liberated it from the garage after 20 years cleaned it up added new pots, cap and jack socket, a McNelly pickup to replace the old 6 pole strat, and of course new strings - Roto flats in this case. Sounds lovely and proud, I really like it except for the bridge and machine heads. Bronco parts appear to be like rocking horse poo, even trying to get a pickguard is a nightmare - I'm having a black one made up - but that's a different story! The real horrible thing about this lovely bass are the machine heads/tuners. They have a very coarse adjustment which makes it really hard to get into tune and stay in tune, one slight touch and they'll go up or down a pitch, really horrible. Also they suffer from tightening and loosening in differing arcs of the turn i.e the post will flap about or be rock solid depending where you've turned the key which suggests to me either the 'rack' or the 'pinion' has not been machined to their tolerances. Ideally I'd like a drop in replacement with a finer action as I really don't want to drill out the headstock holes if I can help it and also not exceed the footprint of the back plate where they may interfere with their neighbour when it comes to fitting. The diameter of the post is 9.5 mil, the diameter of the holes in the headstock is 11.5 mil. If need be I will have to drill out the headstock, but that just involves me shelling out more for a drill and or/reamer. I've been going cross eyed and getting a headache trying to find replacement tuners so if any of you guys know what I could get and where I'd really appreciate it. Budget - upto perhaps £70 a set but prefer lower😉 Cheers TC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassApprentice Posted October 21 Share Posted October 21 I did a Bronco project a few years ago and I just bit the bullet and got a local tech to do the tuners for me since I like you, didn't have the tools at the time. Think he changed me about £20 to do it. And the standard size of the tuning pegs fit perfectly on the back so don't worry about a specific set if you are looking to save pennies. I got the tuners from here for about £15 too. Stick an ad up in the Items Wanted section and I'm sure someone round here has a set of tuners in their parts drawer. Super fun things to do and good luck with getting back to working order! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted October 21 Share Posted October 21 Earlpilanz on ebay does replacement Bronco pickguards in all manner of colours. Plenty of folk on here will vouch for his work, and I’ve had a few custom pickguards made by him and he’s spot on 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted October 21 Share Posted October 21 I reamed out the holes and fit standard 1/2" tuners. Absolutely no help to you whatsoever, but have some free Bronco pron. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 9 hours ago, BassApprentice said: I did a Bronco project a few years ago and I just bit the bullet and got a local tech to do the tuners for me since I like you, didn't have the tools at the time. Think he changed me about £20 to do it. And the standard size of the tuning pegs fit perfectly on the back so don't worry about a specific set if you are looking to save pennies. I got the tuners from here for about £15 too. Stick an ad up in the Items Wanted section and I'm sure someone round here has a set of tuners in their parts drawer. Super fun things to do and good luck with getting back to working order! Lovely looking bass mate, they're little packages of dynamite IMHO for bangs per buck really happy with mine and how she sounds - just the tuners to upgrade and I'll be a happy bunny 😄 On a similar note, already someone has offered me a set of Gotoh's for a good price which look like they'll fit so I'm gonna take those up :👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 8 hours ago, neepheid said: I reamed out the holes and fit standard 1/2" tuners. Absolutely no help to you whatsoever, but have some free Bronco pron. Cheers mate, always good to see a little bass pron and cracking instruments these.. 🙂👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 8 hours ago, meterman said: Earlpilanz on ebay does replacement Bronco pickguards in all manner of colours. Plenty of folk on here will vouch for his work, and I’ve had a few custom pickguards made by him and he’s spot on 👍 I tried him, but wouldn't ship to UK for some reason at least that's what it said on Ebay when I clicked on the page 😕, however someone on another forum told me to try this place up in Manchester https://tinytone.co.uk/product/scratchplate-builder/#configuration its knocking me back £62 with postage both ways as I'm sending the original to them. That went in the post yesterday so hopefully by next week it'll come back to me. Thanks for the suggestion tho 👍😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 Thanks all, got some new tuners coming in the post from a guy off here, Gotoh GB7 's I will need to open the holes a tadge but for the price I'm not going to complain. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 Earlpilanz aka Brian Pillans is based in the UK, so I have no idea why ebay would say he doesn’t ship here — it was probably a glitch on the link you clicked. I have a few pickguards he made, and they are top notch, as is Brian’s service. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 1 hour ago, Teesee said: I tried him, but wouldn't ship to UK for some reason at least that's what it said on Ebay when I clicked on the page 😕, however someone on another forum told me to try this place up in Manchester https://tinytone.co.uk/product/scratchplate-builder/#configuration its knocking me back £62 with postage both ways as I'm sending the original to them. That went in the post yesterday so hopefully by next week it'll come back to me. Thanks for the suggestion tho 👍😀 That's weird about Earlpilanz because he's in Scotland and as far as I remember he posts worldwide. I got a pickguard from him last year and I'm in France. You must have been unlucky to have had an eBay glitch or something? Glad you're sorted though 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 Hmm, that's very odd. It may be that I'm using Nordvpn and it thought I was in a different country, but I always use the UK server so yeah, it must've glitched. Apologies Earlpilanz for losing a sale due to my useless tech skills.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 47 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: Earlpilanz aka Brian Pillans is based in the UK, so I have no idea why ebay would say he doesn’t ship here — it was probably a glitch on the link you clicked. I have a few pickguards he made, and they are top notch, as is Brian’s service. Yeah as I say it's well strange. I didn't realise either that earl was Brian. I was tapping his Ebay site up before but every time I went to place an order I had a message for weeks saying 'this seller is taking a break' and it wouldn't process my order. Kodiakblair mentioned to me that he was moving house which may explain that, he had the very pickguard that I needed. Oh well, hopefully this other outfit will come up good, although I could have saved a few bob had I gone to earl. Never mind, what's done is done. Cheers anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 Bought a Badtz-Maru Bronco years ago; biggest failing was the machines. First attempt at enlarging the holes resulted in what is best described as catastrophic headstock damage. Junked the neck; bought a vintage rosewood '70s neck from the US (including machines), but that was horribly bowed and the truss rod maxed out. Neck #3 was a loaded one (with decent machines) from the Stratosphere place in the US. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 (edited) 1 hour ago, meterman said: That's weird about Earlpilanz because he's in Scotland and as far as I remember he posts worldwide. I got a pickguard from him last year and I'm in France. You must have been unlucky to have had an eBay glitch or something? Glad you're sorted though 👍 Not any more - moved to Newcastle. Which I'll accept - has been Scottish a few times over the course of history... I just ordered a guard from Brian for my Jaguar H, and he did a pickguard for my G&L Tribute LB-100 a while back - top notch stuff. Edited October 22 by neepheid 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Bolton Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 5 hours ago, neepheid said: Not any more - moved to Newcastle. Which I'll accept - has been Scottish a few times over the course of history... I just ordered a guard from Brian for my Jaguar H, and he did a pickguard for my G&L Tribute LB-100 a while back - top notch stuff. I was wondering about that; I've been trying to buy a pickguard from him for a while. His old shop was about ten minutes from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 8 hours ago, neepheid said: Not any more - moved to Newcastle. Which I'll accept - has been Scottish a few times over the course of history... I just ordered a guard from Brian for my Jaguar H, and he did a pickguard for my G&L Tribute LB-100 a while back - top notch stuff. Oh, no! I hope he doesn't regret it 😂 I lived in Newcastle for about a year and half and never really got the hang of the place, despite growing up in County Durham, which isn't far away, or culturally that much different. Having said that, my Dad's from Leith and we had a lot of family there and in Edinburgh. I way prefer it up there. As a kid I spent a lot of time with family in Leith and Fife, and Pittenweem, Anstruther, etc. Love it 🏴 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 23 Author Share Posted October 23 Just out of curiosity I went back on his Ebay site, there's a banner now saying he'll be back on 28th October, I missed it by a whisker. I'm getting the new PG tomorrow hope it's OK, but it was twice the price of Brian's. 😭 I'm looking at the rest of my basses to see if any of 'em need a different pickguard now Brian's back in the game! 😆😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 23 Author Share Posted October 23 Speaking of machine heads - after I posted the first message, a basschatter - sifi2112 - got in touch with me said he had some Gotohs but they was black, at first I was thinking chrome but I got to thinking, well black will go nice with the black pg and so I ordered a black Sung Il BB404 from Northwest Guitars that'll be arriving tomoz. Anyway, took sifi's offer they arrived about an hour and half ago ago, straight into the garage with a round rasp file, opened up the holes and here we are! Got some nice white cupcakes and the white pup cover so I reckon it'll look good! I've got roto flats on it and the 4 pole bass pup just makes it a vintage 70's sound, in my collection maybe something I haven't really got. I know the Sung Il is 19mm spacing but I'm reliably told either on here or the 'other' forum site that there wont be any slipping off the fretboard with the E or G, just less land. I hope they're right I've just filled the old bridge holes with epoxy and wood where I'll shave them flush tomorrow. The old bridge is on it's way to Manchester, as the guy who was cutting the pickguard has a Bronco but with the new 4 saddle and he wanted the 2 saddle, rather than it languishing in my draw he put in a decent donation to charity. Works for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted October 25 Author Share Posted October 25 (edited) PIckguard came, and I'd also ordered a blackSung Il BB404 bridge. Fitting the bridge was a bit squeaky bum time as I was still not sure where the 19mm spacing would throw the strings off the neck much. Working something out in theory is one thing, but practical application is often quite the other. I think it's turned out quite nice. Added an ADE string tree and used the same hole as the old disc tree so there's no un-needed holes in the headstock. One thing I completely missed and/or forgot, I didn't order black pg screws and black strap buttons. I actually like the silver pg screws, and still in 2 minds about the buttons. No biggy if I want to change tho. Edited October 25 by Teesee pic in wrong place 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teesee Posted November 2 Author Share Posted November 2 Hi All. When I was modding the bronco the first time around, there was something I didn't mention as I was too embarrassed to say it. I wrecked the brand new McNelly broncomaster pickup before I ever had a chance to hear it! 🤦♂️. I did this as I'd just finished shielding with copper and I had just mounted the pickup and saw what I thought was a thin sliver of copper underneath the pickup. Without thinking I used my little finger to just brush it away before I realised I'd actually broken the hair thin piece of copper wire from the coil to the hot output! Obviously I was horrified, I'd bought it from James' Home Of Tone which was an hours drive away, so I went round the next day and bought a second pickup. While I was there I showed James the original damaged pickup and he said "leave it with me, I'll see if it is repairable". He got back to me last week bless him and said he'd repaired it, FOC. And posted it to my home as well. Above and beyond James 👍. So to cut a very long story short, I now have a spare broncomaster. I've removed the old (new) one that hasn't been damaged. The ex damaged one is on my guitar now and sounds ace. This pickup has been fitted once, so the ground lead has been cut to expose the wire to ground on both pots, and the jack. All pre-tinned now. The hot lead was cut from it's original length to fit the volume pot, but can still reach the tone pot if you array that pot 180 degrees to the volume pot. Don't know if that is a dealbreaker or not. The pickup was bought at the end of August and has had little to no use as I've been trying to sort out an intonation problem. The supplied cover is black, but you can get a white one, or just run it without a cover if you prefer. It is supposed to be a 'drop in' replacement but on my Bronco pickguard I had to open the mounting screws out about 1.5mm towards the outer edges of the PG to get a good fit, I mean they wasn't parallel, so the screws were going in at about a 15 deg angle. Pickup fits perfectly through the pickguard hole though so there's no need to open up the PG pup hole, or have it mounted with a gap around it. I'm not going to supply mounting screws, as I used the original screws and springs that came with the bronco. I think they are much better than the supplied piece of plastic pipe which I've lost anyway. The pickup cost me £135 but I'll be happy to take £55 inc postage and packing (£50 for the pup £6.90 ish for 24 hour signed for) I'll chuck in the £1.90 to know it's going to go to a good home. The McNelly just seems to sound more well defined than the standard 6 pole strat, but as with everything it's a personal thing. Couple of YT links below as well as other info on the pickup, 2nd YT link shows the guitar with standard pup and McNelly pup. If you read the comments on that link a couple like the standard pup more, but most agree the McNelly sounds better. I thought I’d chuck it on here first in the Bronco thread PM me if interested, before I move it onto the classified section. 1st pic (not very good) shows the 2 pickups, I've just desoldered the "good one", you can just make out the repaired one in top right corner with a little bit of blue on it. 2nd pic shows 'hot' lead length 3rd pic shows the cover 4th pic is the date I bought the pickup highlighted in yellow top right. https://mcnellypickups.com/products/musicmaster-bronco-single-coil-bass-pickup https://www.homeoftone.co.uk/collections/mcnelly-pickups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtRb_m6Kmgc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-OU6IQpST4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted November 3 Share Posted November 3 On 22/10/2024 at 06:13, Teesee said: Thanks all, got some new tuners coming in the post from a guy off here, Gotoh GB7 's I will need to open the holes a tadge but for the price I'm not going to complain. 👍 You will not regret that. They are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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