Hey guys, this is my first post! I was wondering if anyone knew of any manufacturers that made guitar style tuning buttons to fit on bass tuners. The tuners I have are Gotoh GB707s, and I measured the round ends of the shaft to be 5mm apart. They'd need to have a chrome finish as well. The reason I'd like these is that I'm making a replica of marceline's ax bass, and I think it'd be a nice touch, but I don't want to just use guitar tuners because I feel like that's just asking for trouble. I'd rather have the peace of mind of using bass tuners over the looks of guitar tuners, but I'm hoping there's an option out there that would give me the best of both worlds.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Guitar tuning buttons for bass tuners?
- Thread starter mubrfoer
- Start date
First, history: Leo Fender adapted Kluson bass tuners of the day from upright double basses to the then new-fangled instrument, the Precision Bass, in 1951. Because of the extra tension of bass strings, tuners were larger and the ears, or buttons as you call them, were made larger in order to have enough leverage to tune the strings.
Second, practicality: tuner ears or buttons still need to be at least marginally larger, as on Hipshot original, Schaller BM light/M4 tuners, Gotoh compact tuners, or such, in order to have enough leverage to actually tune the strings due to their tension. The tension of a guitar string at pitch averages about 15 to 25 pounds, depending on gauge. The tension of a bass string at pitch averages about 35 to 50 pounds, again, depending on gauge, effectively twice as much.
Second, practicality: tuner ears or buttons still need to be at least marginally larger, as on Hipshot original, Schaller BM light/M4 tuners, Gotoh compact tuners, or such, in order to have enough leverage to actually tune the strings due to their tension. The tension of a guitar string at pitch averages about 15 to 25 pounds, depending on gauge. The tension of a bass string at pitch averages about 35 to 50 pounds, again, depending on gauge, effectively twice as much.
Last edited:
Hofner has used guitar tuning machines on their basses for more than 50 years, and they use flimsy ones. They work fine, but to my knowledge they are not ever chrome. I think any good quality guitar tuning machine will work IF the string hole is large enough.
The reasons Hofner uses "guitar" tuners:
1) Old technology;
2) Short scale so the tension per string is more like a guitar string, not a typical 34-inch scale bass string;
3) Reticence to any advance in technology.
Have you ever played a Hofner? Even for a short scale bass, the body is so light it has terminal neck dive and only Sir Macca gets a good tone out of one, which despite legend was probably a left-handed custom order at the time. Every other Hofner I have played has a tone more like dropping a pebble on wet cardboard.
Sperzel makes small bass tuners, you can custom order colors, even mixing colors on one tuner.
Sperzel USA - Custom Tuning Machines
Sperzel USA offers custom tuning machines for your guitar or bass. We have the largest selection of colors of anyone in the industry, so your tuning machines can match your personal style.
sperzel.com
