When i replied to this thread last fall i was less than two weeks from discovering i needed triple bypass surgery so i was not really thinking straight. After having reread it just now, if the common problem is splitting the nylon friction washer then the most likely cause is excess end play in the worm gear shaft. When under pressure and an attempt is made to turn the key, rather than rotate the pinion gear, the excess end play is allowing the worm gear shaft to walk down the pinion rather than turn it. This has a vice like effect on the washer by squeezing it between the boss on the key shaft and the tuner body. Essentially, what is happening is when turning the key you are closing the gap where the nylon washer is sandwiched between the two tuner components. The fix would be to prevent the key shaft from reducing the gap to the point the washer fails when you attempt to turn the key. Imagine the pinion gear as fixed and what would happen when you rotate the worm gear against the fixed pinion. Depending on the direction you turned the worm it would either push the key further away or draw it closer to the pinion. Two possible causes of failure would be too much end play in the worm shaft or too much binding on the string shaft, or most likely a combination of both if the dimensions of the individual components vary much when produced which is fairly common in low priced (supposedly) precision assemblies. Consistency costs money and the smaller the parts the more critical proper fit becomes. Another solution would be a more crush resistant washer but it would be hard to find a material that could be made that small and act as a brake pad on the key shaft. The most likely result would be sliwly opening the gap, reducing the braking ability of the washer.
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.
Ibanez machine-heads, am I unlucky or doing something wrong?
- Thread starter Killed_by_Death
- Start date
@alaskaleftybass,
I'm glad you've had luck with Ibanez machine-heads, but here's a thread where some of us recant our difficulties with Standard Soundgear machine-heads.
This was better than recanting in your thread about the SR300EL "Power Tap" feature.
I'm glad you've had luck with Ibanez machine-heads, but here's a thread where some of us recant our difficulties with Standard Soundgear machine-heads.
This was better than recanting in your thread about the SR300EL "Power Tap" feature.
@Killed_by_Death veering off subject about a bass with similar features isn't breaking rules on TB. It's relevant to the overall discussion. Sorry for your problems with your equipment but I haven't had the same experience. My gear is dependable. AND I like the Power Tap feature. Have a nice day.
Nothing wrong with the "Power Tap", except that it's improperly labeled & misunderstood.
I don't have a problem with my instrument now that I put some older machine-heads on it from another series of Ibanez.
I don't have a problem with my instrument now that I put some older machine-heads on it from another series of Ibanez.
Last edited:
My point of directing you here was to show you I'm not alone with this issue.
I'm still asking the question to myself, how are other folks who buy Standard Soundgears able to use those machine-heads w/o them binding up like they do for me almost EVERY time?
It usually happens on the first string-change as I'm winding up the E or A string with a peg-winder.
So I have to ask, do you use a peg-winder, or do you manually wind them up when changing strings?
I ask this of everyone who claims they've never had issues with Standard Soundgear machine-heads.
The exception, so far, has been the Mikro, but I think it's because of the lesser tension of the short-scale.
Oh, and I didn't have a problem with my SR eXtreme (SRX), which is why I put SRX machine-heads on the GSR100EX.
Mr. @Killed_by_Death I apologize. I'm in the wrong forum. I was answering another Ibanez forum. I didn't mean to stir an issue with you. I hand wind all my basses very gently, while stretching the strings. I meant to post in another Ibanez thread. Being older and maybe senile (LOL) I'll return to the Ibanez post I was meaning to post in.
It's an issue I've gotten over, because now I just know that I can get different machine-heads & they're easy to replace.
I'm still quick to mention it however, when someone states how great Standard Soundgear are.
Well, that explains it. I guess if everyone did it that way there might not be an issue.
If I did it that way I wouldn't have pulled the nut right off the Mikro earlier today.
which reminds me to tighten the screws holding those machine-heads on, they were awfully wobbly
I've always payed extra care during string change (manual winding exclusively), yet that didn't stop me from snapping the plastic ring of my SR600's D string tuner.
Who knows, maybe the culprit was an overtighted peg screw?
In any case, I didn't replace the ring yet, but i didn't notice any adverse effects either; tuning stability is great, no problems whatsoever. Also, it wasn't the first time i was changing strings on my SR600.
On the other hand, my '99 GSR200 appears to have the same tuners as the SR600, yet i didn't have any problems with them even though they went through countless string changes (again, only hand winding).
That looks familiar! About how mine was although I don’t remember which ones had been replaced.
Whereabouts in Idaho are you? We lived in the Nampa area until about 4 years ago.
Oh, yeah, need some gold tuners?
Actually, I think I used one as a make it play on something and never got a new one. Might have 2 though! 
I'm in I.F.
IIRC, only one was really bad when I got it, but I wanted it to be symmetrical, and I had some Warwick tuners (they're exactly the same!) from upgrading my Corvette.
If you find any gold exrtas, PM me, we'll work something out.
IIRC, only one was really bad when I got it, but I wanted it to be symmetrical, and I had some Warwick tuners (they're exactly the same!) from upgrading my Corvette.
If you find any gold exrtas, PM me, we'll work something out.
I'm in I.F.
IIRC, only one was really bad when I got it, but I wanted it to be symmetrical, and I had some Warwick tuners (they're exactly the same!) from upgrading my Corvette.
If you find any gold exrtas, PM me, we'll work something out.
That’s cool. When I get to work again I’m in Idaho Falls semi regularly. I was playing the bass with one gold tuner last night which is actually kinda funny because that tuner is in there because the chrome tuner on another Ibanez neck broke and I took one off of that neck (a longhorn sort of copy I was building) to get the first one running. Then, when I finished the Longhorn, I put the gold tuner on there so I could play it and still have not bought any replacements. See, full Ibanezy circle! Probably more then you ever wanted to know also.
If anyone breaks and Ibanez, Warwick, Fender etc. Gotoh licensed tuner, the best thing to do is replace the entire set with real Gotoh tuners. Whatever you do, don't cheap out and get the Chinese cheap ones they sell on Amazon. Those are just terrible! It's worth it to get the real thing with these sealed tuners.
I've got an SR 375M and an SR300F and each popped a tuner stem within months of each other. Both early 2010's models.
Is this that common with Ibanez basses?
I've emailed Ibanez and am only getting the "large number of requests" standard reply.
For nearly a month.
Is this that common with Ibanez basses?
I've emailed Ibanez and am only getting the "large number of requests" standard reply.
For nearly a month.
If you like the bass get a replacement set from hipshot. Your problems will be over.
If you ever decide to sell the bass, just put the old ones back on and keep the hipshot for your next SR you get. Easy Peasy.
If you ever decide to sell the bass, just put the old ones back on and keep the hipshot for your next SR you get. Easy Peasy.
Hello All --
One of the tuning machines on my new Ibanez SR206 is busted. I start tightening the string, there's an audible click and the peg just lets go. Over and over. I'll probably get Hipshots at some point, but I'm going to call Sweetwater for a replacement tuner. Am I correct to assume the problem won't fix itself, and cracking open the sealed machine to see if I can fix is a waste of time?
Thanks,
Jon
One of the tuning machines on my new Ibanez SR206 is busted. I start tightening the string, there's an audible click and the peg just lets go. Over and over. I'll probably get Hipshots at some point, but I'm going to call Sweetwater for a replacement tuner. Am I correct to assume the problem won't fix itself, and cracking open the sealed machine to see if I can fix is a waste of time?
Thanks,
Jon
You won't know until you crack it open. I think there's a screw holding the cog gear on the post and it COULD just be loose.
I've had an SR300F E string peg snap, an SR375M B string (and an Warwick E string post snap) at the base of the post. Non-repairable (I tried epoxy and each time the epoxy would always bleed and the tuner would not rotate, even before re-mounting the tuner).
My solution: Took one tuner from the SR300 and replaced the tuner on the SR375, bought a set of four Gotoh tuners for the SR300 and a set of four Gotoh's for the Warwick.
I sold the three MIG Warwick tuners, and one of these days post the working Ibanez tuners for sale.
My solution: Took one tuner from the SR300 and replaced the tuner on the SR375, bought a set of four Gotoh tuners for the SR300 and a set of four Gotoh's for the Warwick.
I sold the three MIG Warwick tuners, and one of these days post the working Ibanez tuners for sale.
