Recommended Headstock Thickness ?

[Blackdog]

I ordered a set of 3+3 satin chrome Sperzels from SMD for my current build. By looking at the diagram from SMD's website I decided to make my headstock about 14mm thick.

Now that I have received the Sperzels and have them in hand, I find out that with the collar completely screwed on I will need at least 15mm of headstock thickness for hem to fit. So it seems I'll have to get creative with some veneers...

What headstock thickness have you successfully used or would recommend for these fine tuners ??

TIA

[jmrentis]

Sperzel Specs

Check out that site if you haven't already, I believe it gives the maximum and minimum thickness for the different types of Sperzels. I have it written down somewhere as I have a pair of satin chromes I will be putting on shortly. I believe min. is .520" and max is .650". I have yet to verify those measurements, but considering I recently got myself a digi caliper, I will likely check those measurements shortly. Right now my headstock is right around the minimum, but I still need to add on the back strap veneer, which should add another mm or so.

Interesting because as you saw, this site mentions .520" which is just over 13mm. 15mm sounds just fine, I would go much more than 16 as that is getting close to the max, though again the measurements seem off somewhat, so you'd need to check to see if that .650" is accurate. I have yet to personally use the 3x3 sperzels, though I have used the 6 inlines which are different. I put those on an existing Ibanez headstock on which is just barely fit the high e (the 6 inlines are staggered).

Anyhow best of luck, hope it all works out. I'm surprised to hear those measurements are off, but I'm glad to hear before I do my install, though like you, I would have measured everything prior to install. I'm sure you'll enjoy the tuners. J

EDIT: I just went and checked with my digi calipers and the measurements I listed are pretty close to what I found. I found something just over 14mm overall, but including the washer they come with which is about 1mm, you get something very close to .520". Did yours come with washers, did you include these with your measurements. With them on your headstock should be thick enough for the tuners, I would imagine. Well best of luck. J

Edited December 14, 2007 by jmrentis

[Blackdog]

EDIT: I just went and checked with my digi calipers and the measurements I listed are pretty close to what I found. I found something just over 14mm overall, but including the washer they come with which is about 1mm, you get something very close to .520". Did yours come with washers, did you include these with your measurements. With them on your headstock should be thick enough for the tuners, I would imagine. Well best of luck. J

Thanks for the link.

I went and measured again today. I obviously did something wrong when measuring yesterday. The figures in that site are about right (the minimum thickness is around 13.2mm) and I do not need more thickness, 14mm (confirmed now by measuring) will fit OK.

Sorry for the confusion.

[jmrentis]

No prob, I was glad you mentioned something though because it reminded me to measure. The last thing I want to do is fix the thickness of the headstock once finished with the back strap, that'd be a real pain. Stewmac and some other sites are fairly accurate, but I still like to measure numerous times myself, just in case. Glad things will work out and I can't wait to see how it looks. J