Members Delmont Posted November 14, 2017 Members Share Posted November 14, 2017 Some people swap out their closed-back tuners for open-back. Is it just for looks, or are there advantages? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 14, 2017 Members Share Posted November 14, 2017 Tradition and looks. I think that enclosed tuners look "correct" on a modern guitar but not on a vintage one. I changed the Rotomatics on my old D18 to open back Gotohs and use either Gotohs or Waverlies on everything I build. Matter of taste, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Queequeg Posted November 15, 2017 Members Share Posted November 15, 2017 Right you are, Freeman. Compare and decide for yourself, Delmont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 15, 2017 Members Share Posted November 15, 2017 Interesting, I can look at those two pictures and know immediately that the top one is a Taylor (a good example of what I call a modern guitar) an the lower one is a Martin (traditional all over the place). I don't care for the engraved buttons on the Martin but its probably one of the really upper models with lots of bling. Bonus points for anyone who can explain the wedge shaped object in the middle of the neck - what is its name and where did it come from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted November 15, 2017 Members Share Posted November 15, 2017 Diamond volute placed at the weakest point of the neck for added support, similar in purpose to diamond wires on a ship's mast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted November 15, 2017 Members Share Posted November 15, 2017 Some people swap out their closed-back tuners for open-back. Is it just for looks, or are there advantages? Thanks! Shoulder shrug. Wild guess - some like the look of the worm and worm wheel. It adds an element of steam-punk clockworks to the aesthetic. But, they'll get dust in the lubrication over time and cause binding that closed tuners won't, which is why they're closed. I prefer the closed for that reason. I always never (heard that today) clean the dust from a guitar so open tuners are impractical machines for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted November 17, 2017 Members Share Posted November 17, 2017 Open tuners look very nice on a Gibson too. Personal I can't picture closed tuners on a mandolin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted November 17, 2017 Members Share Posted November 17, 2017 Here's my opinion: weight. IMO the 510s would likely lend themselves to a more robustly built instruments whereas the open back tuners would go on a lighter instrument. I bought a set of mid sized Gotoh 510s and while I like the "organic" look and think they're a damn sight better than the Pings that came on both my Larrivee and low end Martin when I put them on the bare neck of my first build I realized that they are frigging HEAVY. That being said, I ended up putting them on my Larrivee and that guitar is well-aged and well-worn and took to the new tuners quite nicely. I also bought a set of open back Sta Tites that OTOH weighed significantly less but they require a bushing to install on holes meant for sealed tuning machines so I can't give a direct comparison. I'm tempted to put them on my Martin (which being mahogany is actually much lighter than my smaller rosewood Larrivee) if I don't end up building a "traditional" Martin 00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 17, 2017 Members Share Posted November 17, 2017 Personal I can't picture closed tuners on a mandolin. [/img] Personally I can't picture closed tuners on a classical [ATTACH=CONFIG]n32104044[/ATTACH] or any slothead for that matter [ATTACH=CONFIG]n32104045[/ATTACH] altho there is a trick to restringing them [ATTACH=CONFIG]n32104046[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted November 17, 2017 Members Share Posted November 17, 2017 Yes and no. Originally the headstock was a separate piece attached to the neck with an elegant wood working joint called a "birds beak". The volute (or "dart") is part of that joint, but also strengthens it. Now it is mostly just for historical mojo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted November 17, 2017 Members Share Posted November 17, 2017 Personally I can't picture closed tuners on a classical [ATTACH=CONFIG]n32104044[/ATTACH] or any slothead for that matter [ATTACH=CONFIG]n32104045[/ATTACH] altho there is a trick to restringing them [ATTACH=CONFIG]n32104046[/ATTACH] Nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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