Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

[Newc]

Ok, aside from the slightly unattractive and way overpriced LSRs, which locking tuner would you recommend and why?
I have a choice between Grover, Sperzel, and Gotoh.
Gimme pros and cons of each if you've dealt with all of them, or of just the ones you've dealt with period.

Newc

[trillian guitars]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

obviously i like sperzel....they have a huge variety of colors and button options, they seem willing to do custom stuff and they are reasonably priced.....of course ease of use is great

i dont really know anything about the rest....schaller was never an option because those guys are so hard to deal with

[eaeolian]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

I have Sperzels on my Soloist 7, and they're very stable, and certainly minimize the tuning issues. However, I do wish they had a higher ratio. (They're 12:1, I believe, as opposed to 14:1 for the Schallers, I think.)

You also might want to check out the new Planet Waves locking tuners that also trim the string. Now that's cool. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] A friend of mine has a set on a MandoCaster and he loves them.

Planet Waves Auto-Trim

Mike

[jgcable]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

I have never had a problem with Sperzels after using them for many years now. The only potential problem could occur if you use super heavy gauge strings. Sometimes the hole in the low E Sperzel tuner isn't large enough. They look good too. I have a beautiful Carvin DC120 12 string electric with 12 gold Sperzels on it. It is really nice. Sperzels tuners come in matte finishes. The gold/black and silver matte finishes are very nice.

[j2379]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

i had sperzels on an old gretsch with a bigsby they are GREAT, a 52 low E fits fine i dont know about anything bigger tho. & the ones on the early 90's fenders work really well too, dont know who made them, but ide go with sperzels.

[eaeolian]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

I use a .56 for a low B on my seven string, and it fits through an undrilled Sperzel. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Mike

[Matt Crooks]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

I use a .60 for the low B on my 7 strings, and it (barely) fits through the undrilled sperzel.

I have them on all my electrics, and have had them for several years. I love them, and won't but anything else on any of my gutiars. I even have them on my floyd guitar that has a locking nut - the string changes are just to easy not to use sperzels.

[Tekky]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

From what I've seen of the other brands, the designs are basically the same, just cosmetically different. Am I wrong on this?

[eaeolian]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

I know the tuning ratios are different - Sperzel 12:1, Schaller and Grover are both 14:1 (I think), and the Planet Waves are 18:1.

Also, the locking systems are different on some of them - the Grovers use a cam system that locks the string when you turn the peg, for example.

Of course, I think all of them mount differently, too.

Mike

[sully]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

i've got a set of grover locking tuners, and they're okay,...no thumbwheel like the sperzels, but i think the sperzels might be a bit easier to use...

sully

[Newc]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

Far out [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I had a set of Sperzels once, and they were nice, but I've seen tons that had the back cap missing, and if you ever lose the little rod that goes inside.....

The Grovers have 18:1 and use a cam system (similar to the LSRs?)

Anyone know where to find the best online price for each one?

Newc

[eaeolian]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

The best prices I've seen for the Grovers are actually on eBay. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

The Fiend has some sort of special on Sperzels 3+3 sets, and some 6 inline.

Warmoth sells the Schallers for, like, $8 a piece, and you can mix & match (good for us 7 string types.)

Mike

[Newc]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

StewMac:
Grover Chrome: $42.65
Grover Minis Chrome: $41.45
Schaller Chrome:$57.96
Gotoh Chrome: only available in Vintage style (ick)
Sperzel Chrome: $59.95
Planet Waves Auto Trim Chrome: $66.40

Warmoth:
Schaller Mini Chrome: $48 for a set

WD: $60 (no-name?)

Ebay:
BroFF has a set of Gold Sperzels for $50 BIN

There's a set of TinCan Sperzels with missing locks for $15 so far.

There's a set of used black Planet Waves Auto Trims going for $31 so far.

It seems Grover has the better system (self-contained, no parts to lose), with the Auto Trims coming in second due to the Auto Trim feature.

BTW, I'm looking for 3x3 in black or chrome - the Floyd's chrome, but the knob's black. Since it's for the Zebra Star, either color will work (even chrome/black combos [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] )

Newc

[eaeolian]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

If you want Sperzels, Black or BC 3+3s are 49.99 a set at the Fiend. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Link

I have some - personally unsubstantiated - reports that the Grovers lock doesn't grab sometimes. On the Planet Waves, that would be a disaster.

Mike

[ October 21, 2003, 09:54 AM: Message edited by: Michael ]

[eaeolian]

Re: Locking tuners - Gotoh, Grover, Sperzel?

Sully -

How do you UNLOCK the Grovers? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Mike