I have mentioned my '78 Start that I started customizing in 1980. It has the stock '70s style "F" tuners, chrome plated. I have all gold plated (Genuine Fender) HW for this guitar, including a set of American Series Gold Tuners (Fender Part #009-0820-200.

These tuners will fit in the headstock, without enlarging the post holes, and will cover the original screw holes when installed, but they require two little pin holes be drilled to prevent them from rotating.

My question: Are they really much better? and would you install them? I really like the size/feel of the stock tuners, although I know they really are kinda sucky by today's standards, and I know how to electroplate, so I could get myself a second set of "F" style tuners (leaving the originals intact) and not have to alter the holes in the neck in any way, while completing the gold HW makeover.

Thoughts? TIA

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Visit ALL of the exhibits. I have!

If they are working for you, I'd stay with them. Tuners are one of those things that -- to me -- you know when they need to be changed out. Bad tuners will be reminding you every five minutes that they hate you.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Whatever you do, keep the original tuners.

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Every strat that I have that did not have to be modified has the Fender/Schaller locking tuners installed, I'm a heavey trem user. My problem is that on my 72 and 75 strat I just cant bring myself to drill extra holes in the heardstock so I can put the lockers in them. So while the the stock "F" keys work ok, there just not tht great for alot of trem useage.

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Carefull, I've got a loaded 6 string and I'm not afraid to use it. !!

I'd leave them alone. Granted, they can be quirky but you learn their quirks and in my experience, you can still tune the guitar with no significant problems.

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You dig?

I changed the tuners on my HWY 1. I haven't had any tuning issues since I changed them out. Course for me it was a "take off and put on" procedure. There is also the "classic" issue. My guitar is not considered a classic guitar, yet.

It is ultimately up to you on what you do to your guitar. I know that I kept my original tuners just in case I decide to go back to the original stock guitar.

Let us know what you decide.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

OK. Thanks for all the advice! You've convinced me:

The original tuners will be boxed up. I ordered a set of '70s style "F" tuners, which I will gold-plate myself, and install.

If I don't like the result, I go back to the originals.

I'll keep the Fender Gold babies around, for when/if I need to replace the tuners.

Something wasn't sitting right with me about altering the neck of this guitar. It's about the only thing that is still all stock, and has really gotten pretty sweet over the years!

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Visit ALL of the exhibits. I have!

As you can see, there's a few different opinions on this. To me it's rather simple...if you are using this instrument as a collectors piece, then don't replace the tuners (or replace them with something identical and keep the originals) as it will retain more fiscal value as a collectors piece being unaltered. On the other hand if you are a guitar player and this is your instrument, then do what you feel you need to do to make the guitar more playable. Personally I'm a musician and even if I had something like a 50's or 60's Strat (or otherwise) and I wasn't happy with the tuners, I'd change them...in a heart beat. -To me- as a musician, the true value of any instrument is in being able to play that instrument...simple as that.

I'm going to give you a "for instance" here as to why I feel the way that I do. I once knew a guy who had a late 60's Telecaster that was supposedly owned by Dick Dale (I say "supposedly" as the guy had no documentation or anything else to prove it). The guitar was ALL original in the condition that this guy had received it, including the strings and such. Now -if- this guy had of kept this guitar in a hermetically sealed display box hanging in his living room somewhere and he had of had another Tele for actually playing, that would have been fine and dandy...certainly a wonderful collectors piece. The problem was, this guy used to actually try and play this guitar...and it sounded simply awful!!! The intonation was whacked beyond belief because the bridge was rusted and of course he had never touched the setup and I think the guy may have finally died from tetanus from those d@mned strings! Now again here, I'm a musician and to me the sole purpose of a guitar is to be played...anything else is secondary. I don't see a guitar as an "investment" specifically and I certainly don't see one as a piece of furniture (and even there, what's the point of owning a really expensive antique chair for example if no one is allowed to sit on it?). Personally I would have replaced that bridge and the tuning keys with something more conventional (and certainly the strings) and then played the crap out of that magnificent instrument! This guy wouldn't do that however because he didn't want to destroy the "value" of this guitar (regardless of the lack of any documentation).

Now I should also probably mention that I am a bit of an extremist when it comes to this. I remember once a number of years back being at the Rock Hall with my wife and standing there looking at one of Hendrix's Strats...I just wanted to play that thing sooooooo badly! I don't know the exact money value of such an instrument but I'm sure that it's -A LOT-. Even there though, if I were to own such a wonderful piece of history, regardless of market value, I would change whatever I felt needed to be changed on such an instrument to make it playable. After all, if I owned such an instrument, how could I NOT play it? To me, it's a guitar...that is why is was built and that is it's sole reason for existence.

Only -you- can decide what this guitar is to you and whether or not it's true value is that of a collector's piece or simply as a great guitar begging to be played.

Just my $.02 worth,
Jim

Jeeeez, BigJay! Tell me how you REALLY feel!

I've got more to say in response to the last two posts. Thanks! I do have to give you all the whole story on this guitar, but for now, I'll just say that this is NOT intended to be a "collector" piece in any way. It is MY guitar, and I have been playing it for 30 years, and will continue to do so until I die, at which time my nephew will inherit it.

Thank you for more opinions to consider. I will post back.

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Visit ALL of the exhibits. I have!