What are the best open back for replacement gears? Inline 4 Chrome or Nickel and why.
Not interested in drop downs or black or gold. Or Fender even?
Not interested in drop downs or black or gold. Or Fender even?
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Gotoh or Schaller, Chrome or Nickel?
- Thread starter Charlie Blue
- Start date
Neither brand is better than the other in function. They are both quality. Nickel is better than chrome because it gets a nice patina. Nickel has a brown hue and chrome is blue. Nickel looks warm to my eye.
I wouldn't say that nickel plating is better than chrome. It's a slightly different color of "shiny metal", which you may or may not prefer. Nickel is darker and considered to have a slight blue-ish shade. Chrome is brighter and more of a yellow or white shade.
Nickel plating will tarnish over time. It will get dull in patches, then get dull overall. In very humid environments, it can tarnish quite quickly. You can re-polish it with metal polish and a cloth.
Chrome plating is basically forever. Unless it is subjected to serious chemicals or heat (like flames), it will stay bright and shiny for decades.
Back in the 1960's, many instruments used nickel plating on their hardware, because it's cheaper. Some used a mixture of nickel and chrome parts. By the late '70's almost all instrument hardware was chromed. These days even most cheap imports use chrome. But nickel plated hardware has made a comeback in the last 15 years in aftermarket parts, because some customers want that old time look. It's your choice.
Nickel plating will tarnish over time. It will get dull in patches, then get dull overall. In very humid environments, it can tarnish quite quickly. You can re-polish it with metal polish and a cloth.
Chrome plating is basically forever. Unless it is subjected to serious chemicals or heat (like flames), it will stay bright and shiny for decades.
Back in the 1960's, many instruments used nickel plating on their hardware, because it's cheaper. Some used a mixture of nickel and chrome parts. By the late '70's almost all instrument hardware was chromed. These days even most cheap imports use chrome. But nickel plated hardware has made a comeback in the last 15 years in aftermarket parts, because some customers want that old time look. It's your choice.
Better? A lot of that depends on your taste. Schaller, Grover, Wilkinson, Hipshot, and others are all very good quality. Hipshot has some with very high gear ratios if that's important to you. Gotsch has some very light ones. Grover, Schaller and Wilkinson have taken turns supplying different builders. Sperzel tuners have a unique locking feature that make restrings a breeze. All of the brands I mentioned are good tuners. I would be hesitant to try to pick the 'best' one though. I use Schallers, others swear by Hipshot, on and on it goes.
Being an old-fashioned kind of guy, I prefer nickel to chrome ("warm" vs. "cold and harsh"...) What kind? Given the choice, Schallers for me, every time. Hey, if they're good enough for Rickenbacker, and my old American Kramers....
Depends which machine heads they're replacing. If they're replacing vintage pre-CBS tuners, then either Hipshot or Gotoh will be fine. They are usually found roughly around the same price. If they're replacing 1967-1982 type open gear tuners, pretty much every replacement from the companies sissy kathy mentioned will be fine. Best value out of the lot would be the Wilkinsons, though.
If it's a modern headstock (or a 2+2, 3+1, 3+2, etc...), again, there are so many choices from those aforementioned companies, including one sissy didn't mention: Ping (Taiwan, very good tuners). They actually manufacture machine heads for the Classic Vibe line of Squier basses. I think Akkord (a South Korean company) provides the tuners for MiMs, MiI Squiers (Vintage Modified) and even the American Special Fenders, they're no slouch either.
These are two sites that have a good assortment from different manufacturers. Chances are good you'll find something that'll fit the existing holes on your headstock:
Angela Instruments LLC
Link Removed
They might not have the best prices, but they have lots of high res pictures, and it'll give you a good idea what to look for.
Rule of thumb though, get tuners with a higher ratio than 18 or 19:1. Some Hipshots and Gotohs go all the way up to 27:1 or 28:1, but they're not really necessary to have a great solid tuners. The Wilkinsons open-gear ones are 20:1, and they're quite fine (and reportedly a perfect replacement for 70s-era tuners)
