Raised tuners

DLM · #1 02-02-2012, 11:03 AM

Hi.

I just noticed this on three out of four of my tuners. Is it an easy fix to get them flush with the headstock?

Thanks.

Burlington · #2 02-02-2012, 11:06 AM

I've had this happen on a parts bass. Take off the tuners that have the problem, take a dowel with some sand paper, and make the tuner hole slightly larger. This should help them fit better and sit flush. Good luck!

DLM · #3 02-02-2012, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burlington

I've had this happen on a parts bass. Take off the tuners that have the problem, take a dowel with some sand paper, and make the tuner hole slightly larger. This should help them fit better and sit flush. Good luck!

Thanks for the response. What does the big center screw on the back of each tuner do? I was thinking that I could tighten that instead of doing a full dismantling, no?

T-Bird · #4 02-02-2012, 11:40 AM

Hi.

If it's a quality instrument/neck, it looks like the bushing is loose/the hole is tapered and the bushing is riding up the hole.

If it's of a questionable quality, it may be that the headstock wood has shrunken and pushed the bushing upwards.

So You have to determine whether to enlarge the hole or to make the fit tighter.

The center screw on the wheel shaft presses the wheel towards the tuner plate and pushes the worm upwards with the plate spring. On most designs You can remove the post by removing the screw. Do take a note which way around the wheel goes, as well as the location and orientation of the possible washers and especially the spring.

Regards
Sam

Stilettoprefer · #5 02-02-2012, 09:37 PM

When that happens to my F style instruments, I take a wooden mallet and pound them back in. I've never had to do it more than once. But all of mine have been really tight fits... If it was a loose fit, I would probably line the nut that lifted with some sort of tape (probably plumbers tape) to fill the gap and make it a tight fit.

96tbird · #6 02-03-2012, 01:27 AM

If you have a C clamp find a socket that fits over the tuner post and seats on the ferrule. Place a thick piece of leather or similar on the gear side and put the clamp over the socket and leather and crank it down.
OR,
Do what Sam says. Then you can place a scrap of 2x4, etc., over the offending ferrule and tap it in with a hammer.

Rocky McD · #7 02-03-2012, 04:02 PM

I think you should completely remove the tuner and bushing. DO NOT hammer/punch out tight bushings,You can crack the headstock. Press them in or out with properly fitting sockets using a drill press or a C clamp, as mentioned above. While you have the tuner out, disassemble it and familiarize yourself with the components and how they work. Determine why the bushing is not straight. Too loose or too tight? The only way to learn how, where, why of components is to dive in and learn.
Rocky

pudge · #8 02-03-2012, 04:17 PM

A drill press is what i use usually that is.

DLM · #9 03-22-2012, 10:56 AM

I'm still a little unclear...if I decide to use a C clamp to slowly press the tuner flush with the headstock, do I need to loosen any screws on the back of the tuner and/or take anything apart?

202dy · #10 03-22-2012, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLM

I'm still a little unclear...if I decide to use a C clamp to slowly press the tuner flush with the headstock, do I need to loosen any screws on the back of the tuner and/or take anything apart?

Remove everything that is not the bushing. Then press.

DLM · #11 03-22-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 202dy

Remove everything that is not the bushing. Then press.

And does that just involve removing the four small screws at each corner or do I need to monkey with the big center screw?

Thanks!

FunkMetalBass · #12 03-22-2012, 11:44 AM

The big center screw attaches the gears on the back to the tuning peg (where the string goes) - you don't need to touch it. Remove the string and the four screws and the tuner should slide right through the hole.

DLM · #13 03-22-2012, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

The big center screw attaches the gears on the back to the tuning peg (where the string goes) - you don't need to touch it. Remove the string and the four screws and the tuner should slide right through the hole.

Great! Thanks for your response!

DLM · #14 03-22-2012, 12:45 PM

I got the bushing out and realize the hole is too big. There seems to be some gummy stuff on the bushing...maybe the luthier glued them into place. Anyway, what's the best way to fix a hole that is too large? Stiletto prescribes plumbers tape....does the type of tape matter?

Thank you!

Stilettoprefer · #15 03-22-2012, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLM

I got the bushing out and realize the whole is too big. There seems to be some gummy stuff on the bushing...maybe the luthier glued them into place. Anyway, what's the best way to fix a whole that is too large? Stiletto prescribes plumbers tape....does the type of tape matter?

Thank you!

It's been forever since I've needed it. If you can put the bushing in the hole and it won't fall out, you could just glue it and that would be preferrable.

When I used the tape it was for a hole that was big enough that the bushings would just fall out, but the overhang on the top would still cover the hole, so tape filled the gap and made a nice fit with the tape being hidden.

I don't know what kind of tape it was. We just had it sitting around. It was stretchy and felt almost gooey.

DLM · #16 03-22-2012, 01:56 PM

I ended up using duct tape. There's still some gap when I tension the strings on, so if that doesn't hold up long term, then I'll try gluing the bushings in place.

Thanks for everyone who chimed in this thread. Much appreciated.

Rocky McD · #17 03-22-2012, 04:18 PM

That gummy stuff you found, is probably a previous repair where someone wrapped some kind of tape around it to make it fit tighter. In time, it will get crooked again because the tape will smash down. Ideally, you need to wrap the bushing with something better than tape. It's hard to find, but brass shim stock, which comes in sheets, is solid brass, about the thickness of a sheet of paper. You cut it with scissors to the correct size to wrap around the bushing. cut carefully so that is does not show when installed. You can find it at an Auto Parts store or a specialty shop that sells machinist supplies. I also use it to make shims for necks that need a tilt adjustment. Remember, that bushing has a lot of pressure on it from the string tension.
Rocky

DLM · #18 03-22-2012, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocky McD

It's hard to find, but brass shim stock, which comes in sheets, is solid brass, about the thickness of a sheet of paper. You cut it with scissors to the correct size to wrap around the bushing.
Rocky

Thanks for the tip, Rocky. Sounds like a really solid solution. I will certainly look into this should the gaps increase over time.