Double Bass Top hat tuners

[off-topic]

I've seen basses with top-hat tuners. What do they do?

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Look purty and poke you in the eye.

 

[gerry grable]

What the heck are they? New term to me. You're not talking about the wooden pegs like I have the machines on my old bass that's sitting in my barn, are you?

 

[gerry grable]

BTW
I just noticed. Are we still on Eastern Savings Time here?

 

[Jake deVilliers]

I've seen basses with top-hat tuners. What do they do?

They're usually called 'hat peg' tuners. They look very cool.

 

[drurb]

Here is a recent thread on the topic.

 

[gerry grable]

Now that sounds more like it. We are talking about the same thing. On the previously mentioned "barn bass," my father made four new ones on a wood lathe from some kind of dowels that looked great and worked perfectly for as long as I played the bass. He even bought the bass for me for $25 from a buddy of his who supposedly played with Ernest Tubb. He said that he bought it in Italy, from a monastery. and brought it back after the war on a troop ship. Talk about provenance! Great story--if it's true. If only wood could talk.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Now that sounds more like it. We are talking about the same thing. On the previously mentioned "barn bass," my father made four new ones on a wood lathe from some kind of dowels that looked great and worked perfectly for as long as I played the bass. He even bought the bass for me for $25 from a buddy of his who supposedly played with Ernest Tubb. He said that he bought it in Italy, from a monastery. and brought it back after the war on a troop ship. Talk about provenance! Great story--if it's true. If only wood could talk.

Terrific story Gerry! Do you know where the bass is now?

 

[aaronallen]

You're not talking about the wooden pegs like I have the machines on my old bass that's sitting in my barn, are you?

Apparently its sitting in his barn

 

[Eric Hochberg]

mama mia!

 

[robobass]

I prefer hatpegs because you can fix them in the metal collar with steel pins instead of screws, which makes string changes much faster. Also, I think the whole assembly is lighter than tuners with brass pegs. They are more likely to bind up than all-metal tuners, but any good luthier can easily make this problem go away.

 

[gerry grable]

Terrific story Gerry! Do you know where the bass is now?

Jake,
I've been meaning to post some info and, more important, some questions on the two (2) basses that my father acquired for me in the early 60s (1960-1963?). I've really been lucky. My dad, a pro boxer, had a nack for finding nice stringed instruments in the wierdest places (He also found a cello and a violin both of which I later sold for a nice profit). As soon as I figure out how to add photographs to TB, I will do so. Meantime, when I'm ready, I will change this to the Bass thread which will be more appropriate. I only have one bass with my dad's hat pegs
Thanks,
Gerry

 

[gerry grable]

mama mia!

Eric, I checked out your site. Very nice, indeed!
GG

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Thanks, Gerry!

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Jake,
I've been meaning to post some info and, more important, some questions on the two (2) basses that my father acquired for me in the early 60s (1960-1963?). I've really been lucky. My dad, a pro boxer, had a nack for finding nice stringed instruments in the wierdest places (He also found a cello and a violin both of which I later sold for a nice profit). As soon as I figure out how to add photographs to TB, I will do so. Meantime, when I'm ready, I will change this to the Bass thread which will be more appropriate. I only have one bass with my dad's hat pegs
Thanks,
Gerry

Cool Gerry! You can always send me pix directly to: [email protected]

I love photos of basses just about as much as THEOLDGUY...