Locking tuners ?

baldy

I am after a set of locking tuners for an old LP copy (Hohner), they are 6mm post diameter, 22mm shaft length with 2 diagonally opposite screws.
These look to be the same as what are on the guitar now but I do not seem to be able to find them in a locking version  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Vanson-VN21-Tuners-Machine-heads-for-Acoustic-or-Electric-Squier-etc/111173064988?hash=item19e26e591c:m:mCznV6HG4Xazdeo3ifUv6uQ
Any suggestions would be great.

baldy

Are locking tuners available in this size/style as I don"t want to be drilling/filling holes really ?
Oh & if somebody could confirm that they can see the picture that would be great as last time I posted pics I could see them but nobody else could.

DrBob

I can see the pics, but I’m afraid I don’t know whether you can get locking tuners in that size !

DiscoStu

I can see your pic fine, @baldy .
I'm not sure you can get locking tuners with 6mm post width and screw in bush. Any that I have seen/used have had a 10mm width at the hole with a washer/locking nut on the front. If you're happy to increase your headstock holes to 10mm (if not already) then take a look at the tech specs on this page to find best fit. You might be left with the top screw holes showing but with cool tuners on will it really matter?

https://www.axesrus.co.uk/3-x-3-Machineheads-s/1917.htm

baldy

Yes I could put Wilkinson WJ01 EZ-Lok tuners on it if I wanted to drill out the post holes & have 1 screw hole per tuner showing.
I was hoping for a locking tuner that was a straight swap really.

Bridgehouse

Not a criticism, but why locking tuners? I’ve always found them to be a pain in the arse to be honest. A decent locking string wind and you get a better anchor anyway...

FelineGuitars

You will find that most locking tuners need a 10mm hole as DiscoStu said

You may get some Kluson style ones that have a 6 mm shaft but the footprint will differ from what you have there

thegummy

Bridgehouse said:

Not a criticism, but why locking tuners? I’ve always found them to be a pain in the arse to be honest. A decent locking string wind and you get a better anchor anyway...

Can understand just going without but what's the down side of locking tuners?

thegummy

Btw you don't have to drill if the holes are too small, get a reamer tool for a couple of quid and it just takes a quick turn of that in each hole.

Bridgehouse

thegummy said:

Bridgehouse said:

Not a criticism, but why locking tuners? I’ve always found them to be a pain in the arse to be honest. A decent locking string wind and you get a better anchor anyway...

Can understand just going without but what's the down side of locking tuners?

Might just be me but I found them a faff. I found they didn’t save that much time, they can be a bit heavier and it can affect balance, and as has been said after fitting it’s usually not a reversible mod.

SteveRobinson

Also they introduce more moving parts, bits to fall off and lose, threads to damage etc. Some (usually when they get old and worn) struggle to grip lighter strings.

Bridgehouse

SteveRobinson said:

Also they introduce more moving parts, bits to fall off and lose, threads to damage etc. Some (usually when they get old and worn) struggle to grip lighter strings.

I had them on one guitar and one absolutely point blank refused to grip my g string. 

SteveRobinson

Bridgehouse said:

I had them on one guitar and one absolutely point blank refused to grip my g string. 

Oooh Matron!

baldy

I have put locking tuners on a few guitars now, Wilkinson ones, & have not had any problems.
I find string changing much quicker & easier with locking tuners & have had no problems with the ones I have fitted or the guitar I have that came with locking tuners.
I re-strung the Hohner last night & thought to myself what a faff compared to my guitars that have locking tuners.
Just my experience.

Bridgehouse

baldy said:

I have put locking tuners on a few guitars now, Wilkinson ones, & have not had any problems.
I find string changing much quicker & easier with locking tuners & have had no problems with the ones I have fitted or the guitar I have that came with locking tuners.
I re-strung the Hohner last night & thought to myself what a faff compared to my guitars that have locking tuners.
Just my experience.

Oh it’s definitely horses for courses - if they work for you then that’s a good thing. 

thegummy

Bit worrying that they lose their grip over time. I tend to install them on every guitar but I've got one that doesn't have them yet and I might not bother

Voxman

Depends on type. The locking tuners on my PRS Cu24 are superb and make string changing a doddle. Conversely the Grovers on my Yamaha Pacifica 611vfm are good bit a bit of a faff.

Bridgehouse

thegummy said:

Bit worrying that they lose their grip over time. I tend to install them on every guitar but I've got one that doesn't have them yet and I might not bother

I don’t know how serviceable they are.. @SteveRobinson  May know..

baldy

I have 3 guitars that I have fitted Wilkinson EZ-Loks to, 2 Superstrats & a LP copy, & a Yamaha Pacifica 611 that came with locking tuners as standard & don"t have a problem with any of them.
YMMV.

SteveRobinson

My favourites are PRS phase 1 locking tuners.

I quite like Planet Waves Auto Trim tuners except that it's impossible to remove strings and put them back on again, or even slacken them much when working on the guitar.

I've find that tuners that use a cam mechanism rather than a pin tend to be better, with the possible exception of Gotoh Magnum Lock which are in my experience poor at gripping the plain strings.