Hey Guys,
I'm hoping you can help me. I'm building a new partscaster and wanted to go with vintage-style tuners this time. I bought a set of Fenders and they seem to have a 1/4''shaft (.240). Unfortunately, the neck I have is drilled for 3/8" and the bushings that came with the tuners just slop around the hole.

I bought a set of mod bushings from GuitarFetish that supposedly would remedy this situation, but the internal diameter of the new bushings is about .010 (.230) too small to accomodate the Fender pegs. Does anyone make a bushing with an OD of 3/8 and an ID of 1/4? Surely, I can't be the first to run across this.

Anyway, Thanks in advance for any help on this matter.

(Ceri - I know you know this one!)

Bob

_________________
2007 Sunburst American Strat
2007 Custom Franken-Strat
2007 Hot_Rodded American Tele
2006 Custom FMT HH Telecaster
Fender Hot rod Deluxe
Fender FM212R Amp

This probably is not the best solution but when I wanted to use vintage tuners on my standard Strat I filled the holes in the headstock with wood putty, inserted the sleeves and let it harden. After that I cleaned out the middles and then installed the rest of the tuner.

It worked great for me, but the best solution is probably a phone call to a machine shop.

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

Never mind guys - It seems that when I hold the tuners up to the holes the spacing is completely off anyway. Anyone know what type of "vintage" tuner would fit the MM/Allparts necks with 3/8 holes?

Thanks,
Bob

_________________
2007 Sunburst American Strat
2007 Custom Franken-Strat
2007 Hot_Rodded American Tele
2006 Custom FMT HH Telecaster
Fender Hot rod Deluxe
Fender FM212R Amp

Er, gosh! Not sure it's going to help you, but take a look at this page:

http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cg ... SEARCH.y=8

Also here:

http://www.wdmusic.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/ ... 68ae5950f1

And there's a page full here:

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/tune ... shings.htm

I'm going to leave you to check measurements for yourself. I seem to recall that kind of thing is well within your capabilities...

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers - C

PS Sorry, there seems to be something odd happening with that WD Music link. If it doesn't work just go to wdmusic.com and type "tuner bushings" into the search box. That'll find you what you want. - C

Thanks Ceri - Good links to bookmark for future builds, but it looks like I have the wrong tuners all together. When I finally took them out to do a test fit the spacing was way off. Looks like I better figure out which tuners will fit on this neck...

Thanks,
Bob

_________________
2007 Sunburst American Strat
2007 Custom Franken-Strat
2007 Hot_Rodded American Tele
2006 Custom FMT HH Telecaster
Fender Hot rod Deluxe
Fender FM212R Amp

Hi again Bob: don't know if this will help, but there's generally two sizes quoted for tuner holes in the headstock. 11/32 inch and 13/32. That last is more commonly refered to as 10 mm. The smaller measurement is the "vintage" size, the latter the modern one.

The measurement you are quoting is actually neither of those - somewhere in between. That's a bit of a problem...

One solution would be to enlarge those holes slightly and then fit modern size tuners. I have a notion that there are vintage style tuners that actually fit modern 10 mm holes - but I don't seem to be able to find any at this moment. You may have to ask the usual suppliers about that one - and I can easily turn out to be mistaken on it. In that case it will have to be modern style tuners for you, I'm afraid.

If you decide to enlarge those holes wait till you have the new tuners to hand to work against and get a perfect fit. Other people are going to disagree with this, but there is in fact only one foolproof accurate way to enlarge tuner holes. It is using this tool, a "cello peghole reamer":


Here's what it looks like end on, so's you can see how it works:


('Scuse my pink hand - very cold that day!)

Unfortunately, that is a ludicrously expensive tool, far more costly than a "violin peghole reamer" - which won't work on guitar sized holes. I can speak in more detail about why drill bits won't do for this job if you like. If you decide to go that route you can find cello peghole reamers on Ebay identical to the one Stew-Mac sells for signifcantly less money. Since it is a tool you are unlikely to need more than once you could then sell it again on Ebay: we can all gradually pass a single reamer around amongst us that way!

Or you can pop round my house and use mine if you want...

Good luck - C

If you use a drill be very careful not to apply to much force or you'll split the headstock through the holes. I've had success with a drill in the past however.

Hi atolleter: obviously, it's impossible to dispute with someone who's done it with a drill and pulled it off all right.

However, there was a Stewart-MacDonald Trade Secrets episode where Erick Coleman drilled out the tuner holes on a Fender bass and in so doing carried them out of true. The rest of that issue was about what he did to put it right - which involved filing the corner off one of the open backed machineheads so that it would sit flush against the next one.

If that had been my instrument I'd have been absolutely livid to get it back in that condition! Make no mistake, Erick Coleman is an extremely well respected luthier: if he can go wrong using a pillar drill, so can we all.

This story would be so much more persuasive if I could find that edition of Trade Secrets to link to for you. Unfortunately I have been through and through my back copies and I can't find it. Nuts!!

If anyone here takes Trade Secrets and can locate that story I'd be most grateful!

- C

Thank you friends - I'm going to post a more specific question so that this doesn't get lost in all the details...

Bob

_________________
2007 Sunburst American Strat
2007 Custom Franken-Strat
2007 Hot_Rodded American Tele
2006 Custom FMT HH Telecaster
Fender Hot rod Deluxe
Fender FM212R Amp

As Ceri pointed out. Although possible, it is not recommended to use a drill, I'm always freaking out when I do, wish I knew someone close by with the right tool and I am too cheap to buy it. But I've seen split headstocks before. I take no responsibility if you choose to go that route

i had to make the tuners holes bigger on my 94 mim standard to fit vintage tuners so i went to my pops house and found some rat tail files and slowly and carefully use a rat tail from both sides till the bushings and tuners fit and it worked out good for me

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