Moog Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Hey guys, I'm new around here so don't flame me for being a dunce! I'm looking to take the sorry excuses for machineheads off my Fender Standard Tele and put on some Gotoh or Grover ones. Now the Fender ones have these annoying studs which hold the tuners in place instead of a screw hole. If I replace them, I will need to drill some new screw holes for the new tuners, but should I fill in the old stud holes? If so, what is the best way to do it? Cheers guys Moog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_here Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 Hey Moog. I'm a Newbie here too. 'm looking to take the sorry excuses for machineheads off my Fender Standard Tele and put on some Gotoh or Grover ones. Now the Fender ones have these annoying studs which hold the tuners in place instead of a screw hole. If I replace them, I will need to drill some new screw holes for the new tuners, but should I fill in the old stud holes? If so, what is the best way to do it? Just (exactly) what is wrong with yer tuners? The "inside pins" (the "studs" as you called them); there's nothing superior/inferior---as far as I know---to whichever type of machineheads you have & use. Iow, the job of machineheads (or tuners) is to secure the strings/ tune the guitar. I suspect that you may need to tighten the screw(s) that are on "top" of the offending knob(s) of whatever offending "string." Does that make sense? Put another way, those screws adjust the tension-applied to the gear of each tuner. If they're (too) loose or tight; yer gonna have tuning-problems. Experiement & Test them before you consider anything else, imo. Also, if you were to just up & get new tuners, Ummmmm, Why? If I'm not mistaken, Gotohs &/or Grovers would require a 10 mm hole, which would mean you would have to "route-out" the existing Fender holes (@ 3/8"). Plus, you'd have to correctly-align each (new) tuner and do that Exact Drilling for the new holes, required. Methinks you just need to do some adjusting on the "tightness" of yer existing machinehead/tuners and see how: That Goes..... Hope that helps. ><> ps- if not lemme know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted October 8, 2004 Report Share Posted October 8, 2004 Nah. I'd fill 'em only if they are visible and you don't like seeing the holes. On a standard Tele, it's probably nothing you need to worry about. But before you fill them, test fit the new tuners--they might want the stud holes there too. On drilling larger holes for new tuners, it really isn't that difficult. Just get a drill press and chuck it with a bit that's the same size as the stock holes. Use this as a guide to align the first hole with the drill bit. Clamp the headstock in place and replace the bit with the 10mm bit for Schaller or Gotoh. Drill out the hole. Repeat process for next five holes. Should work everytime. As for the quality of the old tuners, you are probably right to install new ones. Fender usually uses Ping tuners and bridges. If you upgrade to Schaller, Sperzel, or Gotoh, you are going to gain tuning stability and better metals used in construction to enhance your tone. I love my locking Schallers and wouldn't trade them for any other tuner on the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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