Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

[busdriver]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

ok, but I'll post tuner-pics without guitar, because I don't have the guitar yet, for which the tuners are meant [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[busdriver]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

I still owe you a picture of my Gotoh locking tuners SG381. These are a direct replacement for J/C Gotohs. I got them some weeks ago, brand new from the Gotoh factory. Someone said these tuners are not available anymore, but they are as you see [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]


[ July 01, 2004, 03:15 AM: Message edited by: busdriver ]

[Jackson-Charvel]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

Bus did you ever get your guitar to install these in? Just wondering if they were crap or as good as Sperzels/Schallers?

[busdriver]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

Originally posted by Jackson-Charvel:
Bus did you ever get your guitar to install these in?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Oh yes, I will get the guitar [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I only can't tell when, because the guitar is a home-made-project (not much too see yet). I'm now in the phase of getting the hardware together.

But I have another guitar in which the same tuners are installed. I can't compare them with other locking tuners, but I think the Gotohs work great.
Important is that you adjust the size of each string-hole to the diameter of the string. Sounds complicated, but that's totally easy [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] If you don't do it you turn the knobs forever until the tuners lock. If you do it they lock immediately.

[Jackson-Charvel]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

Yeah a different locking mechanism, but as long as you use it intelligently, it should work flawlessly.

[shreddermon]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

Old thread resurrection!

As Busdriver has suggested here, you can get Gotoh SG38s with the locking mechanism and Schaller-style peg. I just did, in fact. Special ordered them from Allparts, and they came in last week.

Unfortunately, they are NOT direct "drop-in" replacements for the non-locking Gotohs standard on USA J/Cs! The tuner, peg, and screw mountings are all exactly the same. However, the outermost shaft that runs through the headstock to the front is WIDER on the locking tuners. So they won't fit without some additional routing of the headstock. [img]/images/graemlins/nono.gif[/img] I wasn't willing to go there, so I sent them back for a refund.

Also, I would agree with many of Deviltronix's above-mentioned criticisms of the design. I wouldn't quite say it's a total POS, but the design and locking mechanism is subpar IMHO.

I could live with the cheesy design tradeoffs if it allowed me to not have to mod a great guitar. Unfortunately, that's not the case - they're not direct replacements. And, if modding or spec'ing locking tuners for a new guitar, I would definitely prefer to have a better design like Sperzels or Schallers.

Oh well. It would've been nice. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

[Jackson-Charvel]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

Thanks for the update on the locking tuners. At least we know they don't fit without modding.

I had the same problem finding locking tuners for my Gibson LP withough modding. I was hearing conflicting reports that Grover Locking tuners fit without re-drilling mounting holes, and my owen experience says they don't fit, so who is right?

[busdriver]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Gotohs?

[ QUOTE ]
Unfortunately, they are NOT direct "drop-in" replacements for the non-locking Gotohs standard on USA J/Cs! The tuner, peg, and screw mountings are all exactly the same. However, the outermost shaft that runs through the headstock to the front is WIDER on the locking tuners.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, that's interesting! My SG381 fit perfectly! Perhaps they changed the dimensions or there is a difference between SG38 and SG381 (I was told there is no, SG381 is only a new name).

[buzzsaww]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Go

sorry man, maybe i was having a bad day. no i didn't notice the smileys. sometimes i get too wrapped around this board and have to take a break and grab one of those chill pills. was a long time a go now, who knows what i was thinking.

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Locking Tuners - Direct Replacement for J/C Go

I use both the Sperzel and the Grover. I like them both. I installed the Grovers on my LPC. There is no extra knob. You just stick the string through the hole and tune. It looks in place in approx a 1/4 turn. Very nice and look like regular grovers.