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Permalink Reply by Gwil Colman on February 10, 2015 at 10:37am

Something I don't understand.   You say "Just make sure the peg that holds the string is closer to the neck than the tuner gear, so the peg gear is pulled by string tension into the tuner gear. This keeps them from stripping." 

It seems to me that the gears are held together by the body of the tuner, and the shaft that the string is wound around is normally supported by a bushing at the face of the headstock.  So I don't see how the shaft can tilt out of line or the gears come out of engagement, no matter which way the string tension is pulling.  Of course I could be missing something (it has happened).

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 10, 2015 at 11:01am

I can verify that when using "inexpensive" open gear tuners and mounting them such that the post and gear are closer to the bridge than the tuner/worm gear, you have a better than even chance of pulling the post and gear far enough out of the worm gear to experience gear slip. This particularly true with pulling up a heavier string to tension.

Mounting the tuner such that the worm gear is closer to the bridge than the post and gear will result in the mesh between gear and worm being tighter as string tension is applied.

If I had not made this mistake myself, I wouldn't have believed that the string had enough tension to pull the gears apart enough to matter....it does.

Fortunately, with many of the simple open tuners, you can remove the gear holding screw, flip the worm screw over to the other side to make a left hand tuner a right hand tuner and vice-verse.

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Permalink Reply by Gwil Colman on February 10, 2015 at 11:23am

Thanks - that makes sense.   I think I'll stick to tuners with diecast bodies and screw-in bushes, they hold the shaft straight and I can mount them either way round.  . 

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 10, 2015 at 11:59am

That's my take on it. Nice drawing.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on February 10, 2015 at 11:36am

Thanks guys. The tuners I purchased were the Shane speal ones from cbgitty. If looking from the back of the head should the brass gear then be closer to the body? That is what it sounds like, I just want to confirm before I do anything. I have not even looked to see if I have 2 lefts 1 right or reversed so need check before I drill as well.

Thank you!
Mike

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Permalink Reply by Mike on February 10, 2015 at 12:02pm

Thanks that helps a lot. Nothing can be lost in translation that way. :) thanks again for the help!

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Permalink Reply by John Sawyer on February 10, 2015 at 12:23pm

Like wayfinder said.  I drill my peg holes 3/8" from the edge, no more than 5/16"...

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