Tuner buttons

[swarfrat]

Mayfly's comments on the Aaron's double neck got me thinking again about my 12 string. I don't really need to replace the tuners, and I see buttons available but ... surely they don't all fit, but I see precious little in the way of 'fits XYZ' or hex shaft/D-shaft/ISO-3920-10-33992 (kidding on the last.)

Are the actually universal or nearly so?

 

[mayfly]

I don't think so.  I actually had black ebony buttons on the lower strings on the WarmothXII and they eventually stopped working because they stripped out on the tuner shaft because of not a good fit.

I'd go to the company that made the tuner for the alternate buttons.

 

[wildbill]

Tone Ninja has buttons for different breeds, I can't say long-term but I have a couple sets that I put on Hipshots that are "so far, so good" . I agree that OEM would be the safest bet though.

 

[swarfrat]

Good luck. Guild F-2512E  current production.  They appear to be some sort of hex shaft. I suppose I could just replace them with two sets of locking tuners. Normally I wouldn't bother on an acoustic but since it's a 12 string locking tuners might just help tuning stability

 

[mayfly]

Ya man.  I just put lockers on all my acoustic guitars.  Dream come true - lockers rule!

 

[swarfrat]

Hmm ok. Anyone use the Wilkinson Ez-lok tuners? I feel a little better going with a no moving parts design when buying cheap tuners. (Hey, it is a proletariat 12 string.)

I did see someone claim the plain strings were prone to slipping, but others to the contrary, and a lot of people seem to wind them the wrong way (1/4 turn loop instead of 3/4 turn going the other way)

 

[mayfly]

oh yea that high G string slips like a sumbitch.  Solvable without lockers with careful winding though

 

[swarfrat]

Wait. Trying to interpret.
1) you have Wilkinson Ez-lok and yes they do slip?
2) you have something else and they slip
3) High g will be slip prone in anything?
4) your winding technique solved the problem - and it works for both locking and nonlocking tuners?

 

[mayfly]

copy that.

2 - I have Sperzel sound-lok tuners.  And they slip. 
3 - I think the high g will slip on any non-locking tuner without some careful string winding.
4 - What I do is loop the string around the post, then have the first wrap go over top of the string-end.  The end result is that the string wrap is over top of the string, holding it in place with string tension.  If that makes sense.  Count on the g slipping until it's fully up to pitch 
5 - I didn't use full bore lockers because I wanted a light tuner (the Sperzels are the open-backed variety).  I was afraid of neck dive Don'tChaKnow.
6 - In hindsight should have used hipshot open-backed lockers.  I have these on another guitar and they are glorious.

 

[swarfrat]

Perhaps the Wilkinson string winding will work better then. I'll see - just ordered a chrome and a black set. Though perhaps I should've ordered both chrome and replaced the buttons.

 

[swarfrat]

Wilkinson JN-01 EZ-Lok is here, and they're a 100% drop in fit for the stock guild tuners - same size and thread bushing, the screw holes line up, and it's even holding the high G with NO wrap. Just make sure you do a 3/4" wrap and not just 1/4 when you go from the bottom hole to the top. I'm sold. I'll be using these on other projects in the future.

Now.... I dread changing strings on a 12 string. Let alone tuners. I think I'll just do the octaves tonight. The mains another day.

 

[mayfly]

Cool!  good to know - I will check out those tuners.

 

[swarfrat]

Shoulda got gold. Its more subtle than black against chrome, but black posts are a pitb if you're over fifty. At $20, I might just buy a chrome set and just keep the black for the buttons

 

[TBurst Std]

Nice. I’ve been contemplating some gold Hipshot open gear lockers for my
Guild 12 string. Alternate gold and amber knobs.

Then again that 12 stays in tune and doesn’t present a stringing issue. Now my Ric 360 12 is a different story LOL

 

[mayfly]

oh my god! Tell me about string changes on a Rick 12 string!! Especially the new ones where the 'slot' does not go all the way through the headstock.  I got the idea for locking tuners on 12 strings from dealing with my Rick

 

[Rick]

All this talk of 12 strings has got me jonesing for ... a 12 string!

 

[mayfly]

I think you should get one.  I reeeeeeaaaaaally like mine:

:evil4: :evil4: :evil4: