Author Topic: D-Tuner? (Read 239 times)

lo_bass · « **on:** April 29, 2009, 07:09:46 PM »

Has anybody of you any experience of installing a D-Tuner on an Alembic Series I signature (MK standard).
I have bought an Hipshot D-Tuner (Gotoh GTB7)but this one willnot fit (the end were you wire the string on is too short.. also you have to drill the hole in the head from 12 to 14mm before the base part will fit)??

FC Bass · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2009, 03:01:09 AM »

Do you have the right D-tuner? For Alembic you need either the Gotoh or the Schaller version, no need to drill holes or anything... The shaft gets shorter, especially on newer Alembics (see pics), the headstock is a bit thicker on those. On my '90 Elan there's little space to put your string, but it is just enough. On the pic you see the string that was on there before I installed the Hipshot, with the new strings I'll cut the E string a little shorter. '83 Spoiler:

(Schaller) *NOTE: I refinished this bass myself, the sloppy border between the clear coat and the black finish (on the side of the headstock) is not the Alembic standard. ;-) '90 Elan:

(Gotoh) (Message edited by fc_spoiler on April 30, 2009)

rowka · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2009, 01:40:21 PM »

Is the Spoiler 32

If so, how are you finding it when dropped to D?

FC Bass · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:16:30 PM »

Yep, sound mighty heavy.
I have another Spoiler tuned ADGC, sounds mighty heavier :-)
I'll post a sound clip in the showcase section asap, we've been to a studio and I recorded Sad but true (Metallica song) with the ADGC tuned Spoiler.

rowka · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:37:18 PM »

I'm assuming ADGC means low BEAD dropped a whole step, not tenor tuning?

FC Bass · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:51:05 PM »

Correctly ;-)

I use R.Cocco strings, 50-110 for E/DADG
and 65-130 for ADGC.
I did have to raise the action on the ADGC Spoiler a bit, but it's still more than reasonable and sounds extremely tight.
Here's a clip (bad quality) on youtube: Sad but true

rowka · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:59:40 PM »

I've got a Knuckle Guitar Works (an individual bass builder in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.) Quake. It's got a 39.5 scale length. I have it tuned EADGC, but an octave lower than normal. That makes that E ring about 20Hz ;-)
Sorry, I don't have a recording of that.
Here is his web page.
http://www.knuckleguitarworks.com/what/quake.html
My bass is the red one on the first page.

(Message edited by rowka on April 30, 2009)