Looking for straight tuners for bass

deepwaves · #1 02-24-2009, 06:41 PM

Hi. Working on a different design and need straight tuners...not the typical right angled type. I read once that someone like Gibson used them from a banjo on an early bass prototype.

I there anything like that suitable for bass strings?

Creative luthier

Suburban · #2 02-25-2009, 12:03 PM

What is a straight tuner?

As far as i know, the tuners of most modern headless are straight. You can buy from e.g. ABM or ETS, or build them yourself. Very simple if you have metalworking tool, even hand tools.

MNAirHead · #3 02-25-2009, 12:10 PM

Is there anything in the Stewart Mac catalog?

pilotjones · #4 02-25-2009, 05:01 PM

Banjos normally use straight tuning machines, but banjos have low tension strings.

Rickett Customs · #5 02-25-2009, 05:03 PM

Yeah, stu-mac has them, they're Steinbergers. But they're for guitar. Gearless tuners.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/G...ss_Tuners.html
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/G...s.html#details

The Gibson you're referring to is the Firebird.

deepwaves · #6 02-26-2009, 11:42 AM

Yeah Jason...that is what I am looking for. I realize the banjo ones are not rigid enough for bass tensions. Maybe it is impracticle. Just wanted to try it if anyone manufactures them.
jp

Rickett Customs · #7 02-26-2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepwaves

Yeah Jason...that is what I am looking for. I realize the banjo ones are not rigid enough for bass tensions. Maybe it is impracticle. Just wanted to try it if anyone manufactures them.
jp

To my knowledge, no one has dared

But, If you happen to know a machinist and one of those tuners, it could probably be done.

N8116B · #8 02-26-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotjones

Banjos normally use straight tuning machines, but banjos have low tension strings.

Banjo normally do use straight and the tensions are low. But they are also geared tuners. The post size and the gearing may not be up to holding a bass string.

Rickett Customs · #9 02-26-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N8116B

But they are also geared tuners.

Although some are geared.
Not all banjo tuners are geared, though. Some are friction.

pilotjones · #10 03-04-2009, 05:59 PM

Last night I saw two guys who played harp guitars. The bass/baritone drone strings were pretty long, and were held by what from a bit of a distance looked like banjo tuners. Maybe some research on harp guitars might turn up something useful.

T-Bird · #11 03-05-2009, 12:17 AM

Hi.

I haven't tried it, but perhaps Firebird tuners will work. They're straight, banjo style geared tuners with ~8mm posts. You'll obviously have to enlargen the E tuner hole though.

Good luck on finding the OEM replacements, I had to repair one on mine as the replacement set was about 400 in dollars back then in here. And they said that they had never seen a set so it might or might not come, but had to be paid in advance.

And they're bad, I had to buy a Gibson fine tuning stop bar just to get the guitar in tune. They hold just fine, but the rotation isn't smooth and not fine enough.

Manufacturing a geared straight one is really difficult as the angle has to be self locking. The normal worm-wheel gearing is much simpler as it's self locking by design.

Regards
Sam