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11-20-2012, 02:13 PM
|  | Groovologist | | Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Erie, PA | | | Why lefty loosey?
OK, here's a dumb question that no one has ever been able explain to me: Why are tuners designed to turn lefty loosey when we tighten our strings? Why not righty tighty like every other screw based tightening thing in the world?
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11-20-2012, 02:20 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona 85029 | | | Early makers of tuning pegs probably wanted the obvious functionality retained before and after the gear; that is, turning the peg clockwise corresponds to the shaft rotating clockwise.
However, strings need to come off from the nut as straight (horizontally) as possible so as not to apply too much sideways pressure and either move or break the nut. In order to accommodate for this, we wind the strings in the opposite direction to tighten them.
If we adopted some modified headstock system where the lowest string's tuner is farthest away, we could reverse the system.
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Originally Posted by McThumpenstein  I don't think the wife would buy the "I need to take off this knob and put a whole new bass under it" story. |
Last edited by FunkMetalBass : 11-20-2012 at 02:23 PM.
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11-20-2012, 02:21 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | | bicycle pedals and camera lenses go to the left too |
11-20-2012, 02:31 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona 85029 | | Quote:
Originally Posted by mpdd bicycle pedals and camera lenses go to the left too | I'm trying to remember, but I think bike pedals were designed that way so as not to accidentally unscrew themselves during forward riding. No idea about the lenses.
One thing to consider is the frame of reference. If you're holding a nut and a bolt with the nut toward you and the bolt away from you, and then you want to tighten the bolt while fixing the nut, you'll have to turn the bolt counter-clockwise (relative to your frame of reference) to tighten it.
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Originally Posted by McThumpenstein I don't think the wife would buy the "I need to take off this knob and put a whole new bass under it" story. | |
11-20-2012, 02:36 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brooklyn Park, MN. | | | Being a mechanic all my life it drives me crazy!!!
I love my vintage reverse tuners.
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It's 106 miles to Chicago. We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.
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11-20-2012, 03:02 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Nova Scotia | | | Never gave it a moment's thought.
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I kinda wish that there was some other kinds of basses besides Ps and Js so we would have something different to talk about. -Nobody
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11-20-2012, 03:05 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: La Mesa (San Diego area), Cali | | | The real reason is because it's "righty, tighty!"
Dan K.
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11-20-2012, 03:30 PM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Knowlton The real reason is because it's "righty, tighty!"
Dan K. | Except that turning the peg to the left on most basses is what tightens it. :P
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11-20-2012, 03:31 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | | My Sting P-bass is right to tighten for some reason. |
11-20-2012, 03:32 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Fender Basses, Ampeg, Curt Mangan Strings | | Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: South Shore, Massachusetts | | Quote:
Originally Posted by mpdd bicycle pedals and camera lenses go to the left too | Bicycle pedals go on clockwise on the right side and counter clockwise on the left. This is done to avoid having the left pedal come loose due to the rotation.
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"If you don't want the truth don't ask. Make up your own like everyone else does". (Michael Pare as Eddie Wilson/Joe West in Eddie and The Cruisers II).
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11-20-2012, 03:38 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | | The plastic retaining nut on a conventional toilet handle is left-handed. Ask me how I know.
Not only are Pedulla tuners lefty-tighty, so are his truss rods.
Riis
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11-20-2012, 03:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Kitchener, ON | | | I always figured it was a throwback to classical instruments that don't even have worm gears at play. In those cases, you're simply turning the spindle directly, and left would pull the string tighter. |
11-20-2012, 03:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Attleboro, Ma | | | Don't some vintage Chrysler products have "backwards" threaded lugnuts on one side too?
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11-20-2012, 03:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Netherlands | | | Because it's not a screw. When you tighten the string, you're not screwing anything into the wood. It's not a direct connection; when turning the key you turn a cog, which in turn rotates the actual peg. I'd compare it more to turning a dial to adjust something, than to fastening something with actual threads, like a bottlecap or bolts and nuts.
Keeping that in mind, I always thought this way makes more sense. When you turn the key so that the upper part rotates away from the headstock, you tighten the string. Almost like you're winding the string directly onto the key, like opening a can of tuna or spam. Lovely spam. Wonderful spam. |
11-20-2012, 03:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Deep in the heart of Texas | | | My P bass tuners are righty tighty
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Thump it!
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11-20-2012, 03:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Netherlands | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Biggbass My P bass tuners are righty tighty | Your RW? It's because of the vintage tuners, they turn the other way. My RW jazz does the same. |
11-20-2012, 03:53 PM
| | | | The real question is why anyone still uses the imperial system of measurement!
Ok, I know the answer to that, but I reject it because it's dumb :-)
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11-20-2012, 03:55 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Netherlands | | Quote:
Originally Posted by mrbell321 The real question is why anyone still uses the imperial system of measurement!
Ok, I know the answer to that, but I reject it because it's dumb :-) | You sir, are part of the rebel alliance and a traitor.
Take him away! |
11-20-2012, 03:55 PM
| | | | OH, and philips head screws. The motto should be "Designed poorly for people who can't control themselves!"
Of course, flatheads are irritating too and torx has a patent...
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11-20-2012, 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by St Drogo You sir, are part of the rebel alliance and a traitor.
Take him away! | YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!
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