Tuners

[avengers63]

I'm planning a build that will use Imperial tuners. The only manufacturers I can find that make them are Wilkinson and Grover. From my investigations, Wilkinson makes decent inexpensive tuners. Aside from price, what are the real differences between Wilkinson & Grover?

[WezV]

very little difference actually. the wilkinsons i have used are just as sloppy as the grovers!!

[Mickguard]

Keep in mind that you can always change the tuner buttons. So you can use your favorite brand, just change the look.

[avengers63]

Keep in mind that you can always change the tuner buttons. So you can use your favorite brand, just change the look.

The imperial buttons I've found are in the $20-$25 range. That's about the same as a set of Wilkinsons, and about 1/2 the cost of the Grovers. It's not really worth the cost to me to try and mix-n-match. Plus, I'm not an expert on tuners. As far as I ever got into it is 1) do they stay in tune, and 2) higher gear ratio=more precise tuning. Honestly, I couldn't tell you which brand is better than another.

[WezV]

i should say i do use grovers and have used wilkinsons a few times and have no real problem with them. But i am now used to sperzels and the grovers always feel rattly till they are installed... once they are installed they are fine. also i find i always have to play with the tension a bit, they never seem quite right till i have

[Mickguard]

Well, then, if it helps, any guitar that comes onstage with me gets fitted out with Grover locking tuners (with mini buttons). They're perhaps not the most precise - the crown for that goes to the tuners on my Takamine -- but they work really well for keeping the guitar in tune. And the price remains in the reasonable range. Another benefit is that their footprint seems to match the footprint of a lot of the stock tuners out there, so no need for drilling an extra hole.

I do have a set of EZ-loks that I haven't gotten around to using yet. They didn't inspire me with enough confidence to use them.

[WezV]

I do have a set of EZ-loks that I haven't gotten around to using yet.

they have become my least favorite since they appeared on a few guitars i had in to set up. It just seemed pointlessly fiddly to me, maybe i need more practice

[bluesy]

I have used Gotoh tuners on a Tele and they seem to be essentially the same as Grovers. Both work well - so maybe Gotoh is another brand to add to the list.

[ihocky2]

I have Gotoh's on two guitars and am very happy with them. They seem solid enough and stay in tune nicely. I am dying to try out their Magnum locking tuners. I had the Ez-Locks on one guitar and they seemed to make no real difference in the tuning and where a little more annoying to string up, not bad but the heavier wound strings were tough to get tight around the post. But those got switched out to the Gotoh's, tuning stays just as well and they are a little less hassle to string. But I have to say that I have not used Sperzel's yet, so I don't know how they compare.

[DC Ross]

I haven't noticed any significant differences between Wilkies and Grovers. I've been very happy with Sperzels (solid and precise) but will be trying the Planet Waves locking/trimming machines on my current build.

[WezV]

but will be trying the Planet Waves locking/trimming machines on my current build.

very nice they are too, just as solid as the sperzels... but i wouldnt be using them on guitars with heavy guage strings - the cutter is really good but does struggle on anything over 0.048

[Acousticraft]

I have generally use cheap no name tuners and a few builds back decided to go with Grover rotomatics. They are probably the worst sloppiest tuners I have used so far. I do like the vintage tuners where the string end goes down into the middle of the post. Keeps everything nice and neat and professional looking.

[stereordinary]

I always end up using Gotohs or Grovers and never had a problem with either. Not to say that I don't like Wilkinsons or Sperzels or anything else, it's just that I like the styles that Gotohs and Grovers come in, so I use those.

Edited October 28, 2008 by stereordinary

[J.C. Harrist]

I've found most "brand name" tuners these days are of pretty decent quality. Like others, I'd rate the Wilky's and Grover's at about the same level of acceptable while at the top end of the scale are Schaller and Sperzel with Gotoh's somewhere in between.

Just beware of the no-name and the "economy" tuners that some suppliers are selling. The quality of those can be really hit or miss.

[Mattia]

I rate Gotoh (their 510 series) as top of the bill, better fit, finish and solidity (they say rock solid string posts, and that's precisely what you get) than Schaller, Sperzel's a close second, then comes Schaller and Gotoh's 'regular' series of tuners (the 30-40 buck ones), then Grover.

[Daniel Sorbera]

I've used grovers quite a bit in the past, but right now I use only schaller.