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#1
05-24-2020, 04:54 AM
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locking tuners and altered tunings
I'm getting close to the finish line regarding locking tuners. Then a thought occured to me....since there are no windings and (as far as I understand it) the string is clipped close to the post, will there be a problem with altered tunings? I play in a bunch of them. Some I tune down some strings 1 or 1/2 step, some I'm tuning up 1/2 step.
Is there enough "play" in the strings with locking tuners to be able to play in altered tunings?
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon 
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#2
05-24-2020, 05:25 AM
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I don't think that you can pull a string to within a step of normal tuning by hand (I certainly can't) and therefore the tuner should always be pulling up to tension. I believe the windings are more about preventing string slip than providing tuning range.
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#3
05-24-2020, 05:31 AM
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Good enough question. You can answer it yourself easily enough by observing just how much the tuner travels when making changes on regular tuners. I have locking tuners on one of mine and have played in an alternate tuning in it but never even thought of this question - nor did I have any problem. My suspicion is that you are going to be perfectly all right.
Now maybe if you stretched your strings to tension before locking....
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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 Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments.
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#4
05-24-2020, 07:19 AM
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Quote:
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Breedlove Masterclass Dread - Sitka/Koa Breedlove Masterclass Concert - Sitka/BRW Seagull Artist Deluxe CE Seagull Artist Element Furch G22CR-C Several other exceptional guitars, but these make me smile and keep me inspired!
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#5
05-24-2020, 08:13 AM
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I cannot really answer your question because I have almost zero experience with locking tuners - never really got the point myself.
But I do play in several alternate tunings. One of the things learned from David Wilcox years ago is to put extra windings around the capstan (3 on bass strings and 4-5 on treble strings). That way as you retune, you are bending the string around a larger radius which causes less work hardening of the wire. Since I started doing that I've had almost no string breakage. For example, standard tuning has the bass string at E. I play some tunings where that string goes down to C [ in CFCGCE] or even Bb.
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#6
05-24-2020, 10:57 AM
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Hi Karen, great question. I just now tested this on my LTD EC-1000 electric, which has locking tuners. No problem going from E to drop D (or lower) on both my low and high E strings. In fact, the tuner probably only turned 1/16 or so to drop a full step.
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#7
05-24-2020, 11:45 AM
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Thanks for all your answers. I tried an alternate tuning myself with my standard tuners, and like Dru, I found that the tuner turned very little for a whole step. I am encouraged to "take the leap." I have just one more question that I will post, and then I'll be good to go. What a journey! I'm one of those people that has to know as much as I can before jumping into the water.
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
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#8
06-16-2020, 03:26 PM
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I'm happy to say that altered tunings and my brand new locking tuners are working well together!
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
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#9
06-16-2020, 03:53 PM
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I know this was an unknown for yourself. A...Gamble or sorts. When we try something new, there is always a bit of hesitation due to fear of not working the way we need or expect them to work. If we due our research, the Gamble usually pays off in some shape or manner. Often in a different way than expected. Even if it does not work the way we think it might=I find that with a little bit of experimentation of an altered method, the product can be made to fit into our needs.I have just take a bit of a gamble myself with an expensive pair of recording microphones using capsules that there is little information on how it will work with acoustic guitar. The bottom line; it comes from a company who's reputation is of the highest merit. So the Gamble, is a lot less. The very same thing can be said for Gotoh. Everybody knows and loves Gotoh. It is just that few of us have used Locking Tuners on Acoustic guitars. Congratulations!
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#11
06-16-2020, 04:59 PM
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Thanks Knives and Guitars and Earl. I'm really happy with them. Knives and Guitars, I hope your microphones work out really well for you.
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
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#12
06-17-2020, 02:55 PM
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