Planet Waves Auto-trim tuners are garbage!

[Zaman]

Now this story gets even funnier (or scarier depending on how you look at it). I bought ANOTHER set just to give this company and their tuners the benefit of the doubt...

Washer missing.

Silver tab marking where to insert string missing on one of the tuners AGAIN.

I am going to call the company tomorrow and let them know of my woes through THREE SETS of these tuners.

 

[m4rk0]

I have used at least 8 or 9 sets and never had major problems!
Having said that, I recently lost a pin (or clamp whatever it's called) and one of my tuners didn't clamp the string down anymore (I noticed that once a tuner has been used for a thicker string, there is no way it is going to work for a high E anymore!

Anyway, Yesterday I emailed planet waves to find out if they sell parts, but instead they offered to send them to me for free! Pretty good customer service!!

 

[Zaman]

Marko, what's the email address? You think its better to call them or email them?

I have used at least 8 or 9 sets and never had major problems!
Having said that, I recently lost a pin (or clamp whatever it's called) and one of my tuners didn't clamp the string down anymore (I noticed that once a tuner has been used for a thicker string, there is no way it is going to work for a high E anymore!

Anyway, Yesterday I emailed planet waves to find out if they sell parts, but instead they offered to send them to me for free! Pretty good customer service!!

 

[m4rk0]

there is a contact form on their website.. they responded within half a day to me..

 

[TJD]

Mine are great so far.

 

[Zaman]

I called up D'Addario customer service yesterday and I must say it is, indeed, the best customer service I've ever dealt with. I just wish the quality of these Planet Waves Auto-trim tuners was as good as their customer service. From my experience with the 4 sets I've gone through, I can tell that its hit or miss. If you get a good set then they are excellent. If you get a bum set, they are pure trash.

 

[bbl4ck]

I called up D'Addario customer service yesterday and I must say it is, indeed, the best customer service I've ever dealt with. I just wish the quality of these Planet Waves Auto-trim tuners was as good as their customer service. From my experience with the 4 sets I've gone through, I can tell that its hit or miss. If you get a good set then they are excellent. If you get a bum set, they are pure trash.

I totally agree about their customer service.  Like I posted earlier on this thread, they gave me a brand new set of tuners just because the paint was chipped up on a few of the screws.  This was for a set that I did not even purchase.  They came attached to a used neck that I bought off of Ebay..
Yes, thier customer service rules...

 

[jay4321]

I've have them on several guitars and just put a new set on a guitar in progress, never had any issue with PW. Actually I don't like the fact that they have the black posts on their chrome and gold models, but functionally speaking they're my favorites on guitars where the don't look out of place. Love them.

Guitar Center, on the other hand...

 

[jay4321]

But at least they're [Planet Waves] trying to take care of their customers, it seems like so many manufacturers couldn't care less once you hand over the money.

 

[m4rk0]

I received a huge box per Fedex last week..
it was full of bubblewrap........and 2 tiny backs with free locking pins in it

Great service, but a small envelope per regular mail would've been fine too  :laughing11:

 

[Zaman]

I agree that their customer service is the best bar none. Yet, it makes me wonder whether they were aware internally of some bad batches going out and that is why they are so generous with their customer support.

The tuners are good when they work, but they simply don' compare to the Schallers which look and function far better. I can cut the string ends myself with a wire cutter. The downside? The Schallers are pricey and seldom go cheap. PW on the other hand can be had for a very good price quite frequently.

 

[jay4321]

I use pre-Ping Schallers on some guitars because they look better in many cases. But they are geting harder to find, are pricey, and they're gear ratio isn't as good as the PW. They seem well-built, but then again so did PW's given my experience with then until I read this thread.

 

[GUNSNGUITARS]

Just got a new set also, ordered 2/20/2010. Same problem,  the .10 and .13 strings will not hold. Sounds like I will have to call them tomorrow and get some new pins... what really sucks is I just built this new guitar, and now I have to wait another week to string it up completely. They must have a had a bad batch of tuners.

 

[Superbeast520]

One thing I have learned about locking tuners is that they're either good or they suck, I always go for the simpler the better, as in I can cut my own strings... having the cutter is just one more thing to go wrong and obviously thats an issue because Im reading all the complaints, maybe if they would put more emphasis on the  quality and performance of the tuning aspect and less on the gimick of a built in wire cutter there wouldn't be these issues.

I dont buy sperzels either because I found them to be lacking as well, they have a low gear ratio and yes they actually do slip especially on higher gauge strings, I found they develope slack points after a bit of use, I never had any problems with schallers ever and they still have a nice gear ratio, so far the unbelievably expensive Gotohs I bought seem like a great buy, and now that Im hearing about all the issues here I realise why I spent the money I did on a tuner that does less, it just locks my strings tight and tunes them well, plus they have a nice gear ratio to boot, I would rather spend my money on non locking tuners with a lower gear ratio than buy something that is gonna frustrate me.

Its nice to have a board like this, I now know I will never buy these, and I didnt have to spend my money and get frustrated to find out.

Heres a tip to new guys:  DON'T SKIMP ON TUNERS..... your guitar is only fun to play if it stays in tune, which is way more important than owning boutique pickups. P.S. buy yourself a "Peterson Strobo Stomp Tuner" as well, you'll be thanking yourself later.   :icon_thumright:

 

[Zaman]

Well stated and my sentiments exactly.

 

[jay4321]

Again I've never had problems with them, but I'd pay an extra $15 per set if they:

-Addressed any reliability issues
-Did away with all the black on the gold and chrome sets
-Lose the cheesy-looking PW logo painted on the knobs. Stamp it or something

I have to agree with the "there's more that can go wrong" point too. But again, I like them. String changes are a little quicker and they tune/stay in tune well... though I just saw they're $60 on MF now, I distinctly remember playing less than that.

Anyway I've seen a number of comments about people with slipping strings, esp their high strings, but I use .010s and never have an issue at all. I wonder what causes that and if/how it's been addressed.

 

[kurtster23]

Mine are garbage too.  I bought a brand new set of the auto-trim tuning machines (3 per side) and installed them with no problem on my new neck, but when putting on the strings, I could not install the high B or E w/o them slipping out of the locking mechanism.  They work fine on the heavier strings.  I tried about 6 "B" strings and they all broke.  It seems that it cuts the string off too soon and the string pops out when you begin to tune up to pitch as soon as there is tension on the string.  Now I am going to have to remove them and send them back.  I will never buy another set.  I've learned my lesson.  I have never had such an issue with Sperzel's or Schaller locking tuners.

 

[buckallred]

Another vote for the schaller mini locking tuners, I really like them, flawless performance, great quality.

so, yeah, you have to cut your own strings. It's not THAT bad, you know ? ? ?

 

[mayfly]

  I have never had such an issue with Sperzel's or Schaller locking tuners.

Interesting.  I just swapped a set of slipping 'locking' Sperzel tuners in my 8-ball tele for a set of PW auto-trims. 
In that application (aggressive country lead guitar) the PWs perform much better than the Sperzel.  The Sperzel tuners would slip so bad that I could not even get the strings to stay in tune past one double bend.  PWs are rock steady.

I've moved those Sperzels in my 12 string, and they are tolerable there - but still slip.

In my experience with the PW tuners, which is 5 sets now, I've never had the problems that others have had.

 

[Superbeast520]

 I have never had such an issue with Sperzel's or Schaller locking tuners.

Interesting.  I just swapped a set of slipping 'locking' Sperzel tuners in my 8-ball tele for a set of PW auto-trims.  
In that application (aggressive country lead guitar) the PWs perform much better than the Sperzel.  The Sperzel tuners would slip so bad that I could not even get the strings to stay in tune past one double bend.  PWs are rock steady.

I've moved those Sperzels in my 12 string, and they are tolerable there - but still slip.

In my experience with the PW tuners, which is 5 sets now, I've never had the problems that others have had.

I also had that problem when I used Sperzels, it makes me laugh when I hear people say that tuners cant slip, well Im not sure what the right word is but the Sperzels I had would slip when ever I used them on heavy strings like 49's or 56's, it was like there was a spot in the tuning wheel that would give way and if I tuned past that point it would be fine except then my strings were way out of tune...lol  so thats no solution...yeah, I have experienced that slipping as well and have never bought another set of Sperzel and would never recommend them either.
As far as Planet Waves, you mean, what, I actually have to cut my own strings...lol  hilarious, Thanks for saving me that hassel, because golly gee, guitarist have been complaining about that for years...lol
Sounds like a new twist on a potato peeler...what you mean theres a better way...lol...gimme a break...guess not... :laughing7: