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Replacement Tuner Recommendation?


Fatcat

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Hey Guys,

 

My trusty 82 Ibanez AR 300 (LP style guitar) has been giving me some trouble in a 2 guitar band situation. The tuning stability in D and Drop C just sucks. I am constantly retuning. I have a feeling that the stock tuners are just not up to it. I would like something that is a drop in replacement and will not require any modification. They need to be 3 a side, with a set screw and gold. It would also be nice if they are slotted for quick string changes.

 

Can anyone recommend a great set of tuners?

 

thanks,

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I don't know if Grovers are an exact drop-in for your guitar, but they are great tuners. You might want to bring your guitar to a luthier so he can see what's necessary, rather than buying something sight-unseen.

 

You mentioned specifically that you were having trouble in dropped tunings. Is your nut cut for heavier-gauge strings (I would assume that you have to be using a heavier gauge if you are fully dropping your tunings to drop D and C, since you'd get some incredible string flop with a lighter gauge).

 

If you're using a heavier gauge, and you haven't had the nut cut specifically for it, you might be running into tuning problems just by that alone.

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Thanks for the grover recommendation guys. Yes I am using heavier guage strings(Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom 10-52). They seem to sit pretty well in the nut grooves. Next string change I am going to put some nut lube in there too.

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I would suggest as MojoFilter says that your heavier gauge strings are are not happy with the nut, and they haven't been properly stretched.....I've seen some {censored}e tuners over the years, but few that can't hold tune decently with a well cut nut, decent saddles and correctly stretched and mounted strings

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Thanks for the grover recommendation guys. Yes I am using heavier guage strings(Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom 10-52). They seem to sit pretty well in the nut grooves. Next string change I am going to put some nut lube in there too.

 

 

Why wait for the string change to lube the slots? Just loosen the strings and add a little graphite dust shaved from a pencil and tune it back up. Give the strings a good stretching too.

 

Changing the tuners is most likely going to leave you with the same tuning problems you are having now. Tuning stability is almost always a result of the strings binding in the nut slots, strings that haven't been properly stretched or poor wraps around the tuning posts. Very rarely are the tuners to be blamed for tuning stability issues.

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Thanks again for the suggestions guys. I did loosen the strings and put some graphite on the nut and saddles. I retuned and am going to take her out this morning for a spin. If this fails, I am going to go with some different guage strings. Someone recommended bright wires 10-50 as an alternate.

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