Locking tuners for Gibson Explorer

Surfmonkey77

Hi all

Does anyone out there have experience of replacing the stock mini grovers on a Gibson Explorer with ideally a locking set, or anything more stable and accurate than the Grovers!!

I want a set that will drop in, no mods, same screw holes and same weight ideally.

I have looked at the usual suspects, but it seems drilling new screw holes would be required which isn't a direction i want to head in.

Help appreciated as always!

stickyfiddle

It's the nut. 

(no seriously, it's the nut, combined with the headstock - the tuners will be fine)

Surfmonkey77

I have added graphite, but it's the new 2017 graph tech nut which is self lubing....

Surfmonkey77

@stickyfiddle change my above, its actually tektoid! Either way I have treated it. I have experienced similar before with Grover tuners and would be surprised if I can't even stay in tune the length of a full song because of the nut!

I may be wrong of course. Either way I would still prefer locking tuners.

Thanks

stickyfiddle

Self-lube is only useful if the nut is cut well, and explorers are notorious for it because of the sideways headstock - my old one was exactly the same (@ICBM will agree!)

Otherwise I think Grover locking tuners are likely the only direct drop-in replacement, but it'll be well worth making the sure th nut slots are cut wide enough before spending £50+ on tuners.

Surfmonkey77

@stickyfiddle I thought they solved the nut problem on explorers, I know Les Paul are notorious for the sharp string angle.
Such a shame Gibson can't get their act together after all these years and all the feedback, shape ESP don't make the MX250 anymore!
I will look at the nut option regardless, but prefer to have locking tuners as a matter of course. I don't think the Grovers rotomatics are actually direct replacement, saw somewhere that the screw holes don't line up.....

Cheers for your help

ICBM

There are Grover locking minis which should be a drop-in fit, but as stickyfiddle said the nut is the major problem. You can't solve it on an Explorer because of the head shape.

In fact, locking tuners have no real tuning stability advantage over properly-strung conventional ones, it's just that they're quicker and easier to do.