Those GIANT Fender tuning keys!

[bound'n'blocked]

Looks a lot better with the paint. Those plugs were...aesthetically challenged .

Oh yeah...it looked hideous before paint. Still has some minor cosmetic issues but for what I use it for it rocks. It's an "attention getter" fo' sho'!

BnB

 

[Riff Ranger]

I like the heart-shaped tuners that Ibanez used to use.

Since Fender has the clovers and Ibanez has the hearts, that leaves spades and diamonds up for grabs...

I have thought about stamping the playing card suites out of the middle of those big clover tuners, and would seriously consider a big Ace of Spades for a 12th fret inlay if I ever had an instrument custom-made. \m/ Lemmy \m/

 

[bdplaid]

Well, the fender bass and headstock are quite large . Tiny tuners would probably look odd

Actually the smaller Grover style look better, if you ask me. They're also lighter in weight which saves on neck dive.

 

[bdplaid]

I know people who've accidentally removed a dead spot from their fender basses by installing lighter tuners. Apparently it works. It seems that it's the mass change that helps, not additional mass or reduction of it necessarily. Of course since we don't absolutely understand the mechanics of the issue or all the peculiarities of every piece of wood and the overall construction, theorizing past that is unnecessary, it just comes down to practice.

This is exactly right. The mass on the headstock asserts leverage on the neck shaft which affects the vibration which causes the dead spot. It's like a pendulum effect. I've even moved tuners on the headstock (changed a 4+1 to a 3+2) and the dead spot changed. In a nutshell, make the headstock as light as possible and move the mass closer to the neck and the dead spot diminishes.

 

[LHbassist]

Leo Fender likely contacted Kluson to maufacture single plate, shorter shaft versions of this exact tuner, found on thousands of Kay upright basses.
I'm a string bass luthier, and repairman. I see them all the time. Same tuner.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of clovers and y-keys on identical Fender-ish headstocks:

… and here are the entire instruments (clovers on the pointier one):

The clovers have gotten sticky, so I’m looking into lightweight replacements. Thinking of going with lollipops/butterbeans just for something different. I thought the clovers looked out of place on this one when I first got it, but they’ve grown on me. It doesn’t hurt that the keys I carried when I worked on Alcatraz were clover shaped, which is pretty metal

 

[Riff Ranger]

Hagstroms have the coolest looking tuning machines, though.

 

[Iridescentone]

For the lollipop and light weight lovers....Hipshot believes you should be able to have your cake and eat it, too.

I want a set of lollipop tuners for my next P bass.

 

[juggahnaught]

All tuners look goofy. We've just gotten used to seeing them on our instruments. Honestly, unless they're DB tuners or classical guitar tuners (facing backwards, not outwards), they just look....kinda bad. The bigger they are, the worse it gets. I'm usually a fan of form following function, and tuners are definitely that - but man, they really ruin the flow of any headstock when you think about it.

Ned had the right idea.

 

[Iridescentone]

Speaking of oddballs, who could forget the Mosrite "feet".....

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Reducing the headstock would probably just make the “dead spot” issue worse. Or not.

Yes, it would definitely make it better or worse, or maybe not change it.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

All tuners look goofy. We've just gotten used to seeing them on our instruments. Honestly, unless they're DB tuners or classical guitar tuners (facing backwards, not outwards), they just look....kinda bad. The bigger they are, the worse it gets. I'm usually a fan of form following function, and tuners are definitely that - but man, they really ruin the flow of any headstock when you think about it.

Ned had the right idea.

I wouldn't be able to store as many instruments if they pointed backwards, so I am glad they go sideways.

 

[taught]

Funny, actually I am in love with those big leaf tuning keys.

It is like a signature of Fender basses. Every Fender bass that does not have these huge leaf shaped tuning keys looks like a funky-cheap knock off for me (I know that some Fenders does not have them by default).

Also for some reason I find it fascinating when these big keys reflect stage lights during a live show.

 

[Yahboy]

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of clovers and y-keys on identical Fender-ish headstocks:

View attachment 3141701

Just like E cup and A cup different.....

 

[glocke1]

this is honestly something I never even thought about...

@#stealthfenderhatethread.

love my jazz basses..

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Ekulati

No response required.

Okay!

No response!


Wise(b)ass

 

[7dollarbologna]

I wish the modern 'kluson' style Fender tuners were higher quality, does anyone know who manufactures these?

 

[basscapes]

Dated as they may be, I tried replacing the regular keys with some smaller ones (like the ones you mention).

The smaller ones just didn't look right on the Fender headstock, to my eyes at least.

 

[grocker]

What bothers me more is the crappy hex set screws on the bottom of the newer Fender tuners, terrible stamp in the tiny screw,these should be Phillips or flathead........nothing works to tighten them.....true hipshot have a nice hex and work a million times better.

 

[LYNCHMAN]

i never liked the clovers or the lollipops....too big and goofy!​