Fender vintage tuners.

[surfergirl]

I used to hate restring these tuners. I have down pretty good now. It was really only the high E and occasionally the B that had a problem with. In order to protect my sanity, I take a coffee break and meditate before I do the high E. I haven't had any problems since. At one time was even considering changing the tuners, now I'm glad I resisted doing that. 

 

[KuruPrionz]

With vintage Fender tuners, I always cut the string with about 2 1/2" of extra string past the tuner, more for the 1st string and less for the 6th string. 

Then I poke the end of the string down the hole in the center of the slot in the tuner, keep guide fingers up close to the tuner and use a guitar key crank to wind the string on, working with guide fingers to keep the wraps going down towards the headstock in a neat spiral. 

 

It's easy once you get the hang of it. 

Since I now will only use a vintage guitar if it's been "boogered" to the point that a restoration is not possible, I usually use locking tuners now. Quite some time ago I was buying sets of Sperzel tuners used online for good prices. I have a few sets still that will eventually go on guitars. Having done many tuner replacements for other guitarists, my current recommendation would be the Graph-Tec Ratio tuners, those are absolutely excellent. 

[Winston Psmith]

Have to agree on the vintage Fender tuners, once you get used to them, they're not bad to work with.

 

The guy who sold me my first String-winder, back in the mid-80's told me, "This will save you hours of useful life," and he wasn't wrong. I have one in every Guitar case, and a couple of spares lying around, just because.

[surfergirl]

When Fender replaced the Deluxe Player with the Player model the replaced the vintage tuners with modern tuners. Everything else they changed ruined it for me, I wouldn't buy one.

The changes they made:

1. 12" radius neck to 9.5".

2. Took out the push button 7 way(switch).

3. Changed the gold hardware with chrome.

4. They switched from ash to alder bodies.

5. The DP had some very cool finishes that Player doesn't.

They changed what I think is Stratocaster the stood out from the rest to your basic, everyday Stratocaster.

This Is just my opinion, I'm sure some will like the Player more, and that's ok. 

At least they did do away with those pesky vintage tuners.

[Old Music Guy]

Again, my humble opinion, The FIRST thing I change, on any guitar I have, is the tuners. I always use locking tuners. Fender makes 'em (though I think they're Grovers).

I do keep the old ones. IF you're inclined to do that, make sure that you see how the originals mount so you can get the same ones. Some of my Fenders have 2 little holes that the tuner drops in to. Some don't. 

I put them on one of my American Highway 1 Strat. I had her in the case for a long time, and when I brought her out, she was in perfect tune. 

It also saves you A LOT of time replacing a snapped string. 

[KuruPrionz]

1 minute ago, Old Music Guy said:

Again, my humble opinion, The FIRST thing I change, on any guitar I have, is the tuners. I always use locking tuners. Fender makes 'em (though I think they're Grovers).

I do keep the old ones. IF you're inclined to do that, make sure that you see how the originals mount so you can get the same ones. Some of my Fenders have 2 little holes that the tuner drops in to. Some don't. 

I put them on one of my American Highway 1 Strat. I had her in the case for a long time, and when I brought her out, she was in perfect tune. 

It also saves you A LOT of time replacing a snapped string. 

All of my gigging electric guitars have locking tuners. 

I haven't put them on my Rainsong guitars and I'm headed towards doing a solo act with acoustic guitars. I hardly ever break a string but you're right, changing strings goes quickly with locking tuners and I've stopped bringing backups for electric gigs because of the locking tuners. 

 

And, surfergirl, I do like the lighter weight of alder even if it's not as pretty as ash. It is also a sustainable wood since the trees grow quickly. 

My Strat has just the neck and bridge pickups with a 3 way switch. I only use the neck or both, I've never liked all the combinations on Strats, too fiddly.

[Larryz]

I'm not a fan of Fender vintage tuners and +1 I really like locking tuners.  I can deal with standard tuners as that's what comes on most guitars...😎

[Old Music Guy]

2 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

My Strat has just the neck and bridge pickups with a 3 way switch. I only use the neck or both, I've never liked all the combinations on Strats, too fiddly.

I just finished my "Blackie" Strat today. I did the same thing with the pups. I dropped in a set of SD Vintage Blues HB. 3 way blade, 1 volume, 2 tone, with the FR bridge. I played around with it earlier, and I was blown away by the pickups!! The bridge needs to be rolled off a bit, the B & N are really well balanced, and the neck... Whooooa. Crazy phat. I had my tube amp @ 3 with not much drive, flat T/M/B, and a little verb and no stomps. My dog ran away!! 😆 

I think tomorrow I may give Robin my CC to go shopping and kick in some stomps. Maybe take it out on the porch.

[KuruPrionz]

7 minutes ago, Old Music Guy said:

I just finished my "Blackie" Strat today. I did the same thing with the pups. I dropped in a set of SD Vintage Blues HB. 3 way blade, 1 volume, 2 tone, with the FR bridge. I played around with it earlier, and I was blown away by the pickups!! The bridge needs to be rolled off a bit, the B & N are really well balanced, and the neck... Whooooa. Crazy phat. I had my tube amp @ 3 with not much drive, flat T/M/B, and a little verb and no stomps. My dog ran away!! 😆 

I think tomorrow I may give Robin my CC to go shopping and kick in some stomps. Maybe take it out on the porch.

I put EMG SA (A stands for Alnico) active pickups in my Strat. One volume and one SPC (Strat Presence Control) that tweaks down the treble just a smidge and boosts a broad curve of mids. The hole that is usually a volume control has a piece of white plastic glued behind it. I can get Strat and Gibson tones with zero hum and no string drag from strong magnets. It's got a high output as well, even with the pickups lowered a bit. Sings like a bird!

[surfergirl]

The Deluxe Player has 8.5mm vs 10mm holes for the tuners which eliminates a majority of locking tuners. Hipshot makes them, but the price a bit more than I want to spend. I've managed without locking tuners for 11+ years, I guess I can manage awhile longer. 

Further research I've found Gotoh and Kluson make ones that will fit. There maybe others, those are the ones I've found so far. Fender also, but for some reason they don't make the locking in gold and I'd like keep them matching the other hardware. 

[Old Music Guy]

@surfergirl If you could spec out your "dream" guitar, what would it be? (Not trying to be a schmuck, just asking).

I have three Strats now. I was playing around with all of them tonight. I never realized how each of them has a completely different personality. All are so playable and easy. And they're all extremely different. 

What's your dream Strat?

[Sharkman]

I have locking tuners on my Carvin and Kiesel guitars.  Once I figured out how to use them, I loved them and cannot understand why anyone would not want them if they could have them on their guitar.  But, that's just my far from humble opinion.

[surfergirl]

14 hours ago, Old Music Guy said:

@surfergirl If you could spec out your "dream" guitar, what would it be? (Not trying to be a schmuck, just asking).

I have three Strats now. I was playing around with all of them tonight. I never realized how each of them has a completely different personality. All are so playable and easy. And they're all extremely different. 

What's your dream Strat?

I've only owned a Squier Strat and my MIM Deluxe Player. I got my DP in 2011 when I was 11. Of course the first thing I fell in love with was the look. Next was the 12" Radius neck, which just felt right. I've considered some mods in the past, but haven't made any. I guess the only thing I may eventually change would be the tuners. I use to think I wanted a USA made Stat, but not anymore. So the short answer is, the one I have is my dream Strat.

P.S., I would never consider you were being a schmuck.

[Old Music Guy]

20 minutes ago, surfergirl said:

So the short answer is, the one I have is my dream Strat.

Consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Then again, you're still young 😊

 

23 minutes ago, surfergirl said:

I use to think I wanted a USA made Stat, but not anymore.

Agreed. I have 2 Americans (a Strat and a Tele). And I believe that the only real difference is in resale value. But now, building Frankenstrats, buying American parts is way too expensive. My Squire is a great guitar with the Duncan pickups and a MIM maple neck. It cost a lot in upgrades, but still half the cost of a USA that I would upgrade anyway. Same with the Player. 

[KuruPrionz]

We're off topic, just like always. So, I'll chime in on "screwdriver guitars" i.e. Strats and Teles.

 

When looking for parts, I shop locally for things people have given up on. My current Strat has a thinner Squier body in that light slightly greenish blue color. I got it for $25 at a pawn shop because it didn't work. The most common reason that electric guitars don't work is that somebody tried to tighten the jack and twisted the wires off. 

That was the problem here. So, I had my body, pick guard, neck plate and jack plate. I sold the neck with the crap tuners and somewhere I have a bag full of crappy sounding cheap single coils, generic "Strat" pickups. I should probably give them away, I don't use those. 

 

I kept an eye on Warmoth necks on eBay for a good while, eventually a truly left-handed Strat neck with an 1 7/8" width at the nut and a fatback came up for auction at a low starting price. Since it didn't have side dots on the side that would be up for a right handed guitar, I got it for around $165 including shipping.

 

I scalloped that fretboard, have wanted a scalloped fretboard for a long time. 

 

Add in 2 well used looking EMG pickups, a used EMG SPC, and a Strat bridge that I had laying around and I probably have $300-350 in a Strat that I really love to play. 

Bonus points because other guitarists ask to sit in on gigs and when I hand them my Strat they hand it right back in terror. Wide fat neck with scalloped board is apparently not in everybody's comfort zone. So it goes.

 

And that's how I do it. 

[Caevan O’Shite]

26 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

Bonus points because other guitarists ask to sit in on gigs and when I hand them my Strat they hand it right back in terror. Wide fat neck with scalloped board is apparently not in everybody's comfort zone. So it goes.

😄 I think I'd be game. But I'd also give you zero reason to ever regret letting me play it, as well. Dry enough hands- no horrid caustic and corrosive seepage; care taken while playing someone else's guitar; and I play fingerstyle, no flailing and boinking picks. I've played my main squeeze Les Paul for around 25 years without a pickguard, and it looks pretty good with precious few dings, dents or scratches- what few are there, are from weird accidents having something hit my guitar, or vice-versa...

Scalloped fretboards don't daunt me. I like bigger, fuller necks a lot more than I used to think; though I've come to appreciate narrow-ish string-spacing, frequently fretting pairs of strings with a single digit-tip, freeing up the others

[KuruPrionz]

Just now, Caevan O’Shite said:

😄 I think I'd be game. But I'd also give you zero reason to ever regret letting me play it, as well. Dry enough hands- no horrid caustic and corrosive seepage; care taken while playing someone else's guitar; and I play fingerstyle, no flailing and boinking picks. I've played my main squeeze Les Paul for around 25 years without a pickguard, and it looks pretty good with precious few dings, dents or scratches- what few are there, are from weird accidents having something hit my guitar, or vice-versa...

I like bigger, fuller necks a lot more than I used to think; though I've come to appreciate narrow-ish string-spacing, frequently fretting pairs of strings with a single digit-tip, freeing up the others

You'd be welcome to have a go at it. 

A friend of mine from Canada - country singer Patsy Thompson - brought her guitarist down to one of the clubs we were playing and he wanted to try the Strat. 

I handed it to him and he flat out shredded on it. I tried to persuade him to let me scallop his for a reasonable price, that didn't happen but maybe he's got a guy up in Canada who did it. And a good friend of mine picked it up yesterday and seemed to have no problem getting around on it either. 

 

I don't think it's that weird, just requires a relaxed, lighter touch. 

That said, back when I was a guitar tech I knew 3 players who had to change their strings after every gig because they would crust over by morning. All of them had rotted finishes on their guitars, rusty screws on their bridges, etc. That is weird!

[Old Music Guy]

I must admit that I had to look up scalloped necks. I'd never heard of such a thing. After looking about, it seems like a great concept, For me, I'm not sure it would work. Having grown up playing Silvertones and Kays and Harmonys (which now are fetching big $$$) I do not have a light touch. This is one of the reasons that I set me action so low (sometimes too low). But I do dig the idea of pushing DOWN on a string for a bend rather than a traditional bend. 

Interesting topic though. I learned something today! 👍 

[Caevan O’Shite]

1 hour ago, KuruPrionz said:

That said, back when I was a guitar tech I knew 3 players who had to change their strings after every gig because they would crust over by morning. All of them had rotted finishes on their guitars, rusty screws on their bridges, etc. That is weird!

I've known a couple of people who were like that; heavy cigarette smokers, one drank a lot and smoked other things, as well. I regretted any time I let them even briefly handle my guitar, a clean up and fresh strings were required the next day every time.

[KuruPrionz]

2 hours ago, Old Music Guy said:

I must admit that I had to look up scalloped necks. I'd never heard of such a thing. After looking about, it seems like a great concept, For me, I'm not sure it would work. Having grown up playing Silvertones and Kays and Harmonys (which now are fetching big $$$) I do not have a light touch. This is one of the reasons that I set me action so low (sometimes too low). But I do dig the idea of pushing DOWN on a string for a bend rather than a traditional bend. 

Interesting topic though. I learned something today! 👍 

I NEVER push down on a string to stretch it. It isn't as easy as you might think. 

The point of a scalloped fret board is to eliminate friction when you are stretching in the traditional way. You can easily stretch farther with more control and vibrato is very easy to execute. 

I HUGELY recommend you work on relaxing when you play. You'll get more years of fun that way. High frets or scalloped board will be helpful in reducing pressure and tension and that will make life much easier for your hands!!!! 

[Bluesape]

I have 2 vintage Fenders and a G&L with the slotted tuners. They are by far the best non-locking tuners out there. Dunno why Fender ever stopped using them for modern guitars,