Hipshot Ulralight US vs Licensed

The US ones are reversible, and also have a tension adjustment on it. No slop on those. They're on the bass in my avatar.

 

Where you seeing the slop: in the post or the key...or both? There's a few difference between the domestics and imports but nothing that lends itself to the issue-at-hand IME.

Riis

 

You believe are licensed imports? If they don't say "Hipshot USA" on them they are imports.

 

I've used both and I've found that the USAs are a better build quality. I once had a set of imports that had some chipping/peeling issues with the finish on the keys.

 

All the above. The Licensed are not reversible. Also, the way the ferrules are threaded into the frame of the tuner is different, so none of the parts can be interchanged and a License passed off as a USA. The old Hipshots, before the License version, had plain satin finish on the shield over the gears; now they say USA.

As far as performance: very, very similar, indeed. Very smooth and progressive. The License is about a gram or so heavier than the USA. The License are sealed, so they last as long as they will last. The USA are adjustible and rebuildable, and one of my sets is old enough that during this virus-induced hiatus I really should take mine apart and clean and relubricate them; they are starting to stick occasionally, probably from over-tightening operator error.

Significant price differential on each set, but in my opinion, for gigging, I have the USA on my #1 and the License, as they match the aesthetics, on my backup.

 

What is sealed on the licensed Ultralights?

Riis

 

not necessarily. some hisphot usa models are unbranded/plain. you can spot them because they are reversible.

 

The worm and pinion on the License tuners are pressed in, not screwed together with bushings as on the USA. You cannot disassemble a License tuner to reverse the worm to use it on either side of a headstock, which you can do with a USA.

Yes. The older ones. I have a set of the older ones on my P-style custom fanned fret bass: plain satin finish frames.

 

Oh, that "sealed". Actually, you can punch-out the end cap with a length of dowel...or so I've been told. Never had to try it.

Riis

 

Yes, but try putting back together after you do that - not.