I have a guitar question.
-
@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com @RyanHyde@techhub.social they are usually attached with a screw and a nut that fits around the actual tuning peg - the nut keeps the tuner level and prevents tilting motion while the screw prevents rotational motion. Super easy to remove and replace. It is a guitar modification that your risk of fubar'ing your axe is very low, and in your case sounds like it would probably fix the axe staying in tune.
Get two sets of spare strings when you do it in case it break one string while putting on the new ones. Use a jewelers screwdriver or electronics screwdriver, avoid even one of those USB charged electric screwdrivers.@unsafelyhotboots awesome, thank you!! I knew there would be some super experienced guitarists on here that I wasn't thinking of. Really appreciate the help.
-
@RyanHyde@techhub.social @alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com agreed. Fretwork requires specialized tools and a lot of experience doing it. My guitar was unplayable because the frets were put in the wrong place between frets 12-15 and it had a zero fret so the lower action from the zero fret ended up biting me in the ass.
@unsafelyhotboots ouch, that really sucks
-
@RyanHyde thanks! Here's the headstock and a little drawing of the tiny logo etched into the back of the tuners. Never noticed the logo until today!
They don't feel wobbly at all, but i'm not sure that tells me anything.


@alisynthesis Oh good, these are Gotoh style tuners. Not sure if they’re Gotohs and that’s just an old logo, but pretty easy to find, cheap, and reliable.
These will probably fit, but again, research the diameters you’re dealing with first.
-
@unsafelyhotboots ouch, that really sucks
@alisynthesis @unsafelyhotboots Ouch indeed
-
@unsafelyhotboots awesome, thank you!! I knew there would be some super experienced guitarists on here that I wasn't thinking of. Really appreciate the help.
@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com also worth adding that @RyanHyde@techhub.social touched on the points I missed - calipers are your friend for getting the correct replacement tuners.
-
@alisynthesis Oh good, these are Gotoh style tuners. Not sure if they’re Gotohs and that’s just an old logo, but pretty easy to find, cheap, and reliable.
These will probably fit, but again, research the diameters you’re dealing with first.
@RyanHyde woo! I'm pretty regularly wishing for a set of calipers anyway, so I will get myself some and get on the road to locking tuners. Thank you so much!
-
@RyanHyde follow-up question. Is installing new tuners something I can do myself with only rudimentary knowledge and no experience with setting up guitars? Or is that better left to someone who knows wtf they're doing?
They’re easy to replace, it just requires a bit of care with the screws because they’re tiny and strip easily.
The only tricky part is ensuring you get the right size as there’s a mix of metric and imperial options as guitars are made all over the world. Nail that, and it’s an easy job.
-
@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com also worth adding that @RyanHyde@techhub.social touched on the points I missed - calipers are your friend for getting the correct replacement tuners.
@unsafelyhotboots @RyanHyde i'm kind of a tool fanatic and I'm really excited to have an excuse to buy calipers.
-
@alisynthesis @unsafelyhotboots Ouch indeed
@RyanHyde@techhub.social @alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com you know, zero regrets. I had a blast building it, and I learned more about how to maintain my instruments by going through the bills process than I would have in ten years of the roadie gig that came after. I would share pics but it's currently packed up in storage.
-
They’re easy to replace, it just requires a bit of care with the screws because they’re tiny and strip easily.
The only tricky part is ensuring you get the right size as there’s a mix of metric and imperial options as guitars are made all over the world. Nail that, and it’s an easy job.
-
@unsafelyhotboots @RyanHyde i'm kind of a tool fanatic and I'm really excited to have an excuse to buy calipers.
@alisynthesis @unsafelyhotboots Haha, honestly that was my same reaction the first time I did this. Now I use those calipers constantly, just to satisfy curiosity
-
@RyanHyde@techhub.social @alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com you know, zero regrets. I had a blast building it, and I learned more about how to maintain my instruments by going through the bills process than I would have in ten years of the roadie gig that came after. I would share pics but it's currently packed up in storage.
@unsafelyhotboots @RyanHyde that's very cool! Maybe someday I'll build a guitar. I always love visiting people's shops who are working on instruments.
-
@alisynthesis @unsafelyhotboots Haha, honestly that was my same reaction the first time I did this. Now I use those calipers constantly, just to satisfy curiosity
@RyanHyde lol exactly
-
@unsafelyhotboots @RyanHyde that's very cool! Maybe someday I'll build a guitar. I always love visiting people's shops who are working on instruments.
@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com @RyanHyde@techhub.social
There are a boatload of resources out there now that we're not there when I was in HS doing this. If you have a jig saw, a router, a bunch of good clamps, a high quality sander, and a source of good hardwood, you can get 90% of the way to a finished product then take it to a pro to fret. It goes faster if you have some hand planes as well, but those aren't essential.
For me most of the fun was countouring the back of the body and doing the body shaping. Guitar bodies are art, guitar necks are a rote process you follow step by step. And, as evidence by my hydro dipped crazy bass, you don't need to build a guitar to have that kind of fun - you just need an instrument you really want to refinish. -
@unsafelyhotboots @RyanHyde that's very cool! Maybe someday I'll build a guitar. I always love visiting people's shops who are working on instruments.
@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com @RyanHyde@techhub.social this is a total aside from your current dilemma, just acknowledging that.
-
Someone else suggested measure with calipers, I endorse that suggestion. The diameter of the shaft and their shield is the key.
The only other thing that springs to mind is that the strings may be sticking in the nut, and then the capo pressure moves them a bit causing them to go out of tune. Clean up the nut and lube with some pencil graphite (literally run a pencil through the gap), this is easier than a tuner change so might be an idea to try first.
-
@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com @RyanHyde@techhub.social this is a total aside from your current dilemma, just acknowledging that.
@unsafelyhotboots tangents are always where the fun starts

-
Someone else suggested measure with calipers, I endorse that suggestion. The diameter of the shaft and their shield is the key.
The only other thing that springs to mind is that the strings may be sticking in the nut, and then the capo pressure moves them a bit causing them to go out of tune. Clean up the nut and lube with some pencil graphite (literally run a pencil through the gap), this is easier than a tuner change so might be an idea to try first.
-
Someone else suggested measure with calipers, I endorse that suggestion. The diameter of the shaft and their shield is the key.
The only other thing that springs to mind is that the strings may be sticking in the nut, and then the capo pressure moves them a bit causing them to go out of tune. Clean up the nut and lube with some pencil graphite (literally run a pencil through the gap), this is easier than a tuner change so might be an idea to try first.
Last option is the bridge. From the video it looked like a fixed bridge so is unlikely to be the cause, but if it’s a tremolo then this may also be the culprit.
-
Last option is the bridge. From the video it looked like a fixed bridge so is unlikely to be the cause, but if it’s a tremolo then this may also be the culprit.