Bass with wooden tuning pegs and extension

[Bassguyrob]

Hey all,

Just curious to see how many of youse have a bass with 'hat peg' tuners and a fingered or capoed extension. I am getting ready to have an extension put on, and am concerned on how I finger notes whilst contorting my hand around them. The luthier has advised me against changing the tuners out due to the material that will have to be added back into the cheeks to fit the standard style pegs with metal keys($$$). Thoughts? Suggestions?

[robobass]

Your only real issue is the G-tuner. My first extension was on a hatpeg bass. My luthier simply cut off the "hat" on the G-tuner and left about 1/4" of wood protruding beyond the metal ring. I had no problem with this, since the pegs were rather crude and not matched anyway. The peg has not cracked after about 18 years of regular use, so the hat doesn't seem necessary for structural integrity. If you have some beautiful pegs which you don't want to destroy, then simply ask your luthier if he can swap out the "G" peg for an orphan peg and cut that one.