Replacing machine heads

Xandoor

Hi all
I'm just wondering what machine heads are best to replace the old tired ones on an aria pro II we have at home. Any specific recommendations?
Cheers
Gabe

ICBM

It depends on the exact type they are - tuners to fit almost every available footprint and screw location are available now, so it should be possible to do it without modifying the headstock.

It's also quite possible that the old ones - unless they're really terrible - just need a little work and some fresh grease to make them work perfectly. Aria often used quite decent heads, especially in the 1980s.

Do you have a pic, or the model name/number?

Xandoor

I think it's 90s. I had a look and all the information was really confusing to me. It's a TA-30 serial number:4032639.
The guitar actually has TA-30 B on the sticker, but I haven't found what that B means.

Funkfingers

The TA-30 probably has lozenge-back budget 'heads. The headstock will have correspondingly narrow diameter bore holes for the shafts. Replica keystone Klusons with the press-in front ferrules might fit. Anything modern is going to require the holes to be reamed out. 

ICBM

Like this one?

http://en.audiofanzine.com/hollow-body-electric-guitar/aria/pro-ii-ta-30/medias/pictures/a.play,m.836303.html

If so, those are about the only machineheads that *don't* have a direct-fit better quality alternative, unfortunately.

Your options are to replace with others of the same key style (Gibson/Kluson style, Gotoh make good ones) but different screw locations, or to strip those ones down and rebuild them - it can be done successfully, and they will work well afterwards. It's possible you may have to replace some of the gears if they're worn though, which means having access to a good number of spares...

Funkfingers

Xandoor said:

I haven't found what that B means.

By any chance, is your Aria TA-30 guitar finished in Black, Blue or Brown?

usedtobe

Or burgundy?

Xandoor

Yeah it's exactly like the one in the link. In black. At the moment I think I'll try my luck with fixing them. Nothing a bit of elbow grease won't fix.

SteveRobinson

ICBM said:

Like this one?

http://en.audiofanzine.com/hollow-body-electric-guitar/aria/pro-ii-ta-30/medias/pictures/a.play,m.836303.html

If so, those are about the only machineheads that *don't* have a direct-fit better quality alternative, unfortunately.

@ICBM I recently noticed these Gotoh tuners on the AllParts site:
https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/tuning-keys-w-diagonal-mounting-holes-3x3

They are not in stock of course but could it be that Gotoh have realised there is a market for a decent tuner with this footprint? They might be just as bad as the originals of course but I think that it's unlikely Gotoh would make a bad tuner.

AllParts also have the "economy" type which would be the same as the originals (also not in stock)
https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/economy-tuning-keys-w-diagonal-mounting-holes-3x3