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Westone headless tuner repair/spares

O

Omaristalis

Guest
Feb 28, 2015
6
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52
#1
Hi all,

I only post rarely, but I am in need of some help! I'm also going to show my ignorance, as I am certainly no expert.

I have a Westone headless bass, and it's been fine forever, but today, I went to tune the G string after replacing strings, and the tuner bolt stripped the thread out of the part that holds the string.

I've managed to bodge it back together - I screwed it in further to get a little more of the thread biting, and it seems to be holding. However, I have next to no headroom to go any higher on that string - if it stretches, I'm going to run out of room pretty quickly.

I'm after either a) someone that has a spare that's willing to sell it - either just one for the g string, or the assembly (however, I suspect that these are rare as hens teeth). b) re-thread this and use a larger screw (bit nervous about this), or c) something else!

I'm pretty gutted actually, as this bass has been absolutely solid for years now.

Thanks,

Darren
 
#4
Omaristalis said:
Yes, it looks like the claw to me. The thread looks intact on the screw - the threads were filled in with extra material, I'm guessing what was stripped out of the hole.
Click to expand...

I'd go with the the next larger screw / thread. Have to tap both the claw and knurled knob. May have to jump from metric to imperial or vice versa.

Does the knurled tuner knob have a set-screw?

Riis
 
#5
Not sure what you mean. The screw is just a screw, with a couple of washers on it. It passes through the knob you turn and the tuner body into the claw - the claw has a little allen grub screw that locks it in place.

So as far as I can tell, the screw is just a screw.

I think you're right about the next size up. I'll probably take it in to get it re-tapped by someone that's a bit more confident than I am!

Thanks for your help!
 
#6
Omaristalis said:
Not sure what you mean. The screw is just a screw, with a couple of washers on it. It passes through the knob you turn and the tuner body into the claw - the claw has a little allen grub screw that locks it in place.

So as far as I can tell, the screw is just a screw.

I think you're right about the next size up. I'll probably take it in to get it re-tapped by someone that's a bit more confident than I am!

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

Okay, this is a reverse of the Steinberger system if the locking grub screw is on the claw. Let me think about this...

Can you post a pic of sub-assembly? The solution may be simpler than we think.

Riis
 
#7
I'm not going to take it apart again - I'm a bit nervous that I'll weaken it more, and I'm not ready to fix it immediately, so apologies if these aren't clear. Also, yes it's dirty! Don't judge :)

IMG-0506.JPG

In this first one, you can see the screw that goes through the tuner knob and through into the claw.

IMG-0505.JPG

In this one, you can see the screw that's passing through the knob, through the body and into the claw, and the grub screw that locks it in place.

The screw thread in the claw is drilled right through - you can see straight through when you look down the hole.

As far as I can tell, the body and the claws are aluminium and the screws are steel, which explains why the thread got stripped out so easily. I've had the same happen before, but on the brake of my bike. So frustrating.
 
#8
This might be a good job to repair with a Heli-Coil. Look up Heli-Coils, and you'll find a lot of information on how they are used to repair stripped out threads, particularly in soft metals like aluminum. The kits with the tools are available in auto parts stores and online, but they are expensive. Check with a friendly neighborhood auto repair shop or machine shop; they probably have a Heli-coil kit and could do the installation for you for pretty cheap.

By eye, that looks like a 6-32 thread?
 
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#9
Here's what I'd do:

*Let's look at what's good...correct me as necessary: the knob, the stainless steel screw, and the locking grub screw on the claw / sled.

*What's bad: the claw threads.

*The steel screw locks into place...when working properly...and the screw retreats as the tuning knob is rotated dragging the claw along as a single unit.

*Remove the string and the grub screw.

*Insert a punch and similar device in the now-vacant grub hole and lightly scribe the steel screw to mark the contact spot...you can also use a fine-point Sharpie indelible marker. You don't want to deform the threads...yet.

*Remove the steel screw and locate the "spot". Since it's the G string, we'll call it...oh, never mind.

*With a fine-cut xacto hobby file, remove just enough thread material to create a flat spot. This should be pretty close to the footprint of the locking grub screw. If we pull this off correctly, the grub screw will land on the flat spot and butt-up against stainless steel thread fore & aft for stability. Sidenote: Steinberger used the same trick only the grub screw was in the knurled tuner knob.

*Re-assemble the tuner knob, steel screw, and claw. Use some decent lighting: the "flat spot" should eventually appear in the grub screw hole.

*Add some blue Loctite and re-introduce the grub screw. Should be good to go.

Riis
 
#10
I like this idea a lot. Use the grub screw to effectively replace the thread where it goes into the claw, the flat spot giving the security I don't have right now. It's holding, but I'd rather do what you suggested, screw it to where it is now (although there's not much headroom for tightening, but I can deal with that) so that there's thread -and- the grub screw now holding it firm. And then fill it with loctite as well just to be sure :)

Thanks! I'm glad I came to ask :)
 
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#11
Omaristalis said:
I like this idea a lot. Use the grub screw to effectively replace the thread where it goes into the claw, the flat spot giving the security I don't have right now. It's holding, but I'd rather do what you suggested, screw it to where it is now (although there's not much headroom for tightening, but I can deal with that) so that there's thread -and- the grub screw now holding it firm. And then fill it with loctite as well just to be sure :)

Thanks! I'm glad I came to ask :)
Click to expand...

Good thing is that it damages / alters nothing with the exception of the SS screw and that's easily replaced. Also won't cost you a dime as we're using stuff found on any normal workbench.

Riis
 
#12
Omaristalis said:
I like this idea a lot. Use the grub screw to effectively replace the thread where it goes into the claw, the flat spot giving the security I don't have right now. It's holding, but I'd rather do what you suggested, screw it to where it is now (although there's not much headroom for tightening, but I can deal with that) so that there's thread -and- the grub screw now holding it firm. And then fill it with loctite as well just to be sure :)

Thanks! I'm glad I came to ask :)
Click to expand...
Get a longer screw for that trick; the screw length isn't cast in stone. A longer screw will let you bottom it out in the threads giving you an even more secure repair.
 
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#13
Remember that the threads in the claw are in tension. Their job is to keep the string tension from ripping the claw off of the screw. So, if the threads are really stripped out, I'd be cautious about trusting the grub screw alone to withstand that load.

You also don't really need the head on the screw. It's only there to keep the knob from falling off when the bass is unstrung.

So, you could find a short piece of threaded rod of the right thread (6-32?). Or a longer screw, and saw off the head. Then, permanently fasten it into the claw. Take the grub screw completely out and thread the screw/threaded rod in as deep as it will go. With some LocTite, if you like.

Then find a drill bit that just fits into the threaded hole that the grub screw goes into. In a drill press (preferably), gently drill down through the grub screw hole until you go partway into the screw/rod. Not through it, just partway in. Clean out the chips and thread in the grub screw, with LocTite, tightening it down. Now the tip of it is sunken into the screw. Much more secure hold on it.

Reassemble it, threading the knob onto the outer end of the screw/threaded rod.
 
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