How to restring with locking tuners?

skunkwerx

Hey all. First time with locking tuners. Theyre Gotoh mg-t. These: 



So how exactly do you use them and whats the best way to restring with them? 

Theres not much online.. I presume you would detune the string as much as poss before unscrewing the thumbscrew on the back? 

King85

Loosen the knob on the back of the tuner, slide the string through, pull taught and then tighten the knob back up. Trim the excess and tune up like normal. Easy peasy.

skunkwerx

King85 said:

Loosen the knob on the back of the tuner, slide the string through, pull taught and then tighten the knob back up. Trim the excess and tune up like normal. Easy peasy.

Cheers bud. I presumed it was that easy.. then I questioned it and wondered haha. 

slacker

Really quick as well

Rabs

Yup... Makes changing a string that much easier..  Not a lot to it.  They say you shouldn't over tighten then as it can squish the string too much and possibly cause it to break..

maltingsaudio

I tend to leave the top two strings slightly longer than pull taught so they have one full turn round the peg seem to stay in tune better 

musteatbrain

maltingsaudio said:

I tend to leave the top two strings slightly longer than pull taught so they have one full turn round the peg seem to stay in tune better 

I does this too if I have 9 or 10s on.
on 11s I only do this on the top e.

thegummy

I thought one of the big things with locking tuners is that the less string that is wrapped around the post, the better the tuning stability and the lockers allow almost none?

Grunfeld

thegummy said:

I thought one of the big things with locking tuners is that the less string that is wrapped around the post, the better the tuning stability and the lockers allow almost none?

I dunno, but all I do is align the holes so they're looking straight down the neck, pull the string through sort of taut, lock, and tune them up.

You'll have to turn the the top E and B through about 180 degrees or a bit more before the note is up to pitch

The G and D rotate through about 100 degrees before they're at pitch.

And the A and bottom E would probably only manage about 90 degrees of rotation, and I like a little more wrap so I put those on slightly slack -- what I actually do is lay a finger across the 12th fret and then pull the string tight over my finger, lock the string in the tuner, and when I take my finger away the string is a bit slack and gets to pitch with about 100 degrees of rotation.

And it probably took longer to write all that than to do a full string change!

thegummy

Grunfeld said:

thegummy said:

I thought one of the big things with locking tuners is that the less string that is wrapped around the post, the better the tuning stability and the lockers allow almost none?

I dunno, but all I do is align the holes so they're looking straight down the neck, pull the string through sort of taut, lock, and tune them up.

You'll have to turn the the top E and B through about 180 degrees or a bit more before the note is up to pitch

The G and D rotate through about 100 degrees before they're at pitch.

And the A and bottom E would probably only manage about 90 degrees of rotation, and I like a little more wrap so I put those on slightly slack -- what I actually do is lay a finger across the 12th fret and then pull the string tight over my finger, lock the string in the tuner, and when I take my finger away the string is a bit slack and gets to pitch with about 100 degrees of rotation.

And it probably took longer to write all that than to do a full string change!

That's what I do except the extra slackness on the bottom strings - why do you want more wrap?

Grunfeld

thegummy said:

That's what I do except the extra slackness on the bottom strings - why do you want more wrap?

Just so that the locking tuner can rotate a bit more.  I'm sure there's nothing functionally wrong with having a tuner only rotate through about 90 degrees, but I like just a smidge more!  Basically so the distal hole goes from 12 o'clock around to 8 o'clock. 

Maybe I'll now try it without the finger-width of slack to see!

Blaendulais

The myth was you had to tune down to pitch with locking tuners but I reckon thats crap

thegummy

Grunfeld said:

thegummy said:

That's what I do except the extra slackness on the bottom strings - why do you want more wrap?

Just so that the locking tuner can rotate a bit more.  I'm sure there's nothing functionally wrong with having a tuner only rotate through about 90 degrees, but I like just a smidge more!  Basically so the distal hole goes from 12 o'clock around to 8 o'clock. 

Maybe I'll now try it without the finger-width of slack to see!

Ah right I think you have a different type to mine - with mine you put the string through and turn the knob to grip the string in place so it's already locked in fully before it's been turned at all.

thegummy

Blaendulais said:

The myth was you had to tune down to pitch with locking tuners but I reckon thats crap

On the Fender website it says you tune down with lockers rather than up. Yet I've heard some say you tune up like normal tuners and some say that it doesn't matter with lockers.

I just decided to still tune up to the note - it makes sense since isn't the point so that there isn't tension caught behind the nut? Surely that wouldn't change just because the tuners are locking?

Quick question - with double locking systems like Floyd Rose - do they lock the tuning so well that you can have several daily hardcore sessions, leave it sitting a week then pick it up and it's still perfectly in tune? Or do they need slightly tuned each time like any other system?

Blaendulais

The pnly Floyd I had, on a PRS, needed small adjustments with the small bridge tuning knobs if left

skunkwerx

I had a licensed floyd once on a kh-203. I think it was the slightly better older version than the ones they ship with now. 

It had 'made under floyd rose patents' and an Esp stamp on it.. 

Anyway, between that and the locking nut, I was always surprised at how good the tuning stayed put even when really going ape shit, ie dive bombing so low all the strings turned to spaghetti. 

I'd need to do some micro adjustments at the bridge end via the thumbwheels but not really during a session. 

That was long ago though when my tuner wasnt as good as a boss tu3, and my knowledge was very limited.. 

I always wonder just how good was it actually.. If I still had it no doubt I'd pick holes in it mind... haha. 

normula1

The Ibanez Edge I had on a Strat generally stayed in tune once set. The only grief I had was trying to second guess the amount of adjustment on the fine tuners I needed when stringing up.

skunkwerx

normula1 said:

The Ibanez Edge I had on a Strat generally stayed in tune once set. The only grief I had was trying to second guess the amount of adjustment on the fine tuners I needed when stringing up.

Haha yeah, I know what you mean. I used to set them all to about halfway so there was room for adjustment either side. 

Tbh though, I think I'm a simple hardtail strung thru body lover. The less to go wrong n all that. 

fastonebaz

I haven't tuned my floyd rose equipped charvel for months.  Played it recently,  perfectly in tune.   Annoying to change strings though,  guess that's why my hard tail is my no1 these days. 

vonLayzonfon

I'll often get through half a practice session with my floyd equipped guitars and suddenly think, "Oops, I haven't tuned up." Check it and find it's bang on. 
I have one hardtail guitar with locking tuners (supplied in error for a build) and I don't really like them. A bit heavy. I think they work fine though. 

baldy

My Floyd equipped Charvel also stays in tune for ridiculously long amounts of time even with judicious use of the whammy bar.