Don't screw me with the screws

[isabel@cf-1.com]

Adding the right screws designed for the tuners and the head stock would be nice, we will pay the added costs of a few cents. The screws that come with the vintage tuners are not designed for hard wood or the task at hand. They are tapered which will split hard wood or break the screw, almost half the screw is not threaded so you will need two drill bits and some hard calulations for depth of each drill bit to properly make the pilot hole, and they are way too long for the thickness of the head stock.

Stewmac sells the screws that should go with the tuners but after spending 300 plus dollars on a guitar neck it would be nice if Warmoth had my back and not sell me something that could distroy my neck. :headbang1:

 

[DavyDave53]

Don't drill holes in the neck.  A neck should have 4 holes in it and that's to connect it to the body.  That's it.

Staggered tuners eliminate the need for string trees.

Hipshot's UMP eliminates the need for tuner screws.

QED

 

[Great Ape]

Welcome to the forum; I think that over time you'll find that a wealth of experience, advice, real help, and good will are to be found here...regarding your vintage tuner/screw size dilemma; it really is NOT a problem at all--I have used those tuners & screws on at least a dozen necks in the last year and a half, and they work just fine if you 1. measure carefully so you don't drill through the headstock--it's close, but NOT too long. 2. drill the hole slightly smaller than the 'average' size of the tapered screw, and 3. Most importantly; LUBRICATE THE SCREW WITH WAX-a regular candle works fine. Start each hole with an awl, so the bit won't slip (just make sure the starter hole is in the right place!), drill to the right depth, and insert the lubed screw...carefully.
When I've done those things correctly, I've NEVER had a problem with the tuners, ferrules, or screws provided by Warmoth (those are Gotoh brand tuners). Good luck, and have fun with the build--it's a rather special experience! 

 

[line6man]

Why would you need two drill bits for pilot holes?

Take this issue up with the manufacturer of the hardware. It's not Warmoth's problem if the parts they resell are not to your liking.

 

[stubhead]

Don't screw me with the screws

Umm, nope. They will, because that's just what is. This is like saying

"That grass better be blue and the sky be green when I wake up tomorrow!"

They get their screws the same place anybody else would get bulk screws. And model makers and car makers and thing-makers have been complaining abut crap Chinese pot-metal screws for 30 years now. You can add to the din, or go to the hardware store and get 90c worth of real stainless steel screws. They will be silver. While you're there, you might as well drop another $2 for the rest of the screws you need.

This is the single biggest problem raised on the site - tuner screws. I have bagfuls of the cheap things that get sent out. But: I have never broken a tuner screw!

Stainless steel,
wax,
a #49 -#46 drill bit,
a good non-twisted, non-gacked phillips head screwdriver
hand-drive ONLY! <NEVER< EVER< EVER> take a power tool to guitar screws

No problem. Wanna bag of crap screws to break on for practice?  :icon_thumright: