Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello All,

I have questions about tuners for steel string guitar. I used Waverly's on Guitar #1 and love them, but have a number of other guitars with a variety of tuners on them. I am making guitar #2, and although I want each instrument to be as excellent as possible, I'm trying to decide if spending, say, $100 more for a set (eg: Waverly vs Schaller or Gotoh) makes all the difference. (My first guitars I am not trying to sell, but will be loaning, gifting, or giving for materials cost, in order to get experience without putting my name on one yet). How important is gear ratio? What do you like to use, or do you vary your brand for different styles of guitar (slotted, vs solid x 6 vs solid x in-line).

Thanks. As always, I appreciate the input and couldn't find a useful discussion on this.

Beth

Like yourself, I'm just a newbie building and used Gotoh's (nice) for the first, but I have used Wilkinson's for the last couple of guitars and have been pleasantly surprised with the quality for the cost, but I think they only came in 14:1 ratio, which I find OK. and none of the many people playing them have found anthing to criitisise about them.
Waverley's etc are just a dream at the moment!
When I can make guitars with more control over the results and a good finish I will consider the more expensive tuners.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Grover Stay-Tites...18/1 gear ratio. Cheap too.

Gotoh contour.
I like the modern look,
and the ratio is really sweet!

Waverlies without question, unless other tuners are requested. For my Essential series I mostly use Hipshot open back tuners, excellent value and quality and made in the US.
Re-gear ratio: beyond 15:1 I feel it's pure marketing, I'd be happy with 12:1. The Gotoh 510 are nice, but the higher gear ratio does not mean it's in tune better: it just takes longer to get there . Annoying when you change tunings often.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I like these as well. In addition, should you ever wish to upgrade to Waverly's, they are an identical drop in replacement.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I have used 10 sets of these and have been fairly happy but the last few sets have had a huge amount of slop in at least one tuner right out of the and I am thinking that their quality has slipped from a few years back. I am at the point that I will have to have an extra set around so I can replace the sloppy ones. This would still be cheaper than most other open back tuners and once the bad ones are removed the set works well.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

It's popular now to use either vintage-style tuners or Gotoh contour tuners. However, the full-size Schaller tuners work extremely well and are durable. Elderly has them on sale for $40, including shipping. Hard to beat...
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/M6.htm

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Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

Fred, I haven't had that experience, but that is good to know...
As far as Waverys, I'll put them on if someone wants them, but personally, I don't see any difference except the name...
Their mandolin tuners are pretty too...pretty expensive at $400. I used to put them on if that's what the customer wanted too.

I put a set of these on a guitar about 3 years ago and the one tuner was very sloppy with a lot of backlash.
When I finally took it off and apart last week I found that the two nylon bushings on the worm shaft were installed around the wrong way.
They are the same OD but different ID.
With the large ID one installed under the end washer and the small on the worm side all was well.

To me some of it depends on the end use. I have always preferred a closed tuner on anything that's going out a lot. Schaller M6's have been my personal favorite and I have them on all but one of my personal guitars. On something more for studio or private use, so to speak, it becomes more a matter of aesthetics and budgets.
Brian

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Same here

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

I like Grover Rotomatic and locking, for the money and reliability, Gotoh 510 if you want something more smooth and flowing. Schaller mini series sells knobs for the M-6 series. I wish there were more different knobs available for Grovers. Maybe there is, anyone?

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601