Planet Waves Locking Tuners

[Bones43x]

I'm installing some of these on my FR1620, and I need some opinions.

The screw holes line up on the back side, and I can start them all.

The holes in the headstock are quite a bit larger than the tuners diameter. This means that the tuner flops/rocks around in the hole.

Should I pivot the tuners toward the fretboard, since they'll be pulled that way by the string tension, or should I line them all up with a straight edge and tighten the nut/washer down with them somewhat centered in the hole and lined up with each other? If I pull them all toward the fretboard/bridge, they don't look quite right.

My main concern is the finish on the headstock. I don't want the tuners to shift forward (if that's what they'll do) and damage the finish.

[Bones43x]

I was hoping to get this done and restrung tonight, but it doesn't look like that'll happen.

[TheSixthWheel]

Once properly screwed down with both the side screw AND and sleeve, they'll stay put. Use a spanner or socket of the appropriate size to tighten the sleeve, not a shifter or pliers. I'd suggest lining them up with the headstock so they're parallel, and in line with one another. They're sturdy tuners, you shouldn't damage the finish if you make sure they're not going to move about.

[Bones43x]

I had them parellell, and I tightened everything up. Then I got worried that if they shifted, the washer would damage the finish. I had this happen on my SG...the washer caused the clear to bubble up and chip. I took the nuts back off, and they seemed to be perfectly centered in the hole, though. I'm just worried they may move with tension on them.

The stock Gotohs have little teeth that dig into the back of the headstock when they're tightened, and these Planet Waves don't. I know plenty of people have these tuners, and say they're a direct fit. I was just surprised that they're so much smaller than the hole. Am I worrying for no reason? It's just that it's a brand new guitar, and I don't want to mess anything up.

[Pikka Bird]

If you're really paranoid about it then you should dowel the hole and redrill it to the smaller size. That'd be the 100% structurally sound way of doing it.

[theo]

matchsticks work well for filling small holes like this

[Stealthdjentstic]

Originally Posted by Bones43x

I had them parellell, and I tightened everything up. Then I got worried that if they shifted, the washer would damage the finish. I had this happen on my SG...the washer caused the clear to bubble up and chip. I took the nuts back off, and they seemed to be perfectly centered in the hole, though. I'm just worried they may move with tension on them.

The stock Gotohs have little teeth that dig into the back of the headstock when they're tightened, and these Planet Waves don't. I know plenty of people have these tuners, and say they're a direct fit. I was just surprised that they're so much smaller than the hole. Am I worrying for no reason? It's just that it's a brand new guitar, and I don't want to mess anything up.

The PW's were a direct swap for the Gotoh's on my 7421. They have been completely fine too, no movement at all. The teeth aren't a huge deal.

[Bones43x]

By matchsticks, do you mean the paper matchbox type?

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

The PW's were a direct swap for the Gotoh's on my 7421. They have been completely fine too, no movement at all. The teeth aren't a huge deal.

Did you center them in the holes?

[Stealthdjentstic]

I didnt have to do anything, they were literally, the same size as the Gotoh's already on the 7421

[Bones43x]

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

I didnt have to do anything, they were literally, the same size as the Gotoh's already on the 7421

Yeah, the PWs and the Gotohs are the same size, and the post is the same diameter. My concern was that the holes in the headstock are bigger than both tuners, but the Gotohs have the teeth to hold them in place and the PWs don't.

I went ahead and tightened them up and restrung the guitar, and they seem fine and solid. The washers that come with them are a bit on the thin side so they flex/cone slightly when you tighten the nuts. That should help keep them centered in the holes even better.

[theo]

Originally Posted by Bones43x

By matchsticks, do you mean the paper matchbox type?



Did you center them in the holes?

Yep, just snap off the chemical tip.

[Steve_U1S]

I did this same mod to my FR2620DBS (burst finish) - had the same concern, and went through the same process.

They seem to have found their centers and stayed put - agreed about the rather thing washers, which may well have worked in our favour on this mod.

I had thought, sometime, to perhaps pull those tuners out and create 'bushings' in the holes to provide support (in case needed somehow that I haven't seen yet) by cutting strips of shim-stock brass and rolling them around until they snug up the shafts in the holes.

I might do this some time... at the moment though *knock wood* they're solid, and MAN do they do a wicked good job of stabilizing the tuning.
I'm a rather bendy player, and this really helped - that combined with using some graphite paste in the nut slots ('Guitar Grease' from StewMac).

Cheers - that natural finish looks great.