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Tuning Pegs Standard sizes? Uke pegs OK?

Tuning pegs are obviously In my search for parts.

I've visited the usual suspects, ebay, Stew Mac and goodle and have seen the base price for 6 economy pegs is about 9-12 bucks. I'm on my way to a electronics fixit shop in Falmouth Mass. It's been around for about 100,000 years and the folks there are a hoot (they rebuilt an old Garrard Turntable for me recently) and also have guitar parts scattered around in their store and invited me to take a look.

My question(s) is/are

10 Are these things pretty standard size? I've seen some dimensions listed in stewmac but don't claim to understand them. Is it post length that differs or post width or both? Is open gear better than covered? Can I use bass pegs, uke pegs?

I know the philosophy is "No rules" but is there a better "sucess rate" one versus the other choices?

Thanks in advance!

Some Specs below for economy tuning pegs

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by RL Mott on February 4, 2010 at 6:41am

My 2¢ - Stick with guitar tuners . Bass tuners are way huge , and most uke tuners have shorter posts (need thinner headstock wood ).
Avoid the plastic-posted slot-head type .

Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on February 4, 2010 at 2:24pm

Guitar machine tuning gears are all equal, except they're not. The vast majority have posts slightly less than 1/4" in dia. Many builders don't use the "bushings" as it looks too "finished". The base plates may be slightly different in dimension, but not greatly different. The real difference in tuning machines is how accurate the gears are machined and what quality the material they are made from are. The assumption that all of the "closed" machines are better quality is not true. Some are junk. There are very many economy tuners that are prefectly acceptable. The give away about quality is how "loose" the gear on the post and the peg fit. If you can "wiggle" the peg without the post moving, this is probably low quality... (Check to make sure the screw holding the gear to the post is tight.

Bass tuning machines are for basses.... way over kill for a CBG using regular guitar strings.

There are two kinds of uke tuners.... the original types are direct drive metal that are friction fit... There can be used with light guage guitar strings, and nylon (classical) guitar strings, but don't have the heft for wound strings.
Modern ukes often are fitted with geared tuners that are really guitar tuners often with shorter posts.....

For your first builds, stay with standard guitar tuners (open or closed backs ok). That will be one less problem to fight....

good luck,
the best,

Wichita Sam

Permalink Reply by Steven Wallace on February 4, 2010 at 3:20pm