The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 10-03-2022, 07:45 AM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mohawk Valley
Posts: 8,709
Default Locking Tuners

I have a set of Grovers on one guitar. Last night was its turn to be restrung. It took forever. Once I got the string into the post, it went smooth enough and things were fairly quick.

But getting it in! My eyesight seems to be failing and I have trouble seeing and lining up the opening. Then when it finally makes it through, I have to be careful it does not slip out while fastening the bottom end. (This one is a resonator and it is easier to install the ball end after the post is threaded - on my others, I do the ball end first.) Then I start turning, but for the first one or two revolutions, the post does not begin to twist, making me wonder if I am turning the knob in the wrong direction.

Ultimately, it took me far longer. Would I have less trouble if I did this more often (ie. other guitars with the Grovers or more frequent changes)? Were my eyesight better would this stop being a problem? Do others' experiences mimic my own or is it just me?
__________________
The Bard Rocks

Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle
Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale
Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk
Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany
Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle
MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood
Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany
Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber
'31 National Duolian
+ many other stringed instruments.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-03-2022, 07:47 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Isle of Albion
Posts: 22,068
Default

Oh, me too! I have a bright light above my worktop and a pair of supermarket reading specs just for such jobs!
__________________
Silly Moustache,
Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer.
I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-03-2022, 07:38 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mohawk Valley
Posts: 8,709
Default

This must be some sort of record for a "least interesting" post. In less than 12 hours, it sank - like a rock - to the middle of the second page. I've outdone myself on this one.
__________________
The Bard Rocks

Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle
Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale
Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk
Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany
Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle
MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood
Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany
Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber
'31 National Duolian
+ many other stringed instruments.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-03-2022, 08:17 PM
Mycroft Mycroft is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,163
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
This must be some sort of record for a "least interesting" post. In less than 12 hours, it sank - like a rock - to the middle of the second page. I've outdone myself on this one.
Another "And me too" post. Not quite reading glasses as I want the point of focus to be a little farther away. And not only a desk lamp; sometimes I use one of my headlamps to get the light right where I want it.

And you think that it sunk quickly before? Now that I've weighed in...
__________________
"Here is a song about the feelings of an expensive, finely crafted, hand made instrument spending its life in the hands of a musical hack"
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-03-2022, 08:18 PM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Eden, Australia
Posts: 17,792
Default

Sorry but nothing in your description points to the Grovers being the problem.
__________________
Brucebubs

1972 - Takamine D-70
2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone
2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo
2012 - Dan Dubowski#61
2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo
2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200
2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-03-2022, 11:00 PM
gmel555 gmel555 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Lower Slower Delaware
Posts: 2,776
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks;7098984...
Then when it finally makes it through, I have to be careful it does not slip out while fastening the bottom end. (This one is a resonator and it is easier to install the ball end after the post is threaded - on my others, I do the ball end first.)....
Not sure if this gets to one of your points but could you put a loose, temporary loop near the end of the string after getting it through the post as shown below? This would keep it from sliding back through while you're dealing with the ball end. Also, it doesn't seem right that your peg isn't turning immediately when you turn the knob...Maybe the gears are worn? One other thought, although you won't have as great tuning precision, going to lower ratio tuners will get that peg moving faster right away. I've got a Larrivee with older Schaller M6's and although they're only 12:1 that guitar tunes up just fine.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_5745.jpg (53.5 KB, 84 views)
__________________
“The tapestry of life is more important than a single thread.”
R. Daneel Olivaw in I. Asimov's Robots and Empire.

Last edited by gmel555; 10-03-2022 at 11:14 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-04-2022, 12:30 AM
Robin, Wales Robin, Wales is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Eryri, Wales
Posts: 4,562
Default

For string changes on reso guitars:

Put a strip of masking tape across the tailpiece slots. Lift it up, slide in the ball end, stick it down. That stops it coming out while threading the tuner.

Now you have the answer, this thread will disappear into the mists of archived pages!

P. S. You can restring a reso without the tape, and very quickly, but it's too complex to explain as it involves having a padded work bench with the neck hanging over the edge and you standing sideways on to the neck.
__________________
I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs.

I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band.




Last edited by Robin, Wales; 10-04-2022 at 12:36 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-04-2022, 05:51 AM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mohawk Valley
Posts: 8,709
Default

Gmel55 and Robin - good suggestion.s I usually do one string at a time, however. But that can change.

And for the masses, -with my other tuners, I have no difficulty finding the hole. Maybe I should add the word "yet"? I was questioning whether it was the tuners or me - or some combi0nation of both.
__________________
The Bard Rocks

Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle
Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale
Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk
Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany
Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle
MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood
Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany
Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber
'31 National Duolian
+ many other stringed instruments.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-04-2022, 05:44 PM
HogsNRoses HogsNRoses is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: United States
Posts: 451
Default

Schaller makes locking tuners that hold the string before you tighten it, both the kind with the tightening knob on top and with the knob on bottom. The familiar ones with the knob on bottom have a spring-loaded post to hold the string. That makes them a little harder to thread, but maybe good for your application.

I’m not sure which Grovers you have, but some of the locking ones want to be threaded on one side- marked with a dot.
__________________
-------------------------------
Gibson J45 12 string
Gibson J45 Studio Walnut 6 string
Furch D24 SR 12 string
Rickenbacker 330w 6 string
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-04-2022, 08:43 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mohawk Valley
Posts: 8,709
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by HogsNRoses View Post
Schaller makes locking tuners that hold the string before you tighten it, both the kind with the tightening knob on top and with the knob on bottom. The familiar ones with the knob on bottom have a spring-loaded post to hold the string. That makes them a little harder to thread, but maybe good for your application.

I’m not sure which Grovers you have, but some of the locking ones want to be threaded on one side- marked with a dot.
No dots. I didn't know Grover had more than one model. The instructions say to move the post to face the side
__________________
The Bard Rocks

Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle
Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale
Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk
Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany
Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle
MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood
Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany
Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber
'31 National Duolian
+ many other stringed instruments.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=