Pre-drills for Hipshot tuners/bridges

[tfcreative]

At least for bass, I would really like to be able to order bodies with pre-drills for Hipshot A-style bridges and their Ultrlight tuners. They really are top shelf and I hate having to choose between using my second choice for hardware and trying to drill for a bridge myself.

 

[SkuttleFunk]

you should be able to get holes pre-drilled for the Type A bridges, but it is an added cost to do so last time I checked. The Vintage bent plate bridges are a direct swap out for the standard 5-hole bridge pattern, so this can be done at no added expense. I've never inquired on the other Hipshot models, as I usually don't use them on my builds.

for the tuning keys ... it's a little bit more difficult. exactly where do you want them? I rotate mine just a pinch off perpendicular, so a pre-drill for the screw would not do me good. pre-drills would only work for the Fender style headstocks, as the others leave too much room for subjective rotation to make everybody happy.

all the best,

R

 

[tfcreative]

I guess I didn't ask about the Hipshot A. I actually asked about pre-drilling a neck for hipshot ultralights (just a different size primary hole) and they said they wouldn't do it, I needed to either drill my own holes or go with the Schaller BML lite tuners. I guess I assumed about the bridge based on that experience.

 

[SkuttleFunk]

Hipshot Ultrallights in the 1/2" size fit a standard Fender MIA/MIM tuner key hole. Hipshot Ultralights in the 3/8" size fit a standard GB7 tuner key hole.

all the best,

R

 

[tfcreative]

Hipshot Ultrallights in the 1/2" size fit a standard Fender MIA/MIM tuner key hole. Hipshot Ultralights in the 3/8" size fit a standard GB7 tuner key hole.

Seriously? Why would they not tell me this?!?! Thanks a lot for the info, I appreciate it. This being my first build project, I'm learning a ton.

 

[Wyliee]

Hi TF,

More information is necessary here.  You didn't indicate which model bass body and neck you're wanting to use.

4 string straight headstocks can be reamed for GB7s.  You'll see that here:
http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=standard
Tiltback headstocks are already drilled for GB7s as are several of the Deluxe 5 necks.

Warmoth does not carry Hipshot tuners.  As such, we do not track all of their current models and dimensions.  This is where you'll need to determine which model you want to use and see if it fits any standard tuner reams.

Hipshot A (17.5mm and 19.0mm string spacing) bridge routing can be done on the Gecko 5 basses though it is non-string thru.

HTH,
Eric.

 

[tfcreative]

Hi TF,

More information is necessary here.  You didn't indicate which model bass body and neck you're wanting to use.

4 string straight headstocks can be reamed for GB7s.  You'll see that here:
http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=standard
Tiltback headstocks are already drilled for GB7s as are several of the Deluxe 5 necks.

Warmoth does not carry Hipshot tuners.  As such, we do not track all of their current models and dimensions.  This is where you'll need to determine which model you want to use and see if it fits any standard tuner reams.

Hipshot A (17.5mm and 19.0mm string spacing) bridge routing can be done on the Gecko 5 basses though it is non-string thru.

HTH,
Eric.

Eric,

Thanks for the response and explanation. More than likely this is a situation where my inexperience got the best of me, and I'm already expecting my neck (Deluxe 5) in a few weeks. I guess that I assumed (not the best idea) that Warmoth would be fairly up to spec on common dimensions, as they seem to know a great deal about pickup dimensions from makes that they don't sell (EMG, Bart). When I asked specifically about hipshot ultralights, I was simply told that Warmoth does not drill for hipshots and that I would have to drill my own holes. It did not occur to me to investigate similarity of sizes, mostly because my research into pickup routing indicated that sizing similarities would already have been listed. As such, I'll be getting BML lites; I'm sure they're not garbage and I'll be fine, and that the tuners won't be the worst part of my first build. I'm certainly not coming down on Warmoth for not answering an unasked question. It would be nice, however, if such similarities were listed on the site as they are with pickups; I can't imaging that hipshot is changing the size of their tuners every year given that they need to be standardized for replacement use (then again, I could be wrong about this as well). Once again, I enjoy the learning process and am getting more and more understanding as I go on, which is really why I started this in the first place.