Author Topic: Tribute locking tuners help (Read 246 times)

1dallek1 · « **on:** December 16, 2006, 09:01:02 PM »

i have a 2003 tribute with gold nonlocking tuners. i want to replace these with locking tuners, what should i buy to do the least dammage to the instrumment. i would like to avoid drilling of any sort
ns

lidon2001 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2006, 06:44:03 AM »

I had Alembic build my Skylark with locking tuners. They recommended Sperzel's and I had them installed. No widening of the holes was needed. There's no set screw on the bottom.

T

dannobasso · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2006, 08:23:51 AM »

There is a drilling of a small hole that is hidden by the tuner. I just put a set on my Skylark. If you had the Gotohs, you will see the set screw hole from their install. Also the shaft hole drilled for the Gotohs is wider than the Sperzel but it should not affect their performance. I've changed over all my guitars to Sperzels. I love em'!

lidon2001 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 17, 2006, 09:36:56 AM »

Thanks Danno! I've never installed them myself.

T

dannobasso · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2006, 08:36:02 AM »

http://www.tkinstruments.com/8c1b84a0.png
here is a link to the specs for the tuners.
If you get past the intimidation of drilling a new Alembic guitar, I would suggest becoming comfortable with working on your own gear. You need some open ended wrenches, a small drill and bits and a steady hand. Just be careful not to drill the hole for the holding pin too deep. Just mark the bit with a bit of tape to mark the depth and off you go!

1dallek1 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2006, 05:36:22 AM »

this is going to leave me with exposed screw holes at the bottom of each tuner from the old non locking alembic tuners, i am aware of all the different brands of locking tuners i own all of them on different guitars, i don't know of any that will cover the ugly holes caused by these ridiculous alembic tuners. Doesn't alembic make a locking tuner with the same footprint as the nonlocking ?

chuck · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2006, 08:09:31 AM »

Go to a well stocked hardware store Such as home depot,lowes,ect. Go to the fasteners isle (nuts$bolts), look for bushings. I would use the hard nylon ones. They come in a vairity of sizes And are about 1 inch long. Measure your hole diameter on your guitar and the shaft diameter on the tuner. If you cannot find the right size with both correct dimensions then get The outside right and drill out the inside to the shaft size.
Cut the bushings to length about 1/8 shorter than the thickness of the head, otherwise the tuners will not get tight.

chuck

dannobasso · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2006, 09:14:13 AM »

Alembic uses Gotoh tuners. Perhaps they make one that can be fitted. I just deal with the holes from the previous sets. That's the case on my les paul, strats and esquires. Music Man makes a set that they put on the Petrucci model but I'm not at home to see if it needs a set screw.

chuck · « **Reply #8 on:** December 19, 2006, 10:01:01 AM »

My apoliges for responding to your post with a solution for an entirly different problem.I blame it on Rami's christmas cookies.

lbpesq · « **Reply #9 on:** December 19, 2006, 10:20:31 AM »

Cornelius:

I find my non-locking Alembic tuners to work very well, other than not locking. I am having locking tuners put on my in-progress custom Further. Nevertheless, I certainly wouldn't describe the standard Gotohs Alembic uses as ridiculous. My all-time favorite tuners, however, are the old Kluson Deluxe type on my '61 Strat. These have the hollow shaft. You just make a 90 degree angle about 1/2 from the end of the string and stick the end down the middle of the shaft. No end to cut and then puncture your finger with. A wonderful common sense design that seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.

Bill, tgo

adriaan · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2006, 12:32:48 PM »

Bill,

You'd better change instruments then: to this day, Schaller and Goto bass tuners have the hollow shaft.

Adriaan

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2006, 01:04:16 PM »

Why doesn't everyone do this?

Bill, tgo

mica · « **Reply #12 on:** December 19, 2006, 01:32:35 PM »

If you want to modify the guitar you have, it's possible to refinish the peghead and change the rear veneer. The new veneer won't have the original mounting holes, and it will appear the same as if it was made that way originally.

I've also seen others that are changing tuners fill the old hole with the original anchor screw, so there wasn't an exposed hole. This is common on older instruments since Schaller changed the original mounting position of the anchor screw from the bottom to the inside of the machine head.

We don't make tuners at our factory. The Alembic tuners are noted as Alembic-Gotoh since they are made for us by the Gotoh factory in Japan.

The only other solution I can think of is to custom order a guitar through the dealer you purchased your Tribute through and return the one you have now. If it's been a recent enough transaction, you may be able to get full credit toward a new purchase. You can also specify any other changes you would want now that you've had one to try for a while.

If you decide to send the guitar you have in for repair, please contact me by phone or email.

1dallek1 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 08, 2007, 08:56:31 PM »

grover makes just about direct replacement locking tuners to replace the alembic tuners, no drilling or any dammage at all, the ideas in this thread are no good(to destructive) and the grovers are automatic locking, no wheel to turn to lock the strings

(Message edited by 1dallek1 on January 11, 2007)

(Message edited by 1dallek1 on January 11, 2007)

(Message edited by 1dallek1 on January 11, 2007)