Drilling out tuner peg holes?

RH434 · #1 01-05-2010, 05:12 PM

I have a heavily modified Squire Jazz, in which I probably have more value in labor and upgrades than a MIM Fender. The only thing left to do is upgrade the tuners.

My issue is, the tuners work fine, but, they are the small post type and really look weird. The elephant ears are normal size, just the small posts. It really bothers me more now next to my SX which has the larger pegs.

Has anyone ever changed the tuners from the small peg to the large by drilling out the holes? Can anyone give tips or what I might be in for? Should I even be doing this at all?

gidbass · #2 01-05-2010, 05:16 PM

Squire P Bass gets a new lease on life

I know that he fills the holes and re-drills new ones somewhere in there.

Good Luck!

StephenR · #3 01-05-2010, 05:25 PM

I had to do this on a guitar once. I used the following tool made by Craftsman. It is a model 9-5479 Reamer. Depending on how large the holes have to be made you may need a larger size. Easy and safe tool to use. Place it in the existing hole and turn slowly until it enlarges to the size you need. It shaves away the wood as you turn it.

http://www.commercial.sears.com/coms...57?tool=9-5479

Zooberwerx · #4 01-05-2010, 05:29 PM

Leave it alone. Even my Sadowsky has the smaller 3/8" posts. BTW, if you do enlarge the holes and install 1/2" tuners, the mod will change the string "pull" angle at the nut.

Riis

Pilgrim · #5 01-05-2010, 06:21 PM

I vote to leave it alone. Looks fine to me and there's no reason to blow another $100 on cosmetics that will never be noticed by any other human.

RH434 · #6 01-05-2010, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gidbass

Squire P Bass gets a new lease on life

I know that he fills the holes and re-drills new ones somewhere in there.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the link. That was a great read. Not sure how I missed it.

There was quite a bit more to this than I expected. Wow!

RH434 · #7 01-05-2010, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StephenR

I had to do this on a guitar once. I used the following tool made by Craftsman. It is a model 9-5479 Reamer. Depending on how large the holes have to be made you may need a larger size. Easy and safe tool to use. Place it in the existing hole and turn slowly until it enlarges to the size you need. It shaves away the wood as you turn it.

http://www.commercial.sears.com/coms...57?tool=9-5479

Thanks for the link to the reamer. I had one of these once and it is long lost. I'm going to get another one just to have it around.

RH434 · #8 01-05-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I vote to leave it alone. Looks fine to me and there's no reason to blow another $100 on cosmetics that will never be noticed by any other human.

After reading the link with the P-Bass post and what you said about the pulling angle (Which I had not considered) I believe I will leave it as is.

This is a nice bass now, and I'd hate to mess it up with something stupid. Besides, It's my backup and I don't really need it to be a piece of art.

Thanks Pilgrim.

Pilgrim · #9 01-05-2010, 07:31 PM

Zooberwerx is the guy who knew about the pull angle - more credit to him! I'm just an observer; as as they said in Blue Thunder. JAFO.

Zooberwerx · #10 01-05-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RH434

After reading the link with the P-Bass post and what you said about the pulling angle (Which I had not considered) I believe I will leave it as is.

This is a nice bass now, and I'd hate to mess it up with something stupid. Besides, It's my backup and I don't really need it to be a piece of art.

Thanks Pilgrim.

Good choice....its really a sharp looking bass as is.

Sidenote with regards to angles: even swapping tuners from 3/8" Gotoh (hourglass shaped post) to 3/8" Hipshots (straight post) will throw things off a few degrees but, generally, with no adverse results.

Riis

Jim Campbell · #11 01-05-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RH434

I have a heavily modified Squire Jazz, in which I probably have more value in labor and upgrades than a MIM Fender. The only thing left to do is upgrade the tuners.

My issue is, the tuners work fine, but, they are the small post type and really look weird. The elephant ears are normal size, just the small posts. It really bothers me more now next to my SX which has the larger pegs.

Has anyone ever changed the tuners from the small peg to the large by drilling out the holes? Can anyone give tips or what I might be in for? Should I even be doing this at all?

drilling into existing holes can be a pain if your bit grabs,as they are prone to.....i'd leave it alone but if you must,i suggest a drill press,and clamp it good

RH434 · #12 01-05-2010, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Good choice....its really a sharp looking bass as is.

Sidenote with regards to angles: even swapping tuners from 3/8" Gotoh (hourglass shaped post) to 3/8" Hipshots (straight post) will throw things off a few degrees but, generally, with no adverse results.

Riis

Sorry Zooberwerx, got mixed up there.

Thanks for the compliment. Means a lot coming from you.

It's funny, other people that don't know a bass from a guitar, much less a Fender from a Squier really compliment the looks of this bass. Its the one everyone who visits wants to "try out". I think the red strings really dress it up.

RH434 · #13 01-05-2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

drilling into existing holes can be a pain if your bit grabs,as they are prone to.....i'd leave it alone but if you must,i suggest a drill press,and clamp it good

Thanks Jim. I'd never even consider trying to do something like this by hand. That's just asking for trouble.

There was a post in the Luthiers Corner about a guy who forgot to clamp and the body being thrown across his shop. What a picture that paints.

bassgod76 · #14 01-07-2010, 11:47 AM

I was the tard who attempted this.

Squire P Bass gets a new lease on life

I had a bit of a drilling issue on the E string, but as far as angles being thrown off, I've had no issues. I detest the Squier 3/8" tuners on that large headstock. I would suggest a drill press, clamps, and a forstner bit set.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...yword=forstner

While it was a bit touch & go, I was very pleased with the results. Once again, I have had no issues with angle misalignment, etc. Maybe I got lucky? Kevin Kaufman did the setup, and he mentioned no issues with my mod.

I attempted this same procedure with a Squire strat (Yes, Squier guitar tuners are smaller than Fender, also) using a handheld drill. It turned out okay, but would've been better if I used a drill press.

RH434 · #15 01-08-2010, 05:57 AM

Thanks Bassgod for the info and pics. I read your whole post of your rebuild from beginning to end and it was quite a nice job you did there.

I think the reason you had no issues with the pull angle is that you took the time to measure, plug and redrill in the proper locations. I was not considering the angle and was looking to ream out the existing holes.

I'm not the kind of guy who normally takes shortcuts, and this turned out to be more involved than I want to deal with.

My Nephew sounds like he is interested in learning bass and if he shows me that he is serious, I might be torn between ordering him an SX or giving him this bass. Then I won't have to look at it and he wouldn't know the difference for awhile. Who knows?

bassgod76 · #16 01-08-2010, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RH434

Thanks Bassgod for the info and pics. I read your whole post of your rebuild from beginning to end and it was quite a nice job you did there.

I think the reason you had no issues with the pull angle is that you took the time to measure, plug and redrill in the proper locations. I was not considering the angle and was looking to ream out the existing holes.

I'm not the kind of guy who normally takes shortcuts, and this turned out to be more involved than I want to deal with.

My Nephew sounds like he is interested in learning bass and if he shows me that he is serious, I might be torn between ordering him an SX or giving him this bass. Then I won't have to look at it and he wouldn't know the difference for awhile. Who knows?

Well, the only reason I moved the holes was because the plates on the new tuners wouldn't fit in the same location. In fact, if I just reamed out the existing holes, the plate for the G tuner would have stuck out from the headstock like 1/2". I didn't even consider angle. In fact, I looked at the placement of other CBS era headstocks, and eye-balled it from there.
If the tuners weren't hideous, and the E string tuner wasn't bad, I would have kept the stock ones.

Anyways, best of luck.

BTW, you ever consider these? It seems that they would work if you just reamed out the holes??? It seems that since they lack a huge mounting plate, that you could get away with it. Just a thought.
http://store.hipshotproducts.com/car...t_detail&p=324