grover locking tuners - slipping/breaking top E

nickp

I've retro fitted grover locking tuners to a PRS SE.  They are the sort where you stick the string through the hole and they lock when doing them up due to a sort of rotating cap on the top of the tuner (so no knurled knob on the back)

first time around the top E string slipped once I started some proper bending.  Subsequently i've snapped three top E strings.

is this common and is there a standard fix?

the tuners are fitted (plus new nut) to see if the guitar will stay in tune when using the trem bar

ta

nick

Elwood

Does the string break at the tuner?

nickp

yup - right where it exits

guitarfishbay

nickp said:

yup - right where it exits

Have you checked to see if there is a manufacturing defect?  I'm guessing as you wind it the string is pressing against the edge, if the edge is sharp then it could cause that?  If you bought them new and found this the seller should be able to exchange them for you.

xmrchi

As above def check for rough edges, also if they are like some Spirziels you have to put them on in a specific order else they wont lock, due to different sized pins, check that before you send em back

nickp

umm - twas a purchase second hand (but unused) from a reputable vendor on this ere forum.  

I'll need a bloody magnifying glass as my eyesight is getting worse to spot any defects.  Still the bonus is that women seem to be getting prettier

speshul91

 Still the bonus is that women seem to be getting prettier [/quote]

That's beer less beer goggles, gets you a bigger gas fund

thermionic

nickp said:

I've retro fitted grover locking tuners to a PRS SE.  They are the sort where you stick the string through the hole and they lock when doing them up due to a sort of rotating cap on the top of the tuner (so no knurled knob on the back)

 

the tuners are fitted (plus new nut) to see if the guitar will stay in tune when using the trem bar.

 

There's two types of locking tuners - the ones that lock with a knurled knob after you've tuned up to stop string slipping when bending and/or using trems, and the type that locks the string into the post as soon as you start turning the key. I don't think the latter type help with string slipping, it's merely an attempt to make string winding a little bit easier (a failed attempt imho).

 

When I took my Epi LP in for setup, the tech could hardly hide his disdain for the locking Grovers on it, and advised me to treat them as ordinary tuners in terms of winding the string onto them. I took them off within a week and replaced them with Kluson types (actually Grovers), which look better and work better.

nickp

@thermionic - i'm going to take that approach I think with the top e and leave a few windings i recon

i replaced the tuners with locking ones coz the PRS-SE tuning stability is shite but with a new nut and locking tuners I hope to get some whammy bar action in without going out of tune all the time

like I can on my 2 strats and the Brian May - all of which have pretty much the same set up

cheers

Headphones

I have the Grovers on my PRS SE.

They lock every time and I've never broken a string at the nut, never experienced any slippage myself.

In truth I prefer the Schaller or Sperzel type, but there's nothing untoward with the Grover design at all, beyoind being effectively stuck with the stock button on the minis...

stuagu

I had locking grovers on a couple of les Pauls which I changed at the same time and I had this same problem with both sets. I returned to non locking grovers. What size top e are you using? I ask because If I came down to a thinner top e it didn't seem to happen but then I couldn't use the gauge I like