Headless hardware brainstorming thread

[Zooberwerx]

I've seen a couple of headless tuner designs which used a small knurled knob, with a Allen-style hex socket in the center. That way, you could do small amounts of fine tuning on stage with your fingers, but get out a T-handle Allen wrench when you are changing strings.

Variation on the theme: One of my favorites is the Bunker micrometer tuner. It embraces the typical knurled knob found on similar designs but with an added thumb screw on the top of the assembly which alters the tilt orientation for fine-tuning.

Riis

 

[RyoCanCan]

Variation on the theme: One of my favorites is the Bunker micrometer tuner. It embraces the typical knurled knob found on similar designs but with an added thumb screw on the top of the assembly which alters the tilt orientation for fine-tuning.

Riis

Those are pretty interesting, never heard before.

This thread is making me lust for a stick now after lots of talk about the NS stick...

 

[Max Bogosity]

Variation on the theme: One of my favorites is the Bunker micrometer tuner. It embraces the typical knurled knob found on similar designs but with an added thumb screw on the top of the assembly which alters the tilt orientation for fine-tuning.

I'm having a hard time finding a good picture of this. Is it like the fine tuners on a Floyd Rose bridge?

 

[RyoCanCan]

I'm having a hard time finding a good picture of this. Is it like the fine tuners on a Floyd Rose bridge?

Link Removed
Found the site with some explanations on it.

 

[Max Bogosity]

Link Removed
Found the site with some explanations on it.

Excellent, thank you.

 

[Beej]

Check out Rick Toone's designs for some inspiration too.

 

[RyoCanCan]

Check out Rick Toone's designs for some inspiration too.

Toone's designs are awesome.

 

[smart51]

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the tuning happens with a drum key. It's easy to find properly sized drum tension rods so it's just easy to use a key, plus it adds a bit of leverage for easier tuning.

I'd advise against needing a removable item to tune an instrument. You know that it is going to get lost and leave you stranded. Use a permanently fixed tuning knob of some sort if you don't want to get bitten on the behind.

 

[Flamingo21]

I'd advise against needing a removable item to tune an instrument. You know that it is going to get lost and leave you stranded.

Maybe build a cavity for it in the bass?

 

[smart51]

These are the best headless tuners I've made. The brass soldering is not the prettiest, but they work beautifully. They're heavy though.

Winter Build Off 2022 - Essence II

 

[RyoCanCan]

I'd advise against needing a removable item to tune an instrument. You know that it is going to get lost and leave you stranded. Use a permanently fixed tuning knob of some sort if you don't want to get bitten on the behind.

I always have a drum key in my keychain so no problems there.

 

[RyoCanCan]

These are the best headless tuners I've made. The brass soldering is not the prettiest, but they work beautifully. They're heavy though.

Winter Build Off 2022 - Essence II

Looove that. Simple, clean.

 

[Max Bogosity]

Let's take a moment to acknowledge the elegantly inelegant design of the Kramer Duke. "Capitalize on this headless trend, but don't buy any new hardware! Just figure something out!"

 

[smart51]

Let's take a moment to acknowledge the elegantly inelegant design of the Kramer Duke. "Capitalize on this headless trend, but don't buy any new hardware! Just figure something out!"

If you could find a way of doing it with straight string pull, I'd be with you. Flared strings at the end look wrong to me.

 

[Flamingo21]

Let's take a moment to acknowledge the elegantly inelegant design of the Kramer Duke.

"Elegantly inelegant" precisely covers it.

 

[yberwaffe]

That's true, but I love tinkering and thinking of other ways to do things.

You know what would be awesome ?
If the wheel/drum was big enough so 34" strings could be used on a 32" bass.
This might not be physically possible unless the "string drum" has at least 25mm diameter-

 

[MPU]

I like the simplicity of Steinberger/Status/ABM/ETS way of making headless tuners. Brass bar, brass plate, some machine screws, hacksaw, disc sander, drill press, files and sand paper plus time needed. I’m waiting for 14mm knurled brass door knobs to be modified as tuner knobs.

 

[smart51]

That is some very nice work. They put mine to shame.

 

[kumimajava]

You know what would be awesome ?
If the wheel/drum was big enough so 34" strings could be used on a 32" bass.
This might not be physically possible unless the "string drum" has at least 25mm diameter-

By this, do you mean a Kubicki-type of design?

I might be missing something, but couldn't you just cut the string to length, on a 32" bass? The drum diameter IIRC is already (much) larger than a tuner peg, so even if the 'thick/winding' part of stirng went over it, string/core would be unlikely to snap.

 

[RyoCanCan]

By this, do you mean a Kubicki-type of design?

I might be missing something, but couldn't you just cut the string to length, on a 32" bass? The drum diameter IIRC is already (much) larger than a tuner peg, so even if the 'thick/winding' part of stirng went over it, string/core would be unlikely to snap.

The kubicki and modern NS styles are pretty doable in a diy fashion. The patents are expired on both iirc and they show pretty nicely how to make them.