Affinity Squier tuners replacement?

DaZombieWoof · #1 09-12-2011, 08:36 PM

The pickup is underwhelming and the tuners do not inspire confidence. Would something like a Gotoh GB7 with similarly small post take a lot to install? Those basses are mechanically not bad. In all fairness, the bridge is no worse than vintage Fender in sophistication.

SurferJoe46 · #2 09-12-2011, 09:45 PM

What vintage is this Affinity? There's been soooo many Affinity models that you've gotta narrow the range a little.

P or J?

MIC or MII or somewhere else? Ya know?

DaZombieWoof · #3 09-13-2011, 05:06 PM

P Bass with the dinky covered rectangular tuners. Made in China. Tuners are remarkably cheesy. Apparently retail for less than $30 for an entire set from Fender. Very recent production.

walterw · #4 09-13-2011, 07:28 PM

oh, the really cheap ones.

a set of four die-cast minis from allparts wouldn't set you back too much, or require too much woodwork.

SurferJoe46 · #5 09-13-2011, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaZombieWoof

P Bass with the dinky covered rectangular tuners. Made in China. Tuners are remarkably cheesy. Apparently retail for less than $30 for an entire set from Fender. Very recent production.

If it wuz my bass, I'd just ream the holes out and put some VM or CV Squier tuners in it. Those tiny tuners always look toy-like to me.

Fortunately I've never had those midget tuners in anything I've bought - even my 1998 Affinity has the larger ones.

I actually thought that Squier had done away with those puny tuners. Oh well - maybe they're in the 'You Too Can Play Bass' kits.

DaZombieWoof · #6 09-13-2011, 08:41 PM

It does look mutant with the tiny pegs. Goto GB7s would still look weird but mechanically not suck so bad. The open gear classic gears would require significant enlarging of the holes and some thought so that the resulting pegs are centered right for straight string pull. Even the GB7s would require significant reaming and I think one wants to do the opening up not on the existing axis.

RobertUI · #7 10-27-2011, 07:03 AM

I am recently confronted with this very same dilemma... would reaming out the holes sufficiently for the open gear classic style affect the integrity of the neck? I have a reamer, and have done TONS of other repair projects, but I do NOT have a drill press, so my thought of plugging and drilling new holes is probably not going to happen.

SurferJoe46 · #8 10-27-2011, 07:59 AM

FIRST- confirm that the center of the new tuner capstans are the same center as the old, smaller capstans.

Here's the results of my own Fenders, Squiers and Affinity which are somewhat different::

'98 Affinity =

5 1/2" overall, 1 13/16" post-to-post

Fenders & Squiers =

5 5/8" overall, 1 3/4" post-to-post

EDIT::: and NOTE::: these are center-to-center dimensions.

96tbird · #9 10-27-2011, 08:54 AM

No, the integrity of the neck not affected. Unless you get in a hurry and force things. But the strings will not pull straight from the nut because you are adding to the diameter of the tuner using the same center. Not a mechanical issue, just cosmetics, if you can live with that. Better to find good tuners with the same dimensions.

stratovani · #10 10-27-2011, 09:50 AM

Funny thing about those tuners, they're definitely hit-or-miss. I have them on my Affinity P, and I've never had a problem with them. They work smoothly, and hold their tune all the time. My son has an Affinity J, and a couple of his tuners slip on occasion. If your tuners work as well as mine do, you might want to consider leaving them alone. I've replaced just about everything in my P except for the tuners.

96tbird · #11 10-27-2011, 03:17 PM

In truth all tuners will work fine at holding tune, but ONLY if you ALWAYS tune UP, never down. You must go down past the pitch and then back up. So many seem to not know this. All tuners have a worm gear and a spur gear (cog) The worm is attached to the button you turn and rotates the spur gear/string barrel (capstan) assembly. If you tune UP you ensure that the spur is firmly engaged against the worm and it's mechanically impossible for the spring tension to rotate the worm in reverse causing a drop in pitch. As SurferJoe has stated in other threads, this is why naval davit winches are designed the exact same way; if a heavy launch is stopped during it's ascent or descent from a vessel, it will not fall out of control to the water below. Even if power is lost to the winch motor. A self locking mechanism.

But if they look crap, and they do, dump them!

SurferJoe46 · #12 10-27-2011, 09:45 PM

Just found an article on this very problem ::::

Mod Shop: Upgrading Your Tuners

F-Clef-Jef · #13 10-31-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96tbird

In truth all tuners will work fine at holding tune, but ONLY if you ALWAYS tune UP, never down. You must go down past the pitch and then back up. So many seem to not know this. All tuners have a worm gear and a spur gear (cog) The worm is attached to the button you turn and rotates the spur gear/string barrel (capstan) assembly. If you tune UP you ensure that the spur is firmly engaged against the worm and it's mechanically impossible for the spring tension to rotate the worm in reverse causing a drop in pitch. As SurferJoe has stated in other threads, this is why naval davit winches are designed the exact same way; if a heavy launch is stopped during it's ascent or descent from a vessel, it will not fall out of control to the water below. Even if power is lost to the winch motor. A self locking mechanism.

But if they look crap, and they do, dump them!

Finally someone explains it correctly! I always chuckle when someone says the tuning gears are slipping. Short of total failure, they can not slip. The gear angles are designed such that "backwards" travel cannot happen from the post side of the gearset.
That said, I have had cheap tuners where the spur gear on the tuning post has let go, but once that happens, the tuner is shot.