I just received a set of like new Schaller tuners and installed them on my 2001 American Series, and now I'm confused.
Three of the tuners had a 'I' on them and the other three had 'III' on them, yet all six tuners appear to be the same height.
There's another set listed on ebay that I asked about them being staggered, and the seller tells me that three are tall and three are short.

Can someone explain to me if there is a way to know before hand if a Schaller tuner is going to be tall or short? Is the ebay seller mistaken, and all Schallers are the same?
My Strat only has one string tree, do I need to install a tree for the A and low E strings? Or is it ok to remove all trees when Schallers are used, regardless of their heights?

Thanks for any help.

Are the holes in the posts the same height? You shouldn't ever need trees for the A & E strings. If you have staggered posts, you shouldn't need the trees at all.

I'm sorry, I forgot to say that these are Schaller locking tuners.
I've been drinking too much aspertame lately...

I also forgot to mention that I will be installing an LSR nut. I'm thinking that with the LSR and locking Schaller's, even if the tuners are not staggered, no string trees are required. True?

Hi wrvond: Schaller make a bewildering variety of tuners, including many different locking models:

http://guitar-machine-heads.com/hp12610 ... 7aef5X7765

Often, working out the exact spec options within a given model can be confusing:

http://guitar-machine-heads.com/hp13505 ... -Liste.htm

Still, if what you have are the M6 2000 mini locking six on-a-side machines then they should indeed come with two different heights of post, as the I and III stamp is there to indicate. If yours are not different heights... then I don't honestly know why not:

http://guitar-machine-heads.com/hp13505 ... -Liste.htm

Have another look, and by all means post some nice, clear, closeup photos here for us so's we can see exactly what you've got, if you like. If after all you do turn out to have two heights of post then the taller ones go nearest to the nut. You absolutely will not need an additional string tree for the bottom strings with these - or any other - tuners.

Cheers - C

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The ones I have are (presumably) the Fender branded (or Schaller for Fender) locking tuners. They are direct replacements in that they have the two pins on the flat to fit into the two pin holes on the headstock.
I'll get some photos posted as soon as I can.
Thanks!

Hi again: with the thumb wheel on the back with an "F" logo on it? Then those certainly should have staggered height poles. If they don't - then I'm confused.

Show us a pic and we'll see if you have a set made up of exclusively the low or the high posts. Perhaps there's been a mistake with what's been put in the box, either by the seller or at source?

Cheers - C

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If I'm remembering some of the earlier Fender/Schaller locking tuners correctly (trying to think of what the tuners on a Strat Plus look like) the physical posts are the same height but the hole for the string is staggered on the length of the post. If you look at one marked "I" and one marked "III" side-by-side check and see if the hole on one of them is lower on the post than the other - if that makes any sense.

I think Schaller did that for a while to avoid any infringement on Sperzel's design where the physical posts vary in height.

The Schaller locking tuners (non-Fender branded) that I have on my Strat have different length string posts. I never looked to see if they were labled in any way, but the difference is easily noticable.

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Bill

Sorry for the delay, guys.
I finally got a chance to pull the tuners and do some measuring.
These locking Schallers are brushed chrome. The knurled knobs do not have any logo on them. Unless I'm mistaken, the "blank" lockers with two indexing pins are Fender Schallers.
On the top of the bodies of these six tuners are the numerals "III" and "II". There are no other marks on them.
The only difference I can find between them is that three of them have a 1/32 inch shoulder below the hole and three of them do not. The height of the hole on the shaft does not appear to correlate in any way with the numbers on the bodies.
Since my original tuners had the taller ones closer to the neck, I installed these with the higher holes first and the lower ones further away.
Here is a picture:


Are these the correct Fender type Schaller tuners? Should there be a more pronounced difference between them?
I've installed an LSR nut and removed the one string tree without apparent issues.
Thanks for your thoughts.

Hi wrvond: I don't know why the Roman numerals don't correspond to the height of the posts on your tuners - they do on mine.

But that not withstanding, your photo shows that you have them installed correctly with the three with the string holes higher in the capstans nearest the nut. So the breaking angle across the nut on the three top strings is slightly increased. That's all the staggered posts are there to achieve. Job done.

If the slightly lower set of the G string has enabled you to remove a stringtree and you like it that way, then... mission accomplished!

Cheers - C

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25 years spent in the Navy and it never ocurred to me to call them "capstans". Go figure

I am learning new stuff all the time here.
Thanks, folks!

S'OK, cap'n. Where I come from Capstans are filterless cigarettes, known as "Navy Cut". Go figure.



Now. Full steam ahead - enjoy that Strat!

Cheers - C

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Havn't seen them for a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used to buy a pack of them if I felt I was smoking too much............by God that would cut me down for a while........barf!!!

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

I believe I owe my lifetime as a non-smoker to this brand. I heard The Jam's number Saturday's Kids with its line; "Their mums and dads smoke Capstan non-filters, Wallpaper lives 'cause they all die of cancer"... and I just HAD to try them, round the back of the bike sheds at school with the bad boys. E-e-e-e-ew - yuk! Almost my first ciggie and definitely my last!

Thank you, Capstan.

Beer on the other hand...

Cheers - C

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That's exactly how mine look installed.

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Bill