'Luthier's Love' locking tuners review.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

The pickup demo Vintage V100 has been getting a lot of play recently ... I swapped the PAF style Oil City Blitz Spirit in the bridge position for one of my NightFighter alnico 4s ... and I've been boogieing out on some 70s classic hard rock. Trouble is, all that vibrato and posing on one leg has show up the serious crap quality of the 'Wilkinson Delux' marked tuners ... Delux ... meh ... what a joke! Tuning stability like a chunk of binder twine attached to a flapping shed door. Of course I changed the nut out for a bone one before going as far as swapping the tuners ... but it was a vain hope. There was so much slop and backlash in the Wilkinsons that they would have to go.
I've been intending to try the 'Luthiers Love' range sold by Axeserus for some while ... and this was a perfect opportunity.
For £25 a set ... or £28 in gold like I ordered ... they are very well priced. And I was gobsmacked at the quality of the feel and even the gold plating when they arrived. They really feel like they cost fifty quid a set ... and look the business.
I broke out my trusty step reamer ... it's actually intended for reaming out model aircraft props ... but is perfect for opening out Kluson sized holes to 10mm. I find it much better than the hand taper reamers that you see people recommend for this job. There was a tiny bit of chipping of lacquer as the thick poly on the V100s headstock is very brittle and not actually stuck on very well.
The whole job only took a half hour and the results are fantastic. absolute stability and a lovely smooth gearing. The whole instrument is a pleasure to play now ... thoroughly recommended

ddlooping · August 2013

Thanks for the review, Ash.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

I can honestly say ... that unless you are going to splash out on locking Grovers for £70 a set ... probably not worth it on a V100 ... these are the puppies. Gradually all my personal guitars will be going over to these.

Adam_MD · August 2013

I have a set if these on a les Paul and have to agree they're excellent.

ddlooping · August 2013

Not as good looking as the Duesenbergs though.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

The Duesenbergs are pretty ... but not locking. Personally I take practicality over beauty when it comes to staying in tune. I like the Duesenberg's string 'through the center' idea ... that stops you impaling your fingers on the pesky sharp string ends ... but for me I'd prefer 'lockers'. If one is happy with non lockers the Duesenbergs are great. Were they more than £25 notes though?

ddlooping · August 2013

Yes they are, but they do match the bridge very nicely.

Form before function.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Trust a Frenchman to say that

)

ddlooping · August 2013

:O)

dean2371 · August 2013

Are these the rear locking ones? Might try a set on my current build

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Yup ... rear locking with a lovely smooth action.

DiscoStu · August 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I broke out my trusty step reamer ... it's actually intended for reaming out model aircraft props ... but is perfect for opening out Kluson sized holes to 10mm. I find it much better than the hand taper reamers that you see people recommend for this job.

Have you got a link for your reamer? I need to increase the holes on a Tele headstock.

ChrisMusic · August 2013

DiscoStu said:

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I broke out my trusty step reamer ... it's actually intended for reaming out model aircraft props ... but is perfect for opening out Kluson sized holes to 10mm. I find it much better than the hand taper reamers that you see people recommend for this job.

Have you got a link for your reamer? I need to increase the holes on a Tele headstock.

I'll second that, and any other interesting / useful tools or suppliers too, thanks

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Ere u go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Step-Metric-Reamer-6-7-8-10mm-/271250650192?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled

DiscoStu · August 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Ere u go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Step-Metric-Reamer-6-7-8-10mm-/271250650192?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled

'does not post to Scottish Highlands'

RAAAAR!

OilCityPickups · August 2013

If you want one I'll buy it and post it to you if you like.

monquixote · August 2013

Do they do any lockers that might fit my ASAT without having to take a Dremel to it?

It has slot heads at the moment which I don't like.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Is it 8mm? Sadly I don't actually think there are any lockers that fit vintage orifices

monquixote · August 2013

No idea I'm afraid.

It's an ASAT special.

DiscoStu · August 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

If you want one I'll buy it and post it to you if you like.

That's far and beyond the call of duty.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Never had an ASAT on the bench so I don't know if they are an 8 or 10mm ... looking at pics on line they look suspiciously like 10mm ones ... in which case a set of any 10mm shaft locking tuners will do the job.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

DiscoStu said:

TheGuitarWeasel said:

If you want one I'll buy it and post it to you if you like.

That's far and beyond the call of duty.

The offer's there ... you can paypal me if you decide to do it.

ICBM · August 2013

Gotoh make locking vintage-style tuners with an 8mm bore size.

http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/tuning-keys/guitar/locking-6-in-line-keys/gotoh-locking-tuning-keys-vintage-style-6-in-line-2-p-2992.html

monquixote · August 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Never had an ASAT on the bench so I don't know if they are an 8 or 10mm ... looking at pics on line they look suspiciously like 10mm ones ... in which case a set of any 10mm shaft locking tuners will do the job.

Interesting.

It might be worth a punt.

I assume US strats are 10mm?

If so I could stick them on my strat should they not fit.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Modern style Strats are 10mm ... if they don't have the hexagonal lock nuts and have slotted shafts they are 8mm.

DiscoStu · August 2013

My Tele neck (non Fender) has 9mm holes and it's a bugger finding tuners. 10mm makes it so much easier.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Needs a good reaming

ICBM · August 2013

monquixote said:
I assume US strats are 10mm?
If so I could stick them on my strat should they not fit.

Yes, but they're also a unique type of tuner which uses two metal dowels and not a screw to locate them - they're made by Schaller, and a locking version is available (used on the Deluxe series). If you fit any other type you'll need to drill screw holes and it will make a mess of the neck.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

I do believe the disused locating holes will be covered by the body of the new tuner ... so won't be visible. Schaller locking tuners are £109 ... as opposed to £25 ... a steep price to pay for two disused peg holes in my opinion.

ICBM · August 2013

I meant drilling the screw holes will make a mess of the neck, if you ever want to put it back to stock - eg if you're going to sell the guitar... and might reduce the value by more than the price of the tuners. No big deal if you're never going to of course.

I just don't like to modify stuff like that when there is a 'correct' way of doing it. It might seem trivial on a bog-standard USA Fender, but I bet a lot of people who modified guitars that weren't valuable at the time in the past now regret it.

They're only £70, anyway...

http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/p/914410/fender-american-deluxe-strat-schaller-6-in-line-shiny-polished-chrome-locking-tuners/

Or maybe £50.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fender-F-chrome-locking-machine-heads-tuners-/261243767173?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cd3578985

monquixote · August 2013

I was just thinking if I buy them for the ASAT and they don't fit I could put them on the Fender. If that's not the case I'm not too worried about putting them on the Fender.

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'Luthier's Love' locking tuners review.

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