Locking tuner post height?

PonchoGreg

Just checking something, as I've just installed some Gotoh locking tuners on a PRS SE.

Silly me, I didn't think of measuring the thickness of the headstock, and assumed the standard length the Gotoh SG381s are sold in (20mm from base to post hole) would be a one-size-fits-all kind of thing.

Turns out the hole is very close to the mounting nut:

Too close for comfort?

The strings slot in no problem (and obviously there's no need for wraps). I was worried about the break angle on the nut but it seems OK to me, although I would appreciate more clued-up people chiming in:

Am I worrying for nothing?

Cheers!

ICBM

Perfect height.

Maximum break angle without any risk of the strings binding against the collars.

PonchoGreg

Cheers @ICBM - it's my first set of thumbwheel locking tuners so wasn't quite sure, but that all makes sense! I've actually just noticed that PRS's own locking tuners also have a very low string hole.

jaymenon

ICBM said:

Perfect height.

Maximum break angle without any risk of the strings binding against the collars.

What he said. You have a nice back angle on that headstock, and of course with locking tuners you don’t need multiple wraps around the post...

Funkfingers

Having so little of the posts showing removes the temptation to have superfluous string wraps around them.

LastMantra

It does look strange but the fact you can still get the nut on would suggest it's OK?

PonchoGreg

Yeah so far so good - looks like they are designed to be very low profile. Turns out there's an extra-long post option but even that just adds 1-2mm I think

skunkwerx

Gotoh’s on my Ibby are also lowriders. The treble ones lower as theyre staggered. Probably a mm higher than yours. 

As long as the nut has gone a couple turns on the post when installing I’m sure it’d be fine, as you say everything else clears also. 

If you only managed half a turn on the nut might come loose, I dunno? 

ICBM

skunkwerx said:

As long as the nut has gone a couple turns on the post when installing I’m sure it’d be fine, as you say everything else clears also.

If you only managed half a turn on the nut might come loose, I dunno? 

If they only go on a turn or so they will usually strip the thread when you tighten them, even if you don't overdo it.

PonchoGreg

Yeah these got a few turns on, felt pretty secure when installing. A few days later, no issues (although it feels very strange seeing so little post on the headstock!)

Grampa

Same thing with the locking Gotoh vintage I fitted to my PRS SE ZM. Had absolutely no issues whatever