Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Brow on August 14, 2010, 11:26:16 PM

Title: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: Brow on August 14, 2010, 11:26:16 PM
Hello.

I have currently have Grover locking machine heads on my CU22 and my Eggle Climaxe, but they're of the type where you have to use a coin or a screwdriver etc to lock/unlock then and I find it too fiddly to restring using them.

I'm looking to replace them for locking tuners that use thumb screw style locks, but how do I know what size etc I need?

I'm a bit of a dumbass with this stuff and I don't want to buy the wrong set and not be able to use them!  :lol:

Thanks
Title: Re: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: Ratrod on August 15, 2010, 11:31:49 AM
Sperzels usually fit without much of a problem. Usuallay you are left with an empty screw hole on the back of your headstock.
Title: Re: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: Philly Q on August 15, 2010, 12:19:21 PM
The holes in the back of the headstock will be 10mm (or 3/8") but I don't know whether PRS (or Eggle) drill 10mm all the way through or leave the hole a little narrower on the face of the headstock.

So, Schallers will definitely fit.  If you want to use Sperzels or Planet Waves, they're the right size but need a 10mm hole right through the headstock, so you might need a bit of modification (which will be hidden by the tuner bushings anyway).

As Ratrod says, the fixing screws may not match the existing hole(s), whichever replacements you choose.

Just out of interest, how did you end up with Grovers?  What was wrong with the original PRS tuners (or the Sperzels on the Eggle)?
Title: Re: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: andymac on August 15, 2010, 02:04:32 PM
Grovers new locking machines have the thumb screw on the back.  They appear to be the same size as the non locking rotomatics and the older non thumb screw locking rotomatics.

Andy
Title: Re: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: Philly Q on August 15, 2010, 02:09:23 PM
Grovers new locking machines have the thumb screw on the back.  They appear to be the same size as the non locking rotomatics and the older non thumb screw locking rotomatics.

I hadn't seen them before!  :D

That seems to be the hassle-free solution.
Title: Re: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: andymac on August 15, 2010, 07:09:33 PM
Grovers new locking machines have the thumb screw on the back.  They appear to be the same size as the non locking rotomatics and the older non thumb screw locking rotomatics.

I hadn't seen them before!  :D

That seems to be the hassle-free solution.

I didn't realise they existed until Jonathan at Feline pointed them out.  Now I have them on my Lion.

http://www.jhs.co.uk/grover.html

Andy
Title: Re: Locking Machine Heads - Need advice please!
Post by: Brow on August 15, 2010, 09:48:54 PM
Cheers!

I'll look into those Grover 1s mentioned that should *hopefully* be the same size as what I'm taking off now.

Just out of interest, how did you end up with Grovers?  What was wrong with the original PRS tuners (or the Sperzels on the Eggle)?

The 1s on the PRS are gold 1s a previous owner fitted when the original PRS 1s broke. The fact the gold doesn't match the rest of the chrome hardware is another reason I want to change them.

Same for the Eggle really, they were on it when I got the guitar. Mine is a Climaxe, which I believe was used as a prototype for what would become the Berlin, so I have no idea if there was even a stock setup used on Eggle guitars when mine was made  :?