Tuners On Body

[MP63]

I am planing on a guitar with the tuners at the body end. I will recess the body edge and cut a ledge for the tuner shafts. (Hard to describe without a drawing) Becasue the spacing of the tuners will be so far apart, I need a contraption to keep the strings lined up for the bridge saddles.

So far, I can only think of using strap buttons between the bridge and tuners to line them up.

The string will go from the tuner, around the button groove and then to the bridge.

The tuners will be mounted at an angle so that they are below the bridge saddle height.

Any ideas or examples of past attempts?

Thanks,

Mike

[j. pierce]

What kind of bridge are you using? What about sending the strings through a tune-o-matic style stopbar before they hit the bridge? that would line them up well.

[MP63]

I thought about that, but would the force from the strings be enough to keep it in place?

I am worried that the tailpiece will flop around.

The bridge is a Schaller Tune O Matic, with the metal rollers.

Edited June 8, 2006 by MP63

[j. pierce]

Do you have the bridge? honestly, those rollers (at least on my 2) seem grooved deep enough that you might be able to get away with nothing at all.

I hadn't thought about the tailpiece itself flopping around. Whether the string pressue is enough I guess depends on the string angle. But they do sell those "tonepros" locking ones, and it shouldn't be too difficult to tap a couple of places in a regular tailpiece to put set screws, just to keep the thing from falling out.

In my head, I'm seeing what could look cool being a wierd construction of bent metal tubing, running side by side and then fanning out towards the end as it heads to the tuners. Weld it to a plate or something to allow you fasten it to the guitar body. Would look like a pipe organ or the EMG box design.

[Supernova9]

Maybe it's a stupid question on my behalf, but why do you want to do that? Wouldn't it just make it really likely that you'll knock the tuners whilst playing, or have them press up against you whilst you're playing?

Or how about when you want to change the tuning of a string slightly during a song or something, it's far easier to reach to the headstock and turn one there then fiddle about with a part of the guitar up against you.

[MP63]

Actually, what made me decide on this, was because the piece of wood I had for the neck was too short to accomodate the headstock. I was simply too short on the wood (no joking here). Then I got to thinking. Why not keep the fretting fingers on the feingerboard while playing and tuning? The right hand stays free and can make any adjustment while the note is kept.

The tuners will be recessed in towards the edge so that thier tuner knobs keep the edge shape of the body. They will also be lower on the top side, so that my arm doesn't hit the 6th string tuner.

I wish I could post the plan, but my computer skills limit my ability to do so.

The only problem I have forseen is that of getting the correct angle between the tuner and the bridge.

The heatdock will be made from the neckstock wood. It will continue the same dimentions of the neck just a few inches further. I will drill six holes and back that with a small plate of metel as the string anchor.

The balls of the string will stick out, but that's the back side, so it won't be a problem.

The string comes out of the drilled hole right to the nut. The angle will be sharp enough for good string hold on the nut.