Vintage reverse tuners... Why God why!

[bobyoung53]

Inexplicably, reverse tuners feel more ergonomically correct to me.

Same here, always have.

 

[Paulabass]

Try this- turn 'em. If the tuning goes the wrong way, turn 'em the other way. Works for me. YMMV.

 

[AMJBASS]

I like them too. No problems!

 

[MikeInSF]

String bass players know the answer to this question.

 

[jamro217]

I find reverse tuners to be a great deterrent to theft ("Don't steal that bass, it doesn't stay in tune."), inebriation ("Wha? Why wonch you shtay in tune?"), open mic night show offs, and condescending B/Ls (usually guitarists) who think they can show you how it's done. Sometimes this gift comes as standard equipment requiring no mods.

 

[BasementWarrior]

If a bass has always had reverse tuners are they really reverse?

 

[Willicious]

If you want to keep the long-stem reverse tuners, grab a set of [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Just like the GBR640 model, but opposite-geared, like most tuners. You maintain the correct appearance, and no poking holes in your headstock.

 

[Wisebass]

hi WillyWonka

why would anyone choose to replicate reverse tuners....

Because Jaco had four of them?

greetings

Wise(b)ass

 

[W_R]

The GB640’s are nice. Although in hindsight, the GBR640’s (reverse version) are what I needed. . Nonetheless I recommend them as well.

 

[EmuBass]

It's for British, Australian, Japanese (...) drivers!

 

[funkinbottom]

Try this- turn 'em. If the tuning goes the wrong way, turn 'em the other way. Works for me. YMMV.

Here's my tuning game: if the little light is moving farther away from top-dead-center, I turn the machine... wait for it... the other way!

Yes, this exactly. They only turn two directions.

 

[Kenan]

I have basses with "reverse" tuners and basses with "normal" tuners. I don't always know which way to turn by memory, but I can immediately tell if I'm tightening or loosening a string regardless. Sometimes there's a "whoops, wrong way" in the first millisecond or so, then I correct and go the other way. So really it's no problem for me.

I do get hung up on 2+2 headstocks, however, because I play a lot of upright and I always string the E string on the upper peg. It's a superior way of stringing an upright, in my humble opinion, but doesn't work on an electric 2+2 headstock , so I get mixed up between E and A string.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

I realize when Leo invented the precision bass on the 8th day it was a thing of almost perfection...

but why would anyone choose to replicate reverse tuners....

pick a direction and stick with it....

just got done replacing my second set of them.... thank god that is over... although my brain is probably fully rewired, and I will need extensive retraining.

My favorite!

 

[BergerHead]

You need probably one of these ...

 

[chris_b]

If the bass is a vintage re-issue, and reverse tuners were on the original, what else are they going to use?

I've had basses with 5+0, 4+1 and 3+2 tuner arrangements. Remembering which way to turn them is the least of my problems when I'm playing my bass!!

 

[twinjet]

I realize when Leo invented the precision bass on the 8th day it was a thing of almost perfection...

but why would anyone choose to replicate reverse tuners....

pick a direction and stick with it....

just got done replacing my second set of them.... thank god that is over... although my brain is probably fully rewired, and I will need extensive retraining.

You now have me wondering if all my basses have their strings on backwards. What a way to wrap up the decade - thirteen years of playing and I can't install my own strings. Thanks for that!

 

[EmuBass]

You need probably one of these ...

View attachment 3640823

I agree, but you should better use one of these ...

 

[godofthunder59]

I have basses with both types of tuners, never a problem.

 

[mcnach]

I realize when Leo invented the precision bass on the 8th day it was a thing of almost perfection...

but why would anyone choose to replicate reverse tuners....

pick a direction and stick with it....

just got done replacing my second set of them.... thank god that is over... although my brain is probably fully rewired, and I will need extensive retraining.

Ha!

I know, it often caught me on my old Classic 50s Precision. But it didn't bother me enough to replace them.

 

[Hundred proof]

This bass had reverse tuners ... but with the neck reversed it tuned as if they weren’t