You may have seen my last post, about the Split Jazzmaster I am building. I purchased a neck from Warmoth (Vintage Modern, Stratocaster, Maple, Rosewood Fingerboard) and it says it is drilled for Schaller tuners. It is supposed to be 25/64", 11/32". On the website it specifically mentions that these tuners : http://www.warmoth.com/Schaller-Mini-Locking-Tuner-Left-Side-Chrome-P119C726.aspx fit in the holes Warmoth drills for Schallers. However, I ordered the tuners, and they don't fit! Argh. That is the second set of locking tuners I have tried and they don't fit. Has anyone purchased necks from Warmoth the tuner holes drilled for Schaller? If so what tuners do you use? Could this be a website error, or is my neck drilled improperly? What should I do? So frustrating Thanks!
Tuners Don't Fit. HELP!
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Patrick from Davis
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Call them at Warmoth. The absolute quickest way to figure out what to do. Warranty, if things were misdone, if you are missing a detail, anything. They are there for that. Also, they are very nice folks.
Patrick
Patrick
Re-Pete
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1. Did you also order the tuners from Warmoth, or did you get the Schallers from elsewhere? (There's a variety of tuners made by Schaller & if you ordered a different model from elsewhere it may have different hole specs)
2. Call Warmoth if you are in the USA or drop them an email if you are outside of USA. Find out what they want you to do. ( return for refund, new neck, repair under warranty, etc..)
3. DO NOT TRY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM UNTIL YOU HAVE HEARD FROM WARMOTH AND WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO. If you start reaming out the holes or trying to edge in the tuners, Warmoth may not want the neck back if the tuner holes have been 'modified'.
4. If the holes are too small, it is quite simple to remedy by reaming and sanding. But you have to do it carefully & if you are unsure of hwo to go about it, take it to a competent repairer. But refer to Point 3 above, FIRST, before starting any of that work.
2. Call Warmoth if you are in the USA or drop them an email if you are outside of USA. Find out what they want you to do. ( return for refund, new neck, repair under warranty, etc..)
3. DO NOT TRY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM UNTIL YOU HAVE HEARD FROM WARMOTH AND WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO. If you start reaming out the holes or trying to edge in the tuners, Warmoth may not want the neck back if the tuner holes have been 'modified'.
4. If the holes are too small, it is quite simple to remedy by reaming and sanding. But you have to do it carefully & if you are unsure of hwo to go about it, take it to a competent repairer. But refer to Point 3 above, FIRST, before starting any of that work.
Cagey
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I've gone through a lot of Warmoth necks over the last several years, probably about a dozen just for myself that have been drilled for Schaller mini-lockers. Needless to say, I'm a big fan. They are tight. They're supposed to be. A loose tuner is a shock/vibration absorber, which is NFG for tone/sustain.
Generally, they will only press in to within about 1/8" - 1/16" of the tuner body being in contact with the headstock. At that point, I thread in the bushing from the other side and tighten it down with a T-handle nut driver, which pulls the tuner body up tight to the rear of the headstock. They're in there very tight at that point. Line 'em up nice, mark the anti-rotation holes, then knock the tuners back out to drill those screw holes.
The only time I've had trouble was a couple Strats back, I used a set of GHS' Schaller look-alikes by Gotoh. On one of those, using the threaded bushing to pull the tuner up tight actually sheared the bushing in half. Since they're imports, there aren't spare parts available, so I had to buy another set of tuners.
Now I've got some spare parts <grin>
Guitar necks are always made out of the harder hardwoods, so the wood isn't really compressible with hand tools and tolerances can be held pretty close. So, tight might be ok if you're not used to it. But, if it really feels like something is going to break, you might just wrap some 220 grit sandpaper around a pencil or a bit of dowel and dig around in the tuner hole to open it up a couple thousandths. Also, it may be helpful to wax the tuner housing with some beeswax, paraffin, a candle or crayon so the housing isn't fighting friction so much.
Generally, they will only press in to within about 1/8" - 1/16" of the tuner body being in contact with the headstock. At that point, I thread in the bushing from the other side and tighten it down with a T-handle nut driver, which pulls the tuner body up tight to the rear of the headstock. They're in there very tight at that point. Line 'em up nice, mark the anti-rotation holes, then knock the tuners back out to drill those screw holes.
The only time I've had trouble was a couple Strats back, I used a set of GHS' Schaller look-alikes by Gotoh. On one of those, using the threaded bushing to pull the tuner up tight actually sheared the bushing in half. Since they're imports, there aren't spare parts available, so I had to buy another set of tuners.
Now I've got some spare parts <grin>
Guitar necks are always made out of the harder hardwoods, so the wood isn't really compressible with hand tools and tolerances can be held pretty close. So, tight might be ok if you're not used to it. But, if it really feels like something is going to break, you might just wrap some 220 grit sandpaper around a pencil or a bit of dowel and dig around in the tuner hole to open it up a couple thousandths. Also, it may be helpful to wax the tuner housing with some beeswax, paraffin, a candle or crayon so the housing isn't fighting friction so much.
alterbridgefan
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Cagey said:
Electric Ukulele? :toothy12:
I just don't understand why they don't fit even on the website it says these are the tuners that fit in the Schaller style holes
Look Here
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/TunerHoles.aspx
My neck is drilled with the so called "Schaller" style holes in the top right. 25/64" 11/32". I bought the Schaller Mini Locking tuners from Warmoth linked on this page.
Tomorrow I will call and ask them what to do. I'm not very confident with a hand reamer or anything, so I'll probably end up taking it to the guitar shop and have them do it. The costs just keep on stacking!
I must have not been the first person to encounter this problem. Surley people have ordered the "Schaller" holes before on their Warmoth necks.
Look Here
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/TunerHoles.aspx
My neck is drilled with the so called "Schaller" style holes in the top right. 25/64" 11/32". I bought the Schaller Mini Locking tuners from Warmoth linked on this page.
Tomorrow I will call and ask them what to do. I'm not very confident with a hand reamer or anything, so I'll probably end up taking it to the guitar shop and have them do it. The costs just keep on stacking!
I must have not been the first person to encounter this problem. Surley people have ordered the "Schaller" holes before on their Warmoth necks.
alterbridgefan
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My guess is they just drilled the wrong size. Don't touch the neck until you call Warmoth.
Oh sorry, I posted that before reading Cagey's response. So your saying that the tuners listed on the website indeed do fit in the "Schaller" holes? What a relief. I was able to press in most of the tuner just by hand, without putting in the bushing on the other side. I'll have to try your method later. Thank you so much.
Just another speed bump in the process of building this guitar!
Just another speed bump in the process of building this guitar!
Re-Pete
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Just take your time, using Cagey's method & you should be done...
If it all starts looking too hairy for you, by all means, stop what you are doing and take it to a tech to set right.
I can appreciate that, at times, your heart will go into your mouth wondering whether you are about to ruin an expensive neck if it's the first time you've done this assembly work.
If you are apprehensive, but still want to DIY, maybe drill some holes into a blank plank and a couple of bolts & nuts (in place of the tuners) and practice Cagey's method til you feel more confident with your technique? There's no harm in practicing the way it all works and how you do it all.
If it all starts looking too hairy for you, by all means, stop what you are doing and take it to a tech to set right.
I can appreciate that, at times, your heart will go into your mouth wondering whether you are about to ruin an expensive neck if it's the first time you've done this assembly work.
If you are apprehensive, but still want to DIY, maybe drill some holes into a blank plank and a couple of bolts & nuts (in place of the tuners) and practice Cagey's method til you feel more confident with your technique? There's no harm in practicing the way it all works and how you do it all.
Jumble Jumble
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Yeah, when I did my first build I went through a fair bit of scrap wood practising things. Well worth doing.
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