Changing from Shaller mini to Gotoh SG38 1/64" how ... ?

[Steve_Karl]

Hi,

I've got schaller mini locking on my nylon strat neck http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=17328.0
I haven't yet drilled the holes to secure them. I'm just in testing mode.

After stringing it up for a test I'm seeing that these nylon strings need to stretch a lot before they're stable,
so I'm getting more wraps than I'd want on the mini locking tuners which have shorter stems than the SG38 and also, since the
hole on the locking is really down close to the wood, the strings are wrapping above the hole which is also decreasing the break angle over the nut.

The SG38 is 1/64" larger in the bottom (main) part of the ream and I know there's plenty of wrapping room below the hole with these.
Got em on my old strat.

Do you think they'll be able to be muscled into the slightly smaller hole without any doctoring to the hole size other than just pushing hard?

If not, how to enlarge the hole without special tools?

So far I'm thinking sand paper and a pencil, so any other ideas are welcome.

 

[Bruno]

Many ***luthiers*** said to me: *Sperzel, Gotoh, Grover, PlanetW, Schaller etc., all tuners with 10mm holes*

Only Warmoth (and stewmac too) have a legendary accuracy.
And for me, that makes the difference... :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

The shoulders on the Gotohs are only 8mm tall, while they're 10mm on the Schallers. They both use a slightly smaller hole of the same size at the exit end of the post. So, good luck using any kind of sandpaper. You'll never get a stroke out of it. I'd try drilling it, if it was me. Be sure to use a press, though. You don't want to drill too far, and there isn't a lot of room for error. You tear through the top side from the rear, and the damage you'll do will have you inventing new cuss words for days.

Something else you might try is to align the string hole in the tuner post so it's parallel to the neck, feed the string through from the bottom side so the extra string length is pointing up, then put a vise grip or some pliers on the extra string length and pull it tight before you lock the tuner down. You may end up not needing to wind the tuner up so much that way, so you don't get so many extra wraps. I don't know; I don't use nylon strings for anything. Just throwing out ideas.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Update:

No reaming necessary!

The Gotoh are actually looser and a better fit in the holes than the Schaller are.
The Schallers fit, but have to be forced in for the last little bit.

The Gotohs just slip right in there all the way with no resistance.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Something else you might try is to align the string hole in the tuner post so it's parallel to the neck, feed the string through from the bottom side so the extra string length is pointing up, then put a vise grip or some pliers on the extra string length and pull it tight before you lock the tuner down. You may end up not needing to wind the tuner up so much that way, so you don't get so many extra wraps. I don't know; I don't use nylon strings for anything. Just throwing out ideas.

With the Schaller locking tuners ... I did put on my leather work glove and grab a loop of the string after it's thru the hole
and actually pull them up to pitch very easily before locking. They still begin to go flat within a minute and have to be tuned up more and more.
It's also, with the nylon strings, very easy to break a string by tightening the locking knob too tight.

Good news is that the Gotoh and the Schaller fit the same hole size with no problem so if the Gotoh are even more problematic I can switch back,
but I think the Gotoh are going to be the ticket.

I might have to learn how to knot the string on the post before winding.
I've never done that.

If anyone has a drawing or a good photo of how to tie the knot I'd appreciate it.