I just bought an American Standard Strat (Sienna Sunburst - LOVE IT) and I also bought Fender Locking tuners for it. Does anyone know if these are a direct drop in replacement for the standard tuners it came with? I've heard good and bad things about the locking tuners. Any help?

I have to say yes they are a direct fit. On your next string change, take one off and make sure the holes match. Worse case senerio, they are a little different. If you are not handy, take it to a guitar shop to have them instsalled.

I bought Fender/Schaller "F" locking tuners for my '07 Highway 1. They were a direct fit.

I do not have any bad comments about Fender locking tuners. If any thing they do make life a little easier. Follow the Owner's Manual when stringing locking tuners.

RK

Thanks rkreisher. I also bought the Fender/Schaller with the "F" logo on them. Hope they will be a direct fit. I heard it is a lot easier/faster to change strings. My Tech says he doesn't like them because there are not enough wraps on the post? They also feel a little on the heavy side. Some people say that they just get use to it! For me the easier string change the better.

The fact that there are no wraps on the posts are what make them more stable from slipage. I have a large headstock on my HWY 1, I did not even notice a weight difference. When you get ready to change them, take one of the old ones off and compare the weight with the locking tuner. I doubt you will notice much of a weight difference.

Most Technicians do not like them because they eleviate 90 percent of tuning issues and increase string stability. I orginally had a "G" string tuning issue. When I used the tremolo, that one string never went back into the correct pitch after use. The problem was solved after the change. Like I said, I have had no issues with mine since I changed them out.

And yes, I like the fact that changing strings became a lot faster. Just make sure to follow the Fender guidlines when replacing strings. 543321 clock positions.

RK

Well, I've never tried the Schaller's but I recently had a Strat where someone had installed the Sperzels and to be completely honest, I didn't care for them.

Before I get in to that, I do have to take issue with rkreisher's comment "Most Technicians do not like them because they eleviate 90 percent of tuning issues and increase string stability". I mean no disrespect to anyone and these are, as always, just my own personal opinions but very simply locking tuners will NOT alleviate 90 percent of tuning issues..at least not with a Strat! I'm sorry but it's been my experience that with Strats in general, the single most effective way to combat tuning issues is first and foremost, a good and proper setup. Locking tuners will NOT have any effect at all on issues such as a poorly filed nut, problems with the bridge or saddles, etc., etc.. There is more...much more...in regards to tuning issues with Strats than just the tuners.

Now again here, I haven't tried the Fender/Schallers...perhaps they work differently but I know with the Sperzels there is a tendency to over-tighten the locking screw which in turn tends to cut the string where it's supposed to lock in. I've seen this a couple of times now...someone over-tightens and the string breaks in the tuner. Second, as someone who does use "alternate tunings" from time to time, I find that locking tuners can make this difficult at best (although no more so than with a locking nut). Also, if your replacement tuners happen to be an exact fit, great...if not, you end up with extra holes in the headstock (once you drill it, it's there forever no matter how many times you refill it!). I have seen a number of Strats (or guitars in general) where the back of the headstock looked like Swiss cheese!

More importantly, I have 4 Strats that don't have locking tuners and I've never had any serious problems with "tuning stability" (beyond the expected changing of seasons and humidity, etc). The truth is that MANY people own and play Strats...and have for a great many years...without locking tuners and never really have any issues at all. Like most "gadgets" there are people who will absolutely swear by them but the truth is Strats have been around a lot longer than locking tuners have and most people do just fine without them.

My advice to the OP is simply this; -if- there is a specific reason for wanting to change your tuners...you know you have a specific tuner related issue, then by all means go for it. On the other hand if you're doing this upgrade just for the sake of putting "better parts" on your Strat, assuming your guitar is properly set up to begin with, don't expect huge improvements. Again just my own personal opinion here but I really would NOT go out of my way for locking tuners on an instrument...they just don't make -that- big of a difference. In other words, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Just my $.02 worth,
Jim

My guitar teacher recommended locking tuners when I got my Strat.

I waited a few months to get them, and then after I got them I wished that
I would've got them sooner!

With the locking tuners changing strings is soooo easy and fast. I've had no
problems with them and if I get another guitar it will be getting locking tuners as well.

I did go with the Sperzels. I installed myself and have never looked back.

Good luck with your journey,

-Tagg

I have guitars that don't have locking tuners, guitars with fender schaller locking tuners, and guitars with sperzels locking tuners. And overall, I prefer the schallers. I only bought 1 set of locking tuners for 1 guitar. The other guitars I have that have them on there came like that. So it's never been a tuning issue with mine, but it does make string changes a lot easier.

As far as preferring the schallers over the Sperzels, that's just a personal preference. I think the knob part on the schallers is a little more easier to work with, just cause it's a little bigger, and it feels a little better constructed to me.

I would like to get another set of locking tuners for my MIM Strat I painted, but it's not a must have.

I put the "F" logo Schallers on my 06 Am Std and have not regretted it once. They went right on and I've had no problems.

_________________
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