Fifth string- how do I fix it?

[tobytimber]

Converting a four string to a five string is not really a great problem. But what do you do if the pegbox is just too small to fit another full size machine? It's a bass with wooden pegs, and changing them for metal ones is not an option. I have seen quite a few basses that have been converted using a machine which just fits into the pegbox with the head going up, it takes up little space but works quite well. But, these basses had been converted a long time ago and the machines looked quite old. Does anyone here know first of all what I'm talking about and second where I can get one?

[Jeff Bollbach]

That's a tough one. I've seen what your talking about and to my knowledge it doesn't exist on a commercial level-each situation must be dealt with in a custom fashion. Robbie McIntosh has expertly solved this problem before in the JB Allen conversion [3 to 4]. Mail him at-
McInbass@aol.com

[Brent Nussey]

I can't say how well it works, but Jacques Gagnon makes something like this.

http://www.cremonasia.com/machineheads.htm

It's Cl-107. I think it mounts in the pegbox, with the big hole in the center going around the shaft of one of the existing machines. I don't know if it would fit with wood pegs, either. My local shop has installed one or two of these over the years, I'll ask them what they think of them...

Brent

[Jeff Bollbach]

Cool Brent! I guess I missed that one. The wood peg would have to be fit in that hole but it should work just fine. Jaques' machinings are passable. I doubt that Toby could find anything else short of custom one-off which will be a fortune.

[tobytimber]

Thanks a lot Brent!!! This thing looks exactly like what I need. It should be easy enough to turn the wooden peg down a bit to fit into the hole. I emailed cremonasia for more details.
Also thanks Jeff for taking the time, I'll tell you how it went once I'm done.
Thanks again
Toby