'Luthier's Love' locking tuners review.

OilCityPickups

The pickup demo Vintage V100 has been getting a lot of play recently ... I swapped the PAF style Oil City Blitz Spirit in the bridge position for one of my NightFighter alnico 4s ... and I've been boogieing out on some 70s classic hard rock. Trouble is, all that vibrato and posing on one leg has show up the serious crap quality of the 'Wilkinson Delux' marked tuners ... Delux ... meh ... what a joke! Tuning stability like a chunk of binder twine attached to a flapping shed door. Of course I changed the nut out for a bone one before going as far as swapping the tuners ... but it was a vain hope. There was so much slop and backlash in the Wilkinsons that they would have to go.
I've been intending to try the 'Luthiers Love' range sold by Axeserus for some while ... and this was a perfect opportunity.
For £25 a set ... or £28 in gold like I ordered ... they are very well priced. And I was gobsmacked at the quality of the feel and even the gold plating when they arrived. They really feel like they cost fifty quid a set  ... and look the business.
I broke out my trusty step reamer ... it's actually intended for reaming out model aircraft props ... but is perfect for opening out Kluson sized holes to 10mm. I find it much better than the hand taper reamers that you see people recommend for this job. There was a tiny bit of chipping of lacquer as the thick poly on the V100s headstock is very brittle and not actually stuck on very well.
The whole job only took a half hour and the results are fantastic. absolute stability and a lovely smooth gearing. The whole instrument is a pleasure to play now ... thoroughly recommended

ddlooping

Thanks for the review, Ash.

OilCityPickups

I can honestly say ... that unless you are going to splash out on locking Grovers for £70 a set ... probably not worth it on a V100 ... these are the puppies. Gradually all my personal guitars will be going over to these.

Adam_MD

I have a set if these on a les Paul and have to agree they're excellent.

ddlooping

Not as good looking as the Duesenbergs though.

OilCityPickups

The Duesenbergs are pretty ... but not locking. Personally I take practicality over beauty when it comes to staying in tune. I like the Duesenberg's string 'through the center' idea ... that stops you impaling your fingers on the pesky sharp string ends ... but for me I'd prefer 'lockers'. If one is happy with non lockers the Duesenbergs are great. Were they more than £25 notes though?

ddlooping

Yes they are, but they do match the bridge very nicely.
Form before function.

OilCityPickups

Trust a Frenchman to say that )

ddlooping

:O)

dean2371

Are these the rear locking ones? Might try a set on my current build

OilCityPickups

Yup ... rear locking with a lovely smooth action.

DiscoStu

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I broke out my trusty step reamer ... it's actually intended for reaming out model aircraft props ... but is perfect for opening out Kluson sized holes to 10mm. I find it much better than the hand taper reamers that you see people recommend for this job. 

Have you got a link for your reamer? I need to increase the holes on a Tele headstock.

ChrisMusic

DiscoStu said:

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I broke out my trusty step reamer ... it's actually intended for reaming out model aircraft props ... but is perfect for opening out Kluson sized holes to 10mm. I find it much better than the hand taper reamers that you see people recommend for this job. 

Have you got a link for your reamer? I need to increase the holes on a Tele headstock.

I'll second that, and any other interesting / useful tools or suppliers too, thanks    

OilCityPickups

Ere u  go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Step-Metric-Reamer-6-7-8-10mm-/271250650192?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled

DiscoStu

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Ere u  go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Step-Metric-Reamer-6-7-8-10mm-/271250650192?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled

'does not post to Scottish Highlands'

RAAAAR!

OilCityPickups

If you want one I'll buy it and post it to you if you like.

monquixote

Do they do any lockers that might fit my ASAT without having to take a Dremel to it?

It has slot heads at the moment which I don't like.

OilCityPickups

Is it 8mm? Sadly I don't actually think there are any lockers that fit vintage orifices

monquixote

No idea I'm afraid. 

It's an ASAT special. 

DiscoStu

TheGuitarWeasel said:

If you want one I'll buy it and post it to you if you like.

That's far and beyond the call of duty.

OilCityPickups

Never had an ASAT on the bench so I don't know if they are an 8 or 10mm ... looking at pics on line they look suspiciously like 10mm ones ... in which case a set of any 10mm shaft locking tuners will do the job.