Building Headless Tuners

[Tenma4]

Heya folks, I'm attempting my first build. It's a headless, fretless 5 string. I'm trying to build every part of things thing short of making my own screws here. So here's where I need some help. I need ideas on how to build headless tuners. I like the looks of David Kings tuner set, but I don't know how they work. I've never even owned a headless instrument.

Does anyone here build their own tuners? I don't have the ability to do serious machining of metal. In other words, I'm hoping to not have to use more than a hack saw, drill, and files. :-) I'm out of chewing gum. MacGyver really needs to be on this thread, so if you see him, send him this way. Thanks.

[pilotjones]

Someone here did homemades like you're talking about. The thread should be about a month or two back, maybe three.

[scottyd]

I've built a few sets heres a links.

Post 34 shows how I made them. Obtaining CHEAP Headless Tuners

Latest bass with an updated design.
Current Project: Headless 4

[pilotjones]

Hey Scotty, sorry I forgot the person to go with the tuners--I'm bad with names, and worse when it's online. Nice job, though.

[Tenma4]

Thanks folks. I'll check out the previous threads. I can keep everyone posted here too.

I went shopping at the hardware store and came home an hour later with $6 in parts and some great ideas. I think I can make this work. Hopefully what I've got in mind will have enough travel to produce the necessary string tension. If that is a hurdle I've overcome, then next will be a locking mechanism for the strings at headless end. My first idea was to put the ball end there, but I swapped it back to the normal orientation.

Thanks!

[THSL]

You should check out Status Graphite's website:

http://www.status-graphite.com

http://status-graphite.com/status/ca...mes/frame4.htm

In their spare parts section, they sell a headless string retainer in 4/5/6 string versions... I think it's the easiest non custom way to go for headless... They also sell the individual bridges with tuner attached for a reasonable price.

[scottyd]

Also check out ebay,there was someone selling steinberger type setups not too long ago.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ass&category0=

[scottyd]

Originally Posted by pilotjones

Hey Scotty, sorry I forgot the person to go with the tuners--I'm bad with names, and worse when it's online. Nice job, though.

No worrys bro, there's so many post here, how could you possibly keep up?

[Suburban]

No, really! Don't buy!
Scotty's tuners are easy enough to build, and absolutely good enouhg. If you lack the lathe, invent some other way to do similar things, or get some schoolboy to make it for you (I bet you know somebody taking machining, or something inclunding machining). Schools love to do real life things, at least around here.

[Tenma4]

Originally Posted by Suburban

No, really! Don't buy!
Scotty's tuners are easy enough to build, and absolutely good enouhg. If you lack the lathe, invent some other way to do similar things, or get some schoolboy to make it for you (I bet you know somebody taking machining, or something inclunding machining). Schools love to do real life things, at least around here.

Yeah, I'm working on my own way of doing things. I cut a 1/2 piece of angle iron, filed it, and drilled holes in it to mount things to. I bought 5 sink retainer clips because they are threaded on 1 side, and the other side I figured I could drill holes into for retaining the ball end of the strings. So far so good.

Next I picked up bolts to attach to the clips. I forget what they are called, but they have grips on the outside, and a hex key inside the head. They're 2 inches long with about 1 & 1/4 inches of thread on them. That means my tuners will have that distance of travel. I really hope that's enough! If not, then I'll keep the idea and buy different hardware.

Scottyd, your design is impressive. How much travel do your tuners have? How much is used?

I'll keep this thread posted. Any thoughts/ideas are appreciated. Thanks.

[scottyd]

The last set that I built have 1 1/2" travel. Thats more than enough to pull the string ball into the body, tune to pitch and have plenty room left over for string stretching. I've measured multiple times and it only takes about 3/8" to 1/2" to pull a string to pitch. I've yet to build a set for a six string, the C may require a little more.

[Tenma4]

Scottyd, thanks for the info. I owe you one. Since my 5er is going to be tuned BEADG it sounds like that's a hurdle I don't have to worry about.

The threads of the bolts I'm using seem to have a little bit of play in them. I'm not entirely sure the parts I have are going to work yet. What I hadn't thought of doing was making a track that the "tuner saddles" (sink clips) would move on. I think I'm going to cut more pieces of the angle iron and make a track for each of the saddles.

I'll take pics of the finished model (provided I make it there).

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by scottyd

Also check out ebay,there was someone selling steinberger type setups not too long ago.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ass&category0=

I bought one of those for my headless project and after waiting two weeks for it to get here, I was amazed with the quality. They are really solid, look great and cheap. I'll have to finish my bass before I have a real good idea about how good they are, but from the looks of it, they are great.

lowsound

[Tenma4]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I bought one of those for my headless project and after waiting two weeks for it to get here, I was amazed with the quality. They are really solid, look great and cheap. I'll have to finish my bass before I have a real good idea about how good they are, but from the looks of it, they are great.

lowsound

They look fine. 2 problems for me though. I'm doing a 5er, and 2ndly, I'm building everything else on this instrument. I don't want to ruin my bragging rights. Otherwise, that's a whole lot cheaper than what I've seen anyplace else. I'd go for those too.

[scottyd]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I bought one of those for my headless project and after waiting two weeks for it to get here, I was amazed with the quality. They are really solid, look great and cheap. I'll have to finish my bass before I have a real good idea about how good they are, but from the looks of it, they are great.

lowsound

They actually work off a spindle type setup dont they? I've been curious to try them out. You really cant go wrong for the price. Good luck with them.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by scottyd

They actually work off a spindle type setup dont they? I've been curious to try them out. You really cant go wrong for the price. Good luck with them.

Ya, the tuning knob turns a spindle that has a hole through it where the string goes. They ONLY use single ball strings, with the ball end at the neck end. I will take better pictures of it sometime and post them in my build thread (when I have some updates).

lowsound

[jackson_bass]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Ya, the tuning knob turns a spindle that has a hole through it where the string goes. They ONLY use single ball strings, with the ball end at the neck end. I will take better pictures of it sometime and post them in my build thread (when I have some updates).

lowsound

I have been wondering . . . . . I like the headless tuners, but if that is for the ball end, how do I secure the tuner end of the strings?

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by jackson_bass

I have been wondering . . . . . I like the headless tuners, but if that is for the ball end, how do I secure the tuner end of the strings?

There is a hole through the spindle than turns for tuning. Works like a guitar tuner.

lowsound

[Tenma4]

Hopefully soon I'll get some pictures posted, and get to try out my tuners. I'm waiting on part of the body glue to dry on my project bass today.

[Tenma4]

OK, I'm thinking of retooling a bit here. After doing a little looking around I learned that it's not that expensive to tap out metal. I knew nothing of it before. So the plan may change...