StewMac peghole reamer?

[GregDunn]

I assume this is the right forum for this, since I'm actually not building a neck.

I have a series I Ibanez Mikro with the original smaller tuning machines. I want to enlarge the holes in my headstock and put in a set of Gotoh tuners. While it will definitely be cheaper to use a sharp bit and a drill press (thanks to those who have provided guidelines for doing this), I'm wondering if anyone here has used the StewMac reamer for this purpose and can persuade or dissuade me from using it. It does seem to be designed for the purpose I need, and I'm willing to spend $ if it will ensure me of a better result.

Anyone?

[zombywoof5050]

If you simply ream out the holes to a bigger size, the tuner posts will no longer be properly lined up with the nut slots. You need to drill the bigger holes offset from the existing holes so that the edge of the post that's in line with the nut slots remains in the same place. You follow?

[202dy]

It won't shift the tuner shaft location enough to cause a severe misalignment. It will work just fine.

The only problem with this idea is that the tuner buttons maybe significantly larger. If this is true, it can make tuning a little problematic. If the player has long fingers or lacks some dexterity, it is likely that they will knock an adjacent tuner while raising the pitch on another string.

Without seeing the specs on both tuners and measuring the real estate, it's all academic.

[GregDunn]

Here's the page for reference: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/B...Tuner_Set.html. Note that these aren't the huge Fender-style tuners.

I think the size is not an issue. I measured my Mikro's tuner posts and if the Gotoh drawing is correct, the posts are very close to the same diameter where the string is wrapped; it's only the bushing and shaft which are larger. And the knobs are far enough apart that even if they were significantly larger (which they don't appear to be) I don't see a problem. Actually the Gotoh ought to be very close in size to the tuners on my long-scale Ibanez basses (which have the larger bushing); the measurements I made on one of those seem to match the Gotoh within the limits of my calipers.

Don't ask me why the original tuners are made the way they are; I assume they were just cheap in quantity. The new Mikros actually have tuners which are, if not Gotohs, very close in style and size; and the headstock (other than larger holes) seems to be the same when I placed an old and new one side by side. If it weren't for the fact that it'd be far more expensive and unlikely to fit perfectly, I'd be tempted just to buy a new neck and tuners to fit to the old bass.

This isn't a great pic, but it's all I have without going home to take more. These are both stock, old-style Mikros:

[202dy]

The tool is good. If you use it correctly the results will be fine.

Same goes for the tuner selection.

[GregDunn]

Thanks. I will look into ordering one.