Several times on my current 2008 Warwick Corvette $$ 5-string. I play it daily and gig twice a week, but I never had issues with any of my other bases. I had to replace both a black tuner and a gold one.
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.
How often have you had to replace tuners?
- Thread starter chaosMK
- Start date
One. But I didn't have to change it... My first bass was a $100 used (bought in the early '70s), no case. I looked after it and kept it for about 15 years. I sold it to my daughter's school music program because they needed a bass and didn't have any money. I got $75 for it.
Six months later the music 'director' phoned to bitch at me that they had to spend a 'bunch' of money to replace one tuner that had 'broken off'. Needless to say, I wasn't entirely sympathetic given the little they spent on the bass, plus the fact it was totally undamaged at time of purchase (and we had gone over it totally at that time).
Six months later the music 'director' phoned to bitch at me that they had to spend a 'bunch' of money to replace one tuner that had 'broken off'. Needless to say, I wasn't entirely sympathetic given the little they spent on the bass, plus the fact it was totally undamaged at time of purchase (and we had gone over it totally at that time).
Only once. As is normal, it broke because of the bass falling off the stand when the drummer tripped over my cord.
I have had 2 tuners break on my1998 USA Cirrus 6 which is my all time favorite. Had it since 2000. D and A tuner posts broke at the base in separate instances and for no discernable reason except weakness. I replaced them all 10+ years ago with Hipshot open gear tuners and had no further failures. They stay in tune perfectly. There was a space issue between D and A on the hipshots which was resolved by removing a washer from under the screw at the base of the handle. Never broke a tuner on any other bass in over 37 years.
I have four basses. Fender P, Fender Jazz, Music Man five Stingray, Dingwald Com. And have never changed a tuner on any of them. The two Fenders I’ve had for many years. The others are with in the last five years!
Two of the tuners on my Infinity failed (snapped capstan), fortunately not on a gig. Warwick asked about strings, tuning, etc and replaced all five quickly.
I replaced all the tuners on my ~18 year old Ibanez SR495 a few months ago with Gotoh tuners, after the A string tuner post snapped off inside the base. The rest looked shaky. I really liked the new tuners, so I orders some more for my ancient SR1200FL.
I'm not at all impressed with stick Ibanez tuners.
I'm not at all impressed with stick Ibanez tuners.
Only had to replace tuners once in 22 years of playing, I lean the back up bass at the cabinet during gig and it hit the floor, 2 tuner pegs went crooked.
Tuner is very durable in general...I don‘t see the need of replacing tuner except for looking for some light weight ones to reduce the weight of the bass.
Tuner is very durable in general...I don‘t see the need of replacing tuner except for looking for some light weight ones to reduce the weight of the bass.
< That bass in black came with a bent G-string peg. I was a little peeved because it wasn't mentioned in the sale.
This is another, straight, headstock, for illustration.
I paid a third of the retail price and it was listed as a B+, which I thought was a little odd because it was so cheap, but I scored it anyway. Taking it out of the case, when I saw the bent peg, I wasn't happy — went back and checked the photos at the site and, sure enough, there it was. I'd missed it. So, in a decidedly bad mood, I took to it and bent the peg back into shape, where it sat. To my surprise, it straightened up. So I put it back in its case and forgot about it for a while, until the mood lifted 
A month or so later, I got 'round to playing it and I couldn't see or feel any noticeable damage to the peg or the neck, or anything else for that matter. And, to this day, it sails along just like a bought one. They're excellent pegs and the TT maple is mighty stiff, mighty stable. Justice is served. No further questions, your Honor.
This is another, straight, headstock, for illustration.
A month or so later, I got 'round to playing it and I couldn't see or feel any noticeable damage to the peg or the neck, or anything else for that matter. And, to this day, it sails along just like a bought one. They're excellent pegs and the TT maple is mighty stiff, mighty stable. Justice is served. No further questions, your Honor.
Last edited:
Never had to...although if I ever find myself with a wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket I've got one bass that I think could be improved with some slightly nicer tuning machines.
Only time I ever replaced the tuners on an instrument was on an entry-level guitar that, while it had no problem staying in tune, just didn't instill confidence when you used the machines. So I replaced the crappy stock tuners with super-expensive high-tech precision tuners, the short-lived Invalid Link Removed ...which, ironically, broke after a few years and so now actually do have to be replaced!
Only time I ever replaced the tuners on an instrument was on an entry-level guitar that, while it had no problem staying in tune, just didn't instill confidence when you used the machines. So I replaced the crappy stock tuners with super-expensive high-tech precision tuners, the short-lived Invalid Link Removed ...which, ironically, broke after a few years and so now actually do have to be replaced!
This is how it looks- I guess it is the Gotoh style can be more prone to eventually going out with their smaller inner components. Some of those with the huge cranks and threads (thanks for the pics everytone), yeah they might last a few hundred years 
Never, and one of my basses is from 1966. I feel like the majority of the basses I have used over the past 58 years stayed in tune extremely well, and the tuners did a great job. Maybe playing style has something to do with it?
I had to change one on my ibanze gsr 200 only because my son pulled on the d string so hard you could have used it as a slingshot
Hmm, well, my longest owned and most played bass has the same tuners on it that came with it in '91.
The only reasons I've replaced any tuners:
Lighter weight.
Better look.
Never had to replace a tuner for functional reasons.
Latest posts
-
-
-
Do stainless steel strings loose there sound quicker than other material- Latest: groovaholic
