Gotoh SG38 tuners, gear slack problem

[SalsaNChips]

I have a set of black Gotoh SG38 tuners on my Strat, I think I ordered them from Warmoth 10-12 years ago when I switched to a Warmoth body and went to all black hardware.

Two of the tuners have developed an abnormal amount of "slack" in the gears. Especially the A string; there is about an eighth to a quarter turn of slack in the gears either way before it engages fully and starts rotating the peg head. Very annoying.

I was thinking about replacing the entire set but wanted to check and see if there is a way to tighten up the gear slack in these tuners.

FYI -- I have tried tightening the screw that holds the tuner knobs on; that has the effect of increasing the effort required to turn the tuner knob but does not remove any of the slack in the adjustment.

THX.

 

[Cagey]

There's not really anything you can do about it. There are basically two wear parts - the worm and spur gear. Sometimes the gears just wear and theoretically could be replaced (but good luck finding renewal parts), and sometimes the spur gear gets loose and can be tightened. Either way requires an open tuner. A sealed unit like that one doesn't give you either option.

Warmoth sells those parts in single-piece quantities so you could just replace the faulty ones, but chances are if you have two bad now, the others are well on their way. I'd replace the set.

 

[Tipperman]

There's not really anything you can do about it. There are basically two wear parts - the worm and spur gear. Sometimes the gears just wear and theoretically could be replaced (but good luck finding renewal parts), and sometimes the spur gear gets loose and can be tightened. Either way requires an open tuner. A sealed unit like that one doesn't give you either option.

Warmoth sells those parts in single-piece quantities so you could just replace the faulty ones, but chances are if you have two bad now, the others are well on their way. I'd replace the set.

100% agree. Cagey, as usual, is spot on so far as I can tell. I would replace the set. I had to do that on an old Les Paul long ago. Three tuners got busted, and the bridge collapsed. (Thanks, honeycombed cheap-shit bridge!) I bought a better, solid stainless steel bridge, and a whole new set of Sperzel Locking tuners to replace the old set. The reasoning was: "I can save money and only buy three, and then have my guitar possibly out of commission again soon, or I can take no chances and replace them all." Never had another problem despite 'drunkenly' (not alcohol, dig it?) smashing into mic stands, walls, falling down into my cup of beer, etc. Shows are intense things, but the extra money to replace all six payed off big time. Pegs didn't bend from smashing against things like the first set of stock Gibson tuners did, never had another issue.

I'd suggest upgrading to a set of Schaller or Sperzel tuners. You'll thank me 30 years from now.

TL;DR: invest in a new set of tuners.

 

[SalsaNChips]

You both confirmed what I was already thinking. The Gotoh's are less than 8 bucks each and I got about 12 years out of them so I guess that is a fair deal. They still have a little life left; I will replace them with a better set after I get my Tele build finished in a couple months. I'll definintely look into the Schaller and Sperzel tuners. Thanks