Steinberger Gearless Tuners

[Dugz Ink]

So, Doug at Sole Mate Guitars built a really nice neck to go with the body that I made... and I'm looking at the rectangular paddle and thinking "What do I want to do? Use my 6 in-line Gotoh machines? Buy some 3+3 machines?"

Or should I buy the Steinberger Gearless Tuners? Then I can do almost anything with the headstock design. But will these "machines" (they just look like specially designed bolts and sleeves) actually be as good as a geared machine?

Any input is appreciated.

D~s

[RGGR]

I think they are butt ugly.....but that's just my opinion.

[Kyle Cavanaugh]

Edit: Looking at it now, I'd have to say it's a 3 or 4 piece assembly for each tuner. One bolt screws in and locks the string. What it screws into is a tube with threading on the inside AND outside, the outside threading onto a pair of bushings (back and front) which have a little channel in them to keep the string from going left or right of alignment going to the string nut. Looks like a really cool design, still!

Screw being socially acceptable, if it works better, you'll have the last laugh. If noone took those risks, we wouldn't have tremelos or geared tuners They used to use wood pegs and depend on friction! Oh yeah, did I mention steel stringed guitars?

I think it looks cool, personally. People thought the Floyd Rose looks ugly, too!

Edited April 3, 2005 by Kyle Cavanaugh

[Daniel Sorbera]

they work very well and if you like the looks than go for it! I have them and they work every bit as good (if not BETTER) than "stock" looking tuners. It is a little bit easier to get them in tune because of the higher ratio.

[MasterMinds]

I think they look wonderful. A nice change from the normal boringness, without any change in technicality.

[Digideus]

im planning to use them on my stuff because they can be mounted as normal and wont clutter the headstock with tuning pegs. I also think theres some possibilities that you could use them for headless guitars

[thedoctor]

They might be a better take on the LSR things. I use LSR but I don't trust them. The fine threads involved in gearless tuners make me shudder at the thought of real-life use. AND I don't think they are either ugly or cool. Just a couple of posts on the end of a neck.

[GregP]

I like the looks of them, and I respect Steinberger as a company, so as long as the design is a true Steinberger design and not just Gibson cashing in on the name, they're probably well worth it.

Headless with these down at the bridge area would be great for non-trem. No need for special strings.

Greg

[darren wilson]

Ned Steinberger designed these tuners for the original Steinberger "S" series, which were the first (and only?) Steinberger models to sport headstocks. These were developed to appeal to players who felt the headless design was a little "alien" to them.

It's only in the last few years that Gibson seems to have dusted off the design for these tuners and started selling them, initially through MusicYo, but now through places like StewMac. I think they'd make great replacements for traditional tuners in unconventional applications. And i can't think of a better set of tuners to use on a Firebird or just about any other reverse-headstock guitar.

[GregP]

Any artistically-shaped headstocks now become viable alternatives, too. Before, you had to consider where the whatchamacallits stick out.

Greg

[frank falbo]

As for headstocks, there was some european graphite builder with a name like BRT or something, and they had a nice offset design with alternating gearless tuners.

I think your guitar body is original enough that you should really put some effort into making a smooth, curvy headstock that mimics the lines of the body, or at least directs the eye to them, and picks up on some of the subtleties of the body curves. I think the Steinberger tuners will give you that opportunity. It would be different if you were making a Strat or something. I think the gearless tuners look out of place on anything that is traditional.

I would start designing your headstock with a smaller silouhette of your body design. Then start adapting it to the neck. To go along with your offset neck screw holes, you could arrange the tuners in an offset manner, all with straight string pull. That's the kind of stuff you can't do with regular tuners. You can even carve and shape the headstock edges, according to the body contours.

[Dugz Ink]

They would also be a lot lighter than the enclosed geared tuners.

Here's the initial design I have for the head... but it's subject to change as I shape it.

So many possibilities...

D~s

[frank falbo]

I know this is kind of a dumb detail, but you might want to make sure the area near the nut is still compatible with a hanging guitar stand. It looks like it is, but it's just a thought.

[GregP]

While it does echo some of the body's curves, I found the body curves and points to be delightfully quirky and unpredictable. I wonder if that spirit could be better captured than your first headstock attempt.

Definitely not meant negatively-- but it's very clear what a labour of love the guitar is so far, and it'd be great to see you choose a headstock shape that speaks to you.

Greg

[Dugz Ink]

I found the body curves and points to be delightfully quirky and unpredictable.

I can't stand to be "normal" so that was a real compliment.

And I take another look at what I can do with my design.

D~s

[RGGR]

I found the body curves and points to be delightfully quirky and unpredictable.

Poetry in motion. ;-)

Like to add that I found the different body curves delightfully pleasurable too.

[GregP]

My English degree has finally proven useful.

[Dugz Ink]

WOW! It's been a year since I started this thread... and the big roller coaster of life has gone full circle.

I think the last time I stopped in here was about ½ a year ago, then my life really hit the skids; my wife quit her job, packed her bags, and dam near left with somebody. With only one meager income, I had to sell some of my instruments and gear to pay over-due bills... and this project has been sitting next to my desk the entire time.

Well, life may have finally turned around. I was just promoted, with about a 45% pay increase... not counting quarterly bonuses. My wife still doesn't work, but at least she's going through therapy (abused as a child) and she's going to church, and she's thanking me for letting her stay after she gave me every reason to change the locks.

And an accountant (who I met through the Songwriter's Guild) got a $1670 tax return for me.

So, I'm paying off bills, repairing the car, and BUYING THE STEINBERGER GEARLESS TUNERS!

Here's the headstock design...

I just need to decide on the material I want to use for the nut.

[GregP]

Trem-Nut Graphtech stuff, neh? That's what I'd be thinking aboot.

[erikbojerik]

Damn Dugz, that's some story, glad to hear things have turned around for you. What, did you sleep at a Holiday Inn Express or something?

Post a review of the Steinbergers when you get 'em on.

[Mickguard]

I just need to decide on the material I want to use for the nut.

Easy. Zero fret.

Anyway, I'm kind of sold on these tuners too...they open up all sorts of design possibilities...hmmm....

[ToneMonkey]

Hey Dugz,

Glad you're back and it's cool that things are back on track.

And regarding the tuners..........I used to go out with a girl that was nearly as ugly as those tuners

[marksound]

GodinSD had some on his first guitar and took 'em off. Maybe he'll jump in here and tell us why.

[Daniel Sorbera]

GodinSD had some on his first guitar and took 'em off. Maybe he'll jump in here and tell us why.

They BROKE.

Stewmac sent me an email saying people we're having problems with them breaking if you overtighten the nut that holds them on. Well, I broke them about 15 minutes BEFORE I got that email

I'm pretty mad that I have $100 tuners just sitting here collecting dust. They have been broke for about 4 months I'd say.

The reason I was tightning the nut was I was putting them -back on-, I liked the looks, but I was getting fed up with every guitarist I show It to telling me how much they hate the tuners bla bla bla. So I took them off for a while, but when I decided to put them back on they broke.

Thats not saying They arn't good tuners and you shouldn't get them, just be EXTREMELY careful when installing them because IMO I did -not- over tighten anything. Just made it barley snug and the outside of the tuner (the casing part) just cracked and started turning with the nut

Edited May 11, 2006 by Godin SD

[crafty]

Gotta love pot metal...amazing how they're charging so much for such bad quality. Personally, I think they look quite cool, but if they're going to break like a cheap set of Pings, why spend the money?

Nice to have you back, Dugz.