Best Tuning Machines In Your Opinion?

[Doctor Jeff]

Just a couple of divergent thoughts--for some vintage Kay and Silvertone archies with broken tuners I replaced them with Stewart Mac Golden Age. They give that vintage vibe and also work quite well.



When I replaced my Epi Joe Pass tuners a few years ago I got some Ping tuners from GC with the coolest translucent amber knobs. They look like and fit exactly like the OEM Gotoh tuners, so I suspect they are made in the same overseas factory. About $50--not the most expensive out there, but worked fine and really rocked the look I was going for.

[2bornot2bop]

For years I liked the SuperRotomatics with the Imperial Buttons.
2 years ago I bought a GB-10 with VelveTune machine heads that I loved. I just bought a JP-20 with the same tuners. I am convinced after owning 2 sets they are the best tuners I've ever used. They are so smooth. They hold tune. And the Gold plating on these are new looking after 35 YEARS!!!

Ibanez VelveTune machine heads, #1 for me.

Joe D.

Yeah okay, and so the guitar is where?

[Thecytochromec]

My Heritage 575 was played VERY hard and VERY often before I even bought it, and the 20 year old Grover Rotomatics on it still work great...so that has to count for something.

Maaaaaan don't you know if it's not the most expensive and works just fine... it's not good enough around here!

By the way, I came back from a trip to India to find my Les Paul in perfect tune. 20 year old Grovers for the win!

[John A.]

Before reading this thread, I thought that improved tuning machines served only to more precisely reach the proper tuning, but that most machines held their tuning equally well. Some of the posts seem to indicate that lesser quality tuners lose their tuning for often. Could someone please write about why a tuning machine that satisfactorily reached the proper tuning would lose that tuning without drastic changes in temperature or humidity.

I have an old Epiphone Triumph sporting replacement Grover tuners that needs to be tuned more often than some of my newer acoustic archtops. I thought it was because of its age and construction, but I am now thinking that the problem may lie in the tuning machines.

If the parts in the tuner are built with loose tolerances and/or wear out so as to not fit tightly together the changes in string tension that come from fretting strings and pushing/pulling on the neck as you play allow the post tuner post to slip and put the guitar out of tune. This is more likely with poorly made tuners. These days, when it comes to tuners cheap doesn't usually mean poorly made, but in the old days it often did. As to your Epi Triumph, could be the tuners, but Grover's are pretty bullet-proof. I'd look at set-up, nut-slot and bridge friction before the tuners.

John

[edh]

This thread should have been setup as a poll. It would be nice to see how these would rate.

[mikeSF]

For my money Gotoh 510 beats every grover or schaller i've ever had, so these days, it better be the Gotohs, just sayin'

[grahambop]

On my 175 the original 'tulip-head' tuners (Kluson?) were very stiff and unreliable, either sticking or slipping. The guitar is mid-70s, so they were quite old.

A few years ago I replaced them with the replica Gotoh equivalents. They were a perfect fit and work very smoothly.

[helios]

Thanks for all of the replies! I just ordered these: Gotoh 510 Delta Series 1:21 ratio

[mikeSF]

Thanks for all of the replies! I just ordered these: Gotoh 510 Delta Series 1:21 ratio

that's the one!

[Klatu]

Thanks for all of the replies! I just ordered these: Gotoh 510 Delta Series 1:21 ratio

Are these the standard gold finish or the aged? What instrument do you intend to use them on?

[helios]

Hi Klatu,
They're for my Heritage Super KB. The Gotoh's are "antique" gold (PN: SGV510Z - L5 - XG). Jeff

[jads57]

Gotoh 510 by a long shot!

[helios]

FWI: Almost ordered these (Or similar Schertlers), but chose not to get involved with drilling extra holes:





Schaller Grandtune:


Schertler:

[L.A._Musiquero]

Before reading this thread, I thought that improved tuning machines served only to more precisely reach the proper tuning, but that most machines held their tuning equally well. Some of the posts seem to indicate that lesser quality tuners lose their tuning for often. Could someone please write about why a tuning machine that satisfactorily reached the proper tuning would lose that tuning without drastic changes in temperature or humidity.

I have an old Epiphone Triumph sporting replacement Grover tuners that needs to be tuned more often than some of my newer acoustic archtops. I thought it was because of its age and construction, but I am now thinking that the problem may lie in the tuning machines.

I have an old (late 1950s/early 1960s) Epiphone Emperor with Schaller M6 tuners from then West Germany. It never goes out of tune, even if I leave it for months without playing. I've had this guitar for 37 years.

When I was rehearsing regularly with a band ~ 2 per week, I'd almost never had to tune it. Of course did, in case the other instruments in the band didn't quite remain tuned.

I am very happy with those tuners, and I am sure that you would be too, on your guitar.

[icr]

I don't pay much attention to them. They all work on the same principle irrespective of how much they cost. Some have a different gear ratio and some are smoother with less play at the knob.

[nopedals]

My last two tuner purchases were high end waverly and inexpensive stew mac. I could not really tell much of a difference. Probably made from the same metal, cut by computers, same principles involved. Forty years ago it was conventional wisdom that new grovers or whatever were an upgrade (lots of cool guitars lost their original parts), and I think that was right. Some of those older tuners that are still around have a bit of play and are worn out. I would be inclined to buy something inexpensive that looks right on the guitar, and expect the tuners to outlive me.

[lammie200]

Thanks for all of the replies! I just ordered these: Gotoh 510 Delta Series 1:21 ratio

I am sure that those are great. I notice a big jump in accuracy between 1:16 Schallers and Gotohs to the weirdly branded 1:18 Hagstoms that I have on a guitar that I just bought. 1:21 has got to be even better.

[NoReply]

My archtop came with Gotoh Contour 510 Delta 1:21 and best I've ever had. Had Grover's and Schallers in past and they were good.

[goldenwave77]

Modern tuners with higher gear ratios...i.e. finer adjustment per each turn of the tuning peg, are definitely an improvement.

Funny thing I noticed the other day...I always play with a guitar strap. I was reaching over to grab something off the desk, and the guitar strap was right beside my ear, and the guitar still ringing. I could hear what I had just played, more loudly and clearly, when I put my ear up next to the strap. Now, my strap is tied around the headstock.

So....if a nylon guitar strap can conduct sound much more than I ever would have thought possible, maybe a headstock with its tuners in it, may be more important to sound than we thought. Not sure, though, how this plays out with different tuner designs or weights.

Footnote: My Heritage 550 is a 17" laminate but it is very resonant...and it sounds surprisingly good unamplified. Pretty OK for casual practice. Maybe that "crazy Heritage headstock" (which looks like the Batman logo projected up into the sky of Gotham City, when Mayor Gordon wants to contact Batman) has a design justification after all. (Personally, I don't think it looks goofy, and in fact, kind of like the way it looks, so let's not get off topic here.)

[jads57]

Nothing else is even close Gotoh 510 Tuners!

[GNAPPI]

Any brand that works. I think I have them all and have FAR more problems with nuts, bridges and strings .

[jzucker]

gotoh 510. Nothing else even close

[neatomic]

actually there's a point of no return on guitar tuner ratio..first off its just as easy to strip/wear a 21:1 ratio as 12:1..(perhaps even moreso as the play in the gear is so far less)..and thats what kills a tuning peg...the finer the ratio the easier to strip..as the gears get thinner and thinner..

clockworks!

i choose by aesthetics or historical correctness...with an eye on ratio...and understand nothing lasts forever...including the player

cheers

[Epistrophy]

For me it's Schaller M6 all the way. They don't make the tulip buttons for M6s anymore, which is a bit pity IMO.