Vintage Tuners
 

One aspect of old fenders I love is the posts on the tuners seem much longer than those on current basses. Is that my imagination. I think it looks really cool and would love to add them to one of more of my current basses. Who makes them and how do you determine if they will fit an instrument.

That's not a good thing. You want the posts to be short so that the strings wind down closer to the headstock so that there is a sufficient break angle at the nut.

My bad - I was not clear. By posts I mean the posts the clover leaf tuning heads are on. Not the posts on the front side of the head.

You're talking about the old style reverse-wind tuning machines. They can be found on eBay for about $65. You'll probably need to drill new holes for the screws, but they should look okay as the back plate is larger than on the newer units, and will cover up the old holes. I installed a set on a Jazz build, and like them a lot.

Hi, I have a P with vintage tuners and the posts are not really longer, it's the clover leafs that are smaller and it gives the illusion of longer posts.

I have to admit they look good though.

I used a set of used classic vibe tuners I found on ebay for about $30. I like the longer peg posts too. New on there for about $40. Here...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FENDER-SQUIE...item35c2cd6e7b

That's actually my biggest cosmetic peeve with the non reissue Fenders. I think the tuning posts look bad compared to 60s reverse wound and 70s tuning posts. It's not just the length but also the non tapering that looks a lot better. Modern Fender tuners are too petite.

They don't need to be short for that. The older style Fender tuners worked just as well, and looked a lot better.

You are talking about the stem on the ear end of the tuner, I'm talking about the post around which the strings wind, and I guess I'm not sure what the OP is talking about.

I love reverse vintage style tuners, they look way better.

My first instructor had an original 62 P that she got in the early 70s. According to her, new Fender tuners are reversed and hers were normal. Hard to argue that one.

I like the way they look too. :-)

The posts that the clover leaf attaches to is long on the older Fender, and like the OP I do like them better!

If you compare a "real" 70's Fender say with the Geddy Lee Jazz or any of the 70's RI Fenders, the tuners are a bit shorter in regards to the clover leaf post.

This is the back of my '72 Jazz which has the larger clover leafs....



The "clover leaf" is farther from the actual head stock. On today Fenders they are much closer to the top edge of the head stock.


Now this is the back of the a neck off of the new Antigua Jazz bass which is loosely fashioned from a 70's Jazz bass. Notice the "clover leafs" are closer than on my '72 Jazz.



On both basses the "clover leaf" part is about the same size....just post holding them is different.

Hipshot makes reverse tuners; I have a set of my fretted Jazz.

Sweet. I was convinced those reverse units were longer-shafted... :eek:

They are longer; my reverse tuners are 1/4" longer than my '70's style tuners; I'm pretty sure Hipshot made them the same size as the originals.

You can get original Fender reverse tuners here...

http://www.guitaraffecs.com/in-tuningheads.html

follow link above and click on fender link on left, then scroll to bottom of page. Set of 4 - $55