Pearl button tuners

[monchavo]

Hello chaps. I am brewing up a build and would like to acquire some high quality pearl or white buttoned tuners that have a vintage look to them, for a hot-rod tele that I am cooking up.

I have found some on eBay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Inline-Strat-Tele-Nickel-w-Aged-White-Vintage-Guitar-Tuners-Tuning-Keys-Pegs-/321496965346?hash=item4adab660e2:g:jEAAAOSwq7JT9FVo

But clearly no way to really establish their quality for what will end up being a $800 build. 

I can find ONE set of oddly non locking Sperzels which look like they'll be great, but very very expensive

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sperzel-Pearl-Tuners-Fender-Custom-Shop-/281876437777?hash=item41a1251b11:g:yPQAAOSw5ZBWPdAS

so, monchavo is a bit peeved. what options might you be able to share with me - locking possibly, vintagey looking white headed or pearl headed tuners for a wacky tele build

many thanks for your suggestions!

 

[stratamania]

This might not be what you are hoping to hear but generally high quality and cheap doesn't go together even on E Bay.

The price for the Sperzels for a starting bid is about par for the course for good tuners.

You could look around for a set of Schallers or Hipshots and then swap out the buttons for a pearl type later. But the buttons themselves could cost about the same as the cheap tuners listed.

My advice buy a decent set to start with, they will be on the guitar a lot longer,  do a proper job and be better real value in the long haul.

 

[Cagey]

Stratamania is right. Those Sperzels aren't priced badly, and are high-quality parts that will work well. If it was me, I'd go a step further to get lockers from them. Tuners are a bad place to try and save money. You want the best parts you can get, or they'll drive you crazy.

The first set you have listed up there are Chinese knock-offs of Kluson parts. Real Klusons are junk, I can't imagine a copy being any better, and could easily be much worse. Although, I don't think I've ever seen anything worse than a Kluson. I can't tell you how many sets of those I've thrown away. They're typically reserved for student guitars that are likely to be discarded, older guitars where they didn't have a lotta choice, and new guitars for players who don't know any better. 

"Vintage" parts are usually not the best quality, regardless of their pedigree. Old designs get superseded for good reasons.

 

[monchavo]

Woah nellies.  Let me rephrase. I should have said I want a quality, vintage aesthetic, pearl or white buttoned locking tuner.

I am not bothered about spending money. I may have couched my initial post badly. What I am interested in getting is a reasonable choice of options before I pull the trigger.

Right now it seems my options are a chinese knock-offs or a single set of non-locking sperzels from a dude on eBay. This isn't an ideal position to be in - so was looking to my guitar building brethren for alternative options.

My ideal is the aesthetic of the vintage tuner locking tuner (I have two sets of the vintage looking Gotohs which have the locking facility) with a pearl button. But the Gotoh units dont have replaceable buttons.

 

[monchavo]

Given that Sperzel do replacement knobs for the tops of their tuners that may be the way to go - a nickel set with replacement pearl buttons on the top - pricey but cool

 

[Cagey]

That's the way I'd go. Sperzels are nice parts, probably the best out there along with Schallers.

 

[Fat Pete]

If the vintage look is a must, you can get the Gotohs with ivoroid or pearloid buttons, but I've only seen them available from the G-Jax site in Japan.

Various options - standard/height adjustable posts/magnum (automatic) locking etc. here.

Rear locking here.

These really do get pricey when you start adding the options though. Figure in shipping and VAT etc if you're in the UK and you're looking at north of £100 for a locking set. I did find a set with both height adjustment and magnum lock in the UK for a reasonable(ish) price so it's worth a thorough search. I think you'd be very lucky to find them with plastic buttons though.

 

[Fat Pete]

I'd add Hipshot to the recommended list for a non-vintage look. Replacement buttons appear to be a lot cheaper than Sperzel.

 

[BigSteve22]

+1 on the Hipshot tuners. The last set of open back, locking tuners I bought in chrome cost me about $53 US. Buttons are widely available in many styles and colors. I picked up a set of pearl buttons for less than $10 with shipping. Great tuners, very stable.

I don't much care for the standard buttons, but they are easily replaced. If you don't mind paying factory direct prices, you can order them with any button they make at no additional charge, but they are a LOT cheaper buying from an ebay vendor. Look for hdcustomguitars for the tuners, and sportitech for buttons.

I attached a picture of my last tuner buy to give you an idea of how they will look.

 

[monchavo]

Fat Pete - thanks very much for the suggestions. I've asked Sperzel for a quote for some custom tuners (as buying a set then buying replacement knobs seems silly, and they do seem to offer the service).
Are the hipshot jobs locking?

 

[stratamania]

Yes the Hipshots are available in locking.

It's why I suggested to check out Hipshot or Schaller in my answer above.

Check out a site called Sporthitech. They usually have a good selection.

Whose Nellie  :dontknow:

 

[grak]

Here are a set of locking hipshot tuners with pearl buttons on a strat wenge neck.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

so, monchavo is a bit peeved. what options might you be able to share with me - locking possibly, vintagey looking white headed or pearl headed tuners for a wacky tele build

many thanks for your suggestions!

I have to love anyone who refers to themself in the third person.  Nicely done, Monchavo, nicely done.

 

[monchavo]

Sorry if you took offence  to my thirdpersonery. It's an entirely harmless affectation I picked up some time ago. One tries not to use it excessively.  :laughing11:

I spoke with the lovely Ron at Sperzel who is going to cook me up a custom set for barely $10 more than the cost of a set on eBay. MUHAHAHAHA. Le awesome. I am very pleased.

 

[Fat Pete]

Good to hear to you've sorted this. I've had some dealings with Ron (I assume - possibly wrongly - that this is Ron Sperzel, rather than merely Ron at Sperzel) and he was more than helpful.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Sorry if you took offence  to my thirdpersonery. It's an entirely harmless affectation I picked up some time ago. One tries not to use it excessively.  :laughing11:

I spoke with the lovely Ron at Sperzel who is going to cook me up a custom set for barely $10 more than the cost of a set on eBay. MUHAHAHAHA. Le awesome. I am very pleased.

No offense taken!  I was serious, I loved it.  Its the type of thing that would suck if you saw it every day, but when someone pulls it out randomly, it is like sitting next to the Most Interesting Man in the World on an airplane ride in coach.  Totally cool.  You win.