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Cheap Chinese headless tuners. How do I make them work right?

#22
Reedt2000 said:
So, the whole saddle assembly moves to adjust intonation? I wonder if you could line the surface of the plate in the body, and the underside of the saddle/tuner assembly with material that would create friction. Rubber? Cork? Gasket material? Strips of super-light sandpaper? Something to help resist string tension. Maybe even a tiny washer under the head to spread out its grip a bit (with split washer if it will fit).
Click to expand...
This is a top idea.
 
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#23
smart51 said:
No, it's one with a different thread pitch sent in error. They sent me a new one to replace it so I have 5 the same. They weren't sold as a set of 6.
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Thx..point taken :whistle: but, using a friction plate alone to hold the string tension looks dodgy at best and IMO trying to fix what appears to be a fatal design flaw won't be worth the time.
You spent about $65.00 on tuners and a bridge :eyebrow:
Try harder :)
 
#25
bobdabilder said:
This is part of what's wrong with tb. If you choose not to be helpful, move along.
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Steering the O.P. down the right path is considered helpful IMO. Typical bridges are simple but a headless model requires it to hold the string, intonate correctly and serve as a tuner. This isn't a component the O.P. should be trying to save $$$ on. Look again at the design and how it's supposed to but doesn't work.
 
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#26
@smart51

I've been thinking about this a wee bit. Replace the 5mm machine screw for one with a slightly bigger head. A hex socket cap screw would get better purchase.Something like this.
F0281029-01.jpg
You could go as far as sinking a nut or threaded insert into the body and use a longer thread :thumbsup:

Talkbass tip

When you click on a poster's name a window pops open, there's an "ignore" button on the poster's profile.
Comes in handy for those folks with nothing constructive to say.

Good luck with your build,I'll keep an eye out for the Finished post.
 
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#27
The main design flaw I see is that the whole assembly is dependent on the pinch plate binding against the tube. The threaded portion of the plate which might be 1mm or less is all that's holding everything together. Once that plate deforms or the threads wear even a bit its binding capabilities will be over.
I've only ever seen this design on keyboard stands' 2nd tiers and it never lasts. I can't imagine this concept being able to work under typical bridge tensions.
I hope all works out for the O.P. I don't come here to throw shade on people but I'll stick with my advice and happily eat a big bucket of crow if the O.P. comes back with a happy ending after a few months.
 
#28
Roland GR 88 said:
The main design flaw I see is that the whole assembly is dependent on the pinch plate binding against the tube. The threaded portion of the plate which might be 1mm or less is all that's holding everything together. Once that plate deforms or the threads wear even a bit its binding capabilities will be over.
Click to expand...
Part of the reason for starting this thread is to warn others not to buy them.

The body of the tuner only touches the plate along the two edges. Putting a piece of wet and dry folded in two into the gap increases friction a lot. This should get me to a point where I can set the intonation. Once I've got the intonation right, I'm going to file a piece of brass or something to the shape of the space between the bolt and the end of the slot in the body. That way the body can't slip under tension.
 
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#29
smart51 said:
Part of the reason for starting this thread is to warn others not to buy them.

The body of the tuner only touches the plate along the two edges. Putting a piece of wet and dry folded in two into the gap increases friction a lot. This should get me to a point where I can set the intonation. Once I've got the intonation right, I'm going to file a piece of brass or something to the shape of the space between the bolt and the end of the slot in the body. That way the body can't slip under tension.
Click to expand...

Good luck....:) I hope it it all holds together. I know how frustrating it can be to have to re-engineer a new component.
 
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#30
smart51 said:
Part of the reason for starting this thread is to warn others not to buy them.

The body of the tuner only touches the plate along the two edges. Putting a piece of wet and dry folded in two into the gap increases friction a lot. This should get me to a point where I can set the intonation. Once I've got the intonation right, I'm going to file a piece of brass or something to the shape of the space between the bolt and the end of the slot in the body. That way the body can't slip under tension.
Click to expand...

Man, I would never want to have to depend on a bass like that, wondering if something is to by to go wrong mid-show. That's just scary.
 
#31
Another China lesson, sorry to say. They make a lot of stuff that looks ok, but isn't made well. You might improve them with a lot of fiddling, but they just use low grade materials that break or wear out. Bite the bullet for the Hipshot, that's one part you can't skimp on.
 

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