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Tuners For Tele


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Hi,

I am getting conflicting advice on the correct tuneres for my project Tele. The holes in the neck came predrilled at 11/32" by my measurement. This to my mind is standard Kluson territory.

However, one of my potential suppliers is quoting his Kluson clones as direct replacement fit for vintage Tele but then spoils it by saying they are 5/16". They are nice tuners and a good price but I am concerned about the size conflict. Can anyone tell me what I should be looking for.

Thanks

Matt

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5/16 is equal to 10/32. I doubt that a 1/32 of an inch different is really going to make any difference.

George

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5/16 is equal to 10/32. I doubt that a 1/32 of an inch different is really going to make any difference.

George

I agree, I don't have a problem with a little play in the tuner dimension - I can pack it invisibly but there will also be slack with the push in bushings - if they were hex nut again no problem.

Its no real big deal as the tuners are quite cheap but I want to get it right !

Thanks

M

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Do your tuners have a set screw? If they do which they should, you can set the tuners as far as you can to the side and mark the hole for the set screw, this should make it so the tuners will not move, it's hard to explain what I'm talking about but it would work fine. Anyways you should be alright either way, a lot of the times pre made necks have tuner holes a pinch bigger than the tuners they are designed for. Like some necks are drilled to 10mm for sperzel type tuners, and actually the spezels are a little bit smaller, but they work perfectly fine this way. The size of sperzels is basically in between drill bit sizes, so either you have to use 10mm which is most common, or drill it the size smaller and use a tapered reamer to widen it a pinch, which is what I did. Actually I used a bastard file and filed back and forth from the face of the headstock to the back making sure it was even. Takes a little more effort, but you end up with a super snug fit, although some say that too snug can cause problems, like if the wood swells and contracts, it can crack the wood if the tuners are too snug. So you'll be fine, wouldn't worry about it too much! Good luck and let us know how it goes! Jason

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Do your tuners have a set screw?  If they do which they should, you can set the tuners as far as you can to the side and mark the hole for the set screw, this should make it so the tuners will not move, it's hard to explain what I'm talking about but it would work fine.  Anyways you should be alright either way, a lot of the times pre made necks have tuner holes a pinch bigger than the tuners they are designed for.  Like some necks are drilled to 10mm for sperzel type tuners, and actually the spezels are a little bit smaller, but they work perfectly fine this way.  The size of sperzels is basically in between drill bit sizes, so either you have to use 10mm which is most common, or drill it the size smaller and use a tapered reamer to widen it  a pinch, which is what I did.  Actually I used a bastard file and filed back and forth from the face of the headstock to the back making sure it was even.  Takes a little more effort, but you end up with a super snug fit, although some say that too snug can cause problems, like if the wood swells and contracts, it can crack the wood if the tuners are too snug.  So you'll be fine, wouldn't worry about it too much!  Good luck and let us know how it goes!  Jason

jason,

Thanks for the advice - I can visualise exactly what you are saying. In other words don't fit the Klusons central to the hole but wedge one side of the tuner hard up against the same side of each hole in the headstock. There's a difference though between the Kluson and the sperzels in that the vintageKluson type all have push in bushings on the front and they absolutely must be snug or they'll rattle around and drop out when restringing, whereas sperzels/gotohs and schallers (cast) all have little hex nuts to snug the whole assembly tight.

Anyway I will get these Kluson style tuners and see how it goes. I'll keep you posted.

I'm doing three teles. 2 for me quilted cherryburst/ birdseye maple and flamed honeyburst/rosewood and a flamed green/birdseye maple for a friend. 2 vintage and an experiment :D

Thanks

Matt

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