Gotoh vintage tuners- install question

[alexchavel]

This may be a stupid question, but I've never installed these particular tuners before..

Received some gotoh vintage tuners, have drilled pilot holes, but noticed that the tuners have two sets of metal parts on flat side that mates with headstock, they prevent the tuner from being completely flush with headstock...

Are these meant to be pressed into neck wood when tightening?? Cause they don't sit flush with headstock otherwise.

Including photos!

 

[David Jayne]

Well, virtually all 'Fender style' tuners will have those little fingers poking through the plate like that to some degree but it looks a bit excessive in this case. Could you take a profile shot so we can see just how far they poke through? If it's so much that the plate bends as to tighten the screws, it's too much.

 

[alexchavel]

Sending profile shot...
Just doesn't seem right, those metal bars are pretty thick

 

[elBandito]

Fender drilled relief into headstocks to clear those nubs.

 

[96tbird]

Yes they did but not until the mid sixties. Before that they just screwed them down allowing the plate to bend.

Pre CBS mojo. My 62 jazz.

 

[alexchavel]

Hmmm
Not sure which way to go then!
Drilling indents to get em flush would be my preference, but since the nubs are oddly shaped id need to drill pretty wide holes....
Thoughts or preferences on either option?

 

[96tbird]

Drill it out. Painter tape the back of the head. Use a square to line up the tops of the plates and draw a line. Rub the nubs with lipstick line them up and press them onto the wood to mark where to drill.

 

[alexchavel]

Good trick man
Wont tell my girl bout her lipstick!
Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[bigdavid]

You could exchange them for Gotoh Res-o-lites before you drill. They don't have nubbins. But look the same otherwise.

 

[David Jayne]

You could exchange them for Gotoh Res-o-lites before you drill. They don't have nubbins. But look the same otherwise.

Yeah I have to say I like this idea better. The lipstick /drill suggestion is good but easy to mess up. You really need the neck off and a drill press to do it well imo. Not saying it can't be done without but it would be... tricky.
Also, it's again hard for me to tell but does the worm gear also poke out through the clearance slot cut in the plate? If so, you've got a can of worms there(pun intended). Point being that if so, once you've made room for the nubbins the gear will bind up on the back of the headstock. Hmmmm........ well maybe I'm just seeing it wrong.

 

[sissy kathy]

Yeah I have to say I like this idea better. The lipstick /drill suggestion is good but easy to mess up. You really need the neck off and a drill press to do it well imo. Not saying it can't be done without but it would be... tricky.
Also, it's again hard for me to tell but does the worm gear also poke out through the clearance slot cut in the plate? If so, you've got a can of worms there(pun intended). Point being that if so, once you've made room for the nubbins the gear will bind up on the back of the headstock. Hmmmm........ well maybe I'm just seeing it wrong.

Looks like the worms will poke through to me too; lay a straight edge across the worm to see. Maybe a little careful hand chiseling is in order rather than drilling. Small VERY sharp chisel, no hammer.