Tuning Peg Shafts with Grooves

[selowitch]

I could have sworn I saw these replacement bass tuning pegs online that had grooves cut into them winding around the posts for the strings to sit in. Was I imagining that? Where do I find them? I tried Googling and searching here, but no result.

[bassfran]

Go to the TB home page and scroll down to the paid ads- you can link them from there.

[selowitch]

That it! Thanks. Whoever this guy is, he needs to do some SEO pronto.

[walterw]

linky? i couldn't find it.

[JustDavid]

Originally Posted by walterw

linky? i couldn't find it.

Major Innovation in Bass Tuning Gear Design

Then to http://www.noahjames.com/

[JLS]

Originally Posted by JustDavid

Major Innovation in Bass Tuning Gear Design

Then to http://www.noahjames.com/

Noah James should seriously think about hiring someone to proofread his copy.

[walterw]

+1, but there's some science here, and it was an eye-opener for me anyway.

in the youtube video the guy demonstrates the difference between having the strings take off at the bottom of the post vs. partway up, by having a bolted-down bass set up with a dial indicator contacting the end of the headstock to show any movement;

with the strings coming off the posts higher up, the headstock twisted a good deal more due to the extra leverage, and plucking a string made it flap back and forth like a diving board!

winding the strings to come off the very bottoms of the posts reduced the extra movement and twisting of the headstock. he's arguing that this excess flapping of the headstock is one cause of dead spots.

whether you buy his keys or not, it's a pretty strong argument for ensuring your string winds make it to the very bottom of the tuner posts!

[mongo2]

I've installed strings so they're down low on the post for decades. After watching his videos a little while ago I removed the string retainer from the headstock on several of my basses and did notice a difference. It's a free and easy mod for those with basses already having tuners with straight sided posts or MM/G&L tuners with their tapered post which drives the string low on the post. And it's completely reversible if necessary.

[96tbird]

Many here say three wraps in the post is enough. I'm a five or six wrapper, it gives mechanical advantage that forces the string to the bottom and keeps it there. It doesn't really take time to settle in as some suggest; you only have to witness set it after installing and then back it off and re- tension it to get the wraps tight and then it's stable.

I don't know that the extra expense of swapping barrels is necessary when you can just bend the string to your will. Good idea though if supplied with a new instrument but you still have to trim the string just right or it may not reach the bottom of the "threads", so....

[T-Bird]

Hi.

An another way of thinking it rather than a "major innovation" IMHO.

And attempts to band aid a design flaw rather than to correct it.

BUT, if he can sell these, good for him.

Regards
Sam

[tjh]

Originally Posted by walterw

+1, but there's some science here, and it was an eye-opener for me anyway.

in the youtube video the guy demonstrates the difference between having the strings take off at the bottom of the post vs. partway up, by having a bolted-down bass set up with a dial indicator contacting the end of the headstock to show any movement;

with the strings coming off the posts higher up, the headstock twisted a good deal more due to the extra leverage, and plucking a string made it flap back and forth like a diving board!

winding the strings to come off the very bottoms of the posts reduced the extra movement and twisting of the headstock. he's arguing that this excess flapping of the headstock is one cause of dead spots.

whether you buy his keys or not, it's a pretty strong argument for ensuring your string winds make it to the very bottom of the tuner posts!

...interesting hearing somebody with more of a techical background than me (like Walter) commenting on this .. I have mentioned in the past that I like to use plastic zip ties around the center of beveled posts, and wind the string below that to bring it all the way to the bottom of the post ... also interesting that I have never experienced a noticeable deadspot on any of the multitudes of Fender basses I have owned ...

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by tjh

...interesting hearing somebody with more of a techical background than me (like Walter) commenting on this .. I have mentioned in the past that I like to use plastic zip ties around the center of beveled posts, and wind the string below that to bring it all the way to the bottom of the post ... also interesting that I have never experienced a noticeable deadspot on any of the multitudes of Fender basses I have owned ...

IME, winding the string down to the bottom of the post does not guarantee there will not be a deadspot.

[202dy]

Interesting claim.

His testing methodology is flawed in that the measurements are taken with the instrument clamped horizontally rather than in playing position. Bass guitars hang from the shoulder more or less vertically and are not clamped to anything. Gravity acts on the neck in a different direction when played normally. All of this distorts the data.

[96tbird]

What needs to be done is just go back to straight or tapered barrels instead of the stupid concave barrels that seem to be in favor. On regular old fashioned straight shafts the wraps perform like the grooves and guide the string down. Even with this 'breakthrough' if you cut the string short, the desired effect will not be achieved.

They are neither a win or a lose in my mind; they're just another option. About as revolutionary as split shaft pots versus solid shaft pots.