• 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.

tuner trouble

thehangingmist

thehangingmist

Dec 14, 2007
6,367
302
New Delhi, India
#1
so one of the tuners on my fender jazz is acting a little iffy! how do i explain.. it feels stuck!? i can move it but it does not turn smooth! yeah thats how i can explain that!
so how do i make nice and smooth again? Recommend an Easy fix please!
Should i try dropping some machine oil or engine oil? something which lubricates but does not solidify or turn into goo? :ninja:

Lets just say the money is not in plenty so i cant get new tuners right now!
 
#3
For starters, I'm guessing you have open gear tuners. If so, just a wee bit of oil on the exposed gears can help. Check that there's no "gunk" or something that's gumming up or gotten stuck in the gear part. You might want to take the string off and give the knob a couple of rotates to work the lube around and such.

If you've got sealed tuners, forget the whole oil/lube routine.

If your tuner was working just the way you want it to feel just a little while ago... think... anything change? Heavier gauge strings?
 
#4
no changes, same set of strings on the bass for a while now
its open gear tuners i just dont know which oil to use! last time someone dropped a little oil on a the tuners of a cheapo bass i had them tuners got completly jammed right after!
someone suggested graphite powder but i cant find that here!
 
#8
Most open gear tuners have a piece of spring metal that is sandwiched in between the gear / cam and the plate That holds everything together in a nice tight but not too tight fashion.
You may need to disassemble it and bend that spring back to where it needs to be.
This can be a bit tricky as you may have to go back and forth with it a few times until you get it where it should be.

But first try lube, a small bit of wd-40/graphite or the like is probably fine.
 
#10
I recently traded for a bass on which someone had painted the pickguard and the chrome tuners black. I used lacquer thinner to clean the paint off. I had to completely disassemble the tuners and remove the ferrules from the headstock. I used a very small amount of plumbers grease when I reassembled tuners everywhere there was friction, EXCEPT ON THE GEAR SURFACE. I used only enough to make the surface slightly slick, except where the tuner contacted the ferrule in the headstock. I used a bit more grease there. They went from very stiff to smooth as butter. Where the grease was used is not exposed, so it would take a very dirty environment and a long time to ever be a problem.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back