Machine Head
Replacement
Machine Heads A.K.A. - Tuners, Tuning Machines, Pegs...
Replacing Guitar Tuners / Machine
Heads-
Machine heads (tuners) are most often
replaced to upgrade to a nicer tuner or replace older worn
out ones. Generally speaking, if
you can find retrofitting replacements for your instrument
this is normally a simple procedure (a
screw driver and nut socket). I
try to keep a good selection of the most popular tuners in
stock for in house repairs. There are times when you must
have the instrument and tuners in hand to determine which
replacement tuners will make a suitable replacement.
Those who wish to or must
replace their tuners with a different style or brand may
find that modifications are necessary for a proper fit. Such
modifications may include: enlargement of peghead holes to
accommodate for a post
or bushing size, filling and touch up of screw holes
that are no longer used by the new tuners,
filling and recutting of peghead holes to accommodate for
different spacing (this only applies to tuners mounted
together on a plate). Care should be taken to avoid chipping
the finish or peghead veneer.
When dealing with vintage instruments it is highly
advisable to seek a retrofitting replacement so that no
changes are made if possible.
My instrument won't stay in tune, are the tuners
at fault?
More Info
Shrunken Heads = Tuners
with shrinking buttons
What brand of tuner is best?
That's tough to say as the
quality of some brands has improved while others have declined.
And some companies may have one style that is superior to others
while one of their other models is not the best. Gear
ratio is an important factor when trying to choose between
multiple choices...the gear ratio indicates how many times the
tuners button is rotated 360° to one turn of the tuners
post...so obviously a high quality tuner with a 16:1 ratio is
better than a 12:1 ratio has it has
much finer adjustments allowing us to slowly dial in the tuning
without overshooting so easily.
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