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12-11-2009, 08:00 PM
| | | | Reissue Mustang Tuners
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Hi all, I'm looking for a suitable replacement for the tuners on my reissue Fender Mustang. I cant find any tuners that appear to match the original mounting screw locations. I could live with drilling new mounting holes if absolutely necessary. I do however want to stick with the fender / elephant ear style knobs. One better would be original mustang style knobs! I might even be ok with departing from the vintage tuner mounting style altogether as long as the knobs match.
Has anyone replaced theirs? If so with what? How much work was required (direct swap or modification of tuner/neck required)?
Does anyone know the bushing / peghole size of the stock mustang tuners? I'm sure I can remove one tuner and measure it but if someone knew it off hand i'd appreciate it! |
12-12-2009, 03:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | I replaced the tuners on my modded Mustang RI with Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners. They're not a drop in replacement and require the tuner bushings be removed from the headstock and a single hole drilled for the tuner screw. It took a bit of work since the holes in the Mustang peghead are a somewhat loose fit around the Gotohs.
The original tuners will cover the new hole if you decide to re-install them.
The Gotohs are much lighter, very smathoooth and, while it's not exact, the paddle shape of the Gotohs reminds me of the old Fender "tulip" paddle tuners so they don't look that out place on the Mustang.
I had replaced the OEM tuners with "cloverleaf" Hipshot Ultralights at first but they are heavier than the Gotohs; 4 of which weigh about as much as 3 of the Hipshots.
Picture with Gotoh 350s: 
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"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
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12-12-2009, 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by mongo2  I replaced the tuners on my modded Mustang RI with Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners. They're not a drop in replacement and require the tuner bushings be removed from the headstock and a single hole drilled for the tuner screw. It took a bit of work since the holes in the Mustang peghead are a somewhat loose fit around the Gotohs.
The original tuners will cover the new hole if you decide to re-install them.
The Gotohs are much lighter, very smathoooth and, while it's not exact, the paddle shape of the Gotohs reminds me of the old Fender "tulip" paddle tuners so they don't look that out place on the Mustang.
I had replaced the OEM tuners with "cloverleaf" Hipshot Ultralights at first but they are heavier than the Gotohs; 4 of which weigh about as much as 3 of the Hipshots.
Picture with Gotoh 350s: | how did you deal with the bushing holes being too big for the Gotoh 350s?
Weight aside (i'm sure the stock tuners aren't light) How did the hipshots fit? Obviously some mounting holes needed to be drilled. What about the bushing hole size?
Thanks! |
12-12-2009, 02:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ia02 how did you deal with the bushing holes being too big for the Gotoh 350s?
Weight aside (i'm sure the stock tuners aren't light) How did the hipshots fit? Obviously some mounting holes needed to be drilled. What about the bushing hole size?
Thanks! | I didn't deal with it, I just mounted the new tuner so it was centered in the hole by putting the beveled washer on with the bevel down so it would self-center in the bushing hole.
The Hipshot is even more narrow than the Gotohs but even though the Hipshots are heavier they also work well.
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
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12-12-2009, 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by mongo2 I didn't deal with it, I just mounted the new tuner so it was centered in the hole by putting the beveled washer on with the bevel down so it would self-center in the bushing hole.
The Hipshot is even more narrow than the Gotohs but even though the Hipshots are heavier they also work well. | Did you use the 3/8" or 1/2" post ultralite tuners. I would imagine the 1/2" would be a better fit than the 3/8" version.
Have you seen the hipshot ultralites with the lollipop keys? Looks damn near real vintage mustang knobs. http://store.hipshotproducts.com/car...t_detail&p=343 |
12-12-2009, 06:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ia02 Did you use the 3/8" or 1/2" post ultralite tuners. I would imagine the 1/2" would be a better fit than the 3/8" version.
Have you seen the hipshot ultralites with the lollipop keys? Looks damn near real vintage mustang knobs. http://store.hipshotproducts.com/car...t_detail&p=343 | I used 3/8" Hipshots. The tuner bushing holes are smaller on the Mustang RI than on a MIA or vintage Fender so I don't know if the 1/2" Hipshots will fit.
The lollipops are cool.
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
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12-12-2009, 06:15 PM
|  | Registered User
Maker of HPF-Pre upright bass preamp | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Madison WI | | Quote:
Originally Posted by mongo2 I replaced the tuners on my modded Mustang RI with Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners. They're not a drop in replacement and require the tuner bushings be removed from the headstock and a single hole drilled for the tuner screw. It took a bit of work since the holes in the Mustang peghead are a somewhat loose fit around the Gotohs.
The original tuners will cover the new hole if you decide to re-install them.
The Gotohs are much lighter, very smathoooth and, while it's not exact, the paddle shape of the Gotohs reminds me of the old Fender "tulip" paddle tuners so they don't look that out place on the Mustang.
I had replaced the OEM tuners with "cloverleaf" Hipshot Ultralights at first but they are heavier than the Gotohs; 4 of which weigh about as much as 3 of the Hipshots.
Picture with Gotoh 350s: | Did you extend the strap button? |
12-13-2009, 05:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | Quote:
Originally Posted by fdeck Did you extend the strap button? | Yes, hence the pair of dice under the upper strap button.
I used a very light (under 2 lbs) body made of Paulownia and needed to extend the strap button to balance the headstock so it doesn't move when I let go. The bass weighs only 4lbs. 13 oz., sounds great, and has become my primary gig bass.
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
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12-13-2009, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by mongo2 Yes, hence the pair of dice under the upper strap button.
I used a very light (under 2 lbs) body made of Paulownia and needed to extend the strap button to balance the headstock so it doesn't move when I let go. The bass weighs only 4lbs. 13 oz., sounds great, and has become my primary gig bass. | ok, so now i'd like to know: what else have you done to that little mustang? Give me the full story. Or is there another thread that explains it all? |
12-13-2009, 08:57 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ia02 ok, so now i'd like to know: what else have you done to that little mustang? Give me the full story. Or is there another thread that explains it all? | I think I posted about it elsewhere but the only other mods are relocating the lower strap button also to improve balance, installing the Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners and the skirted amp knobs which I recently replaced with J knobs.
Everything else is OEM Fender Mustang RI
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
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12-13-2009, 08:57 AM
| | | | did you cut the body yourself or is there someone out there making mustang parts that i dont know about? |
12-13-2009, 09:06 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ia02 did you cut the body yourself or is there someone out there making mustang parts that i dont know about? | I bought a generically shaped 1-1/2" thick Mustang guitar body of paulownia from Guitar Mill but with the following factory mods: the neckpocket is 4-1/4 inches long and it has body contours.
I cut the pickup and control routing and installed the through-body string ferrules.
Be aware that this particular paulownia body is very soft unlike two other paulownia bodies (P and J) I bought from Guitar Mill which are considerably harder but still light for their size (3 and 3.5 lbs). In spite of the softness of this body it sounds better than any other bass I have or tried in recent memory which was very pleasant surprise.
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
Last edited by mongo2 : 12-13-2009 at 09:21 AM.
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12-13-2009, 09:13 AM
| | | | very nice! gotta love these little things. so comfortable and killer classic thump |
01-14-2010, 11:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Alberta, Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by mongo2 I replaced the tuners on my modded Mustang RI with Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners. [...] | Hi mongo2,
Where did you get the GB350's? if you don't mind me asking. I want to replace mine with them but I don't seem to find them anywhere
Cheers
DavidMP |
01-15-2010, 05:35 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidMP Hi mongo2,
Where did you get the GB350's? if you don't mind me asking. I want to replace mine with them but I don't seem to find them anywhere | I got mine on ebay.
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
|
02-13-2010, 12:44 PM
| | | just stumbled upon these gotoh's: http://www.allparts.com/Gotoh-4L-Nic...k-0908-001.htm
Measured my tuners and it seems like it would fit literally perfectly. Maybe too perfectly.
So the question is: does anyone know what brand of tuners Fender uses on MIJ mustangs? If I buy these am I getting literally the same tuner or would these Gotoh's be an upgrade? |
02-13-2010, 01:37 PM
| | | | Interesting find. I'm interested, too. But at first glance, they seem very similar to stock. I'm really wondering if they are lighter.
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02-13-2010, 03:11 PM
| | | | I think i figured it out. The link I posted are for a set of Gotoh tuners, doesn't specifically say it but I think the model is the GB1. I believe these are what is fitted stock. I received a parts list from fender a few years ago and the letters GB1 are directly after the tuning machine description. My bet is that these are the exact same tuners.
Too bad. I wasn't looking for lighter tuner but rather BETTER tuners, smoother turning, better ratio etc. These don't help me there.... | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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