Mounting Schaller locking tuners

[smjenkins]

Just got my first Warmoth neck and it's drilled for Schaller tuners.  I popped the tuners out of the box and noticed I'll need to drill a small hole for the peg that keeps the tuner from rotating.  Any idea whats the best way to mark the locations where these holes need to be?

 

[dNA]

I found that the tuners were very snug to begin with. After tightening the washers, they didn't budge one bit. So I just lined them all up and pre-drilled for the screws w/ the tuners on there. Though I used a drill press which made it really easy.

 

[smjenkins]

The question I have is how to mark the holes to drill.  The tuners I have are similar to these:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Schaller-Locking-Tuners-100356171-i1130085.gc

Note the mini-pegs next to the main tuner head which sticks out.

 

[Patrick]

whoa never seen that before

 

[smjenkins]

I got them from Stew Mac and they say "Single pin mount keeps tuner from rotating, no mounting screws needed.".

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead_tuners/Schaller_Tuners/Schaller_Locking_Guitar_Machines.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=570

 

[smjenkins]

Ok, here's what I'm thinking, thoughts on this idea:

1. Set tuners in holes. 
2. Line up tuners with a clamped straight edge below them
3. Tap each tuner lightly with a mallet so the pin makes a small mark in the neck
4. Use that mark for the hole placement

 

[ORCRiST]

No offence, but that seems like a pretty 'micky-mouse' way to secure tuning machines. And they're clearly Schaller-ish. How long are the little mounting studs?

Regardless, I think smjenkin's has the right idea...

 

[smjenkins]

They aren't Schaller-ish, they are actually Schaller machines.  Weird that no one has seen this before.

 

[Patrick]

thats really the only way to get an accurate mark

 

[dNA]

They aren't Schaller-ish, they are actually Schaller machines.  Weird that no one has seen this before.

actually, i had a set like that a few years back. I did a really shitty job of drilling little holes with a hand drill. I did basically what someone else suggested - tighten them up or give them a tap to make little indentations.
I feel like it's a really imprecise way of doing things unfortunately. I actually have a set of these tuners that's been sitting around for years cuz i've never wanted to put them on a guitar after that. It makes no sense when you have the standard alternative. Maybe it's more stable and transfers tension to the neck more effectively?

 

[smjenkins]

The amusing thing is that this is the same type of tuner that Fender uses on it's American Deluxe Strats.  Would you recommend the mini-Schaller locking tuners as they have a screw hole?

 

[dNA]

The amusing thing is that this is the same type of tuner that Fender uses on it's American Deluxe Strats.  Would you recommend the mini-Schaller locking tuners as they have a screw hole?

yeah man. I don't know why the "Fender Schallers" have that kind of mounting but if you can return them and just get a set of 6 from Warmoth they're the same size and easier to deal with. I loved them because they're drop-in replacements for all my ibanez's.

 

[nexrex]

I have an old Squier Strat I am doing up right now, and it has these mini-peg style tuners. They are a complete pain in the ass, because if you don't drill the holes properly then the tuners will never be inline. Ripped them off and replaced them with a set of Gotoh locking tuners.

 

[JaySwear]

my fender tuners are just like that, but non-locking. they have two little metal pegs (almost bumps) on them, and no screw. they're on a mighty mite neck, but unfortunately i can't tell you how they were mounted because i bought the guitar they were on from somebody else. they seemed to work alright as far as keeping the tuner in place. my thoughts on how to mount them (almost moved them to another neck) was the indentation idea also. good news is that if your hole is a little off it'll be covered by the tuner.

 

[mayfly]

Ahem

The correct way to do this IMHO is to use the groovy Stu-mac tuning machine jig. 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Jigs/Tuner_Pin_Drill_Jig.html

I've got one.  Used it lots.  Tuners are aligned perfectly.

 

[smjenkins]

That's a cool product.  Thanks for the tip.  Using that though, how do you get the tuners to line up?  Basically, how do you get that jig at the same angle in each hole?

 

[mayfly]

Used a machinist's square to line them up:

'course I had straight sides to my peghead.  YMMV.

 

[smjenkins]

Rockin.  Thanks so much Mayfly.  One of those jigs is now on order.

 

[Cagey]

The jig is the best way. I made my own jig out of a piece of scrap oak. But, unless they're sold loose, the tuners will likely come with a template.

 

[pabloman]

I've bought Klusons Grovers Schallers and Planet waves and have yet to get a template. I think thats just wishful thinking. I installed these tuners by placing all of them on the guitar with the bushings and washers installed. Lined them up with a straightedge and just cranked on the bushings with my handy dandy 10 mm racheting wrench. They installed perfectly. The posts seated themselves nicely.