Changiing tuners on an 814 CE

[cpugsie]

Do the Gotoh 510's use the same size hole as the standard Taylor tuners that come stock on an 814 CE? It looks like you would have to drill the small holes for the tuner screws but was wondering if the headstock holes need to be reamed out also? I have a 2012 814 CE LTD coming in a couple weeks and was just wondering.

Thanks,
Carl

[michaelw]

hi Carl,
good to see you here
WELCOME !the holes that the tuning machines posts go through are the correct size -
here's a link to a thread that should have everything covered
http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=1337.msg11861#msg11861

congrats on the in-coming 814ceLTD
i had a chance to play a 816ceLTD today ... nice 

looking forward to hearing more from you -
please make yourself comfortable & enjoy the place

[cpugsie]

Thanks for the link and the welcome Michael! I'll post up some photos when my new Taylor arrives. I've all ready learned alot from this site in just a few days. Hope to add something to the mix in the future. BTW, do the Gotohs make any sonic difference in your guitars sound?

Carl

[AugustWest]

Hi Carl,

Please update us on how swapping out the tuners goes.  I'm also strongly considering the Gotoh 510s for my 2011 GA4, but wasn't sure if any modifications to the headstock are necessary.  Which 510s did you decide on?  Congrats on the new guit!

[cigarfan]

Thanks for the link and the welcome Michael! I'll post up some photos when my new Taylor arrives. I've all ready learned alot from this site in just a few days. Hope to add something to the mix in the future. BTW, do the Gotohs make any sonic difference in your guitars sound?

Carl

I can only speak to my experience but I swapped out std Taylor tuners for Gotoh 510s on my GA-Ke and sonically I couldn't perceive a difference in the guitar. The difference was in operation of the tuners (i.e., tuning the guitar). Those Gotoh's are smooth.

[cpugsie]

Hi Carl,

Please update us on how swapping out the tuners goes.  I'm also strongly considering the Gotoh 510s for my 2011 GA4, but wasn't sure if any modifications to the headstock are necessary.  Which 510s did you decide on?  Congrats on the new guit!

I haven't decided on which Gotoh's I may go with or if I'm going to change them at all. My new guitar is scheduled for delivery early next week. I'll see what I think about the tuners it ships with first. I'm pretty particular about changing anything on a guitar that it wasn't shipped with from the factory when I have to modify the guitar in any way (ie. drilling holes for new tuners). I've been thinking about how I can get the 510's on there without drilling. Here are my thoughts.

The Taylor tuners have a pin on the underside of them that takes care of the tuner anti-rotation that is actually part of the tuner. The Gotoh's have the additional screw which you have to add. I'm going to try and find just one Gotoh that I can modify first (not sure I can modify it until I get one in hand). I'd like to machine off the screw tab from the Gotoh and put a small hole in the underside of the tuner exactly where the hole in the head stock currently is that the anti-rotation pin from the Taylor tuner goes into. Then I'm going to machine a small pin that I slightly press into the existing hole that is about .030" to .040" proud of the surface. This pin will fit up into the hole of the modified Gotoh tuner providing the required anti-rotation. If this works I will have a totally reversable modfication to my new guitar with no drilling. I know this sounds like a lot of trouble but I love doing this kind of thing and It's more a quest than anything else. I know that I'll have the machined/unplated surface to deal with where I removed the screw hole from the Gotoh. If all works well I just might send them off to get re-plated.

I have a 71 P90 Les Paul Gold Top that I've changed out the lead P-90 with a Humbucker and did no routing what so ever to the guitar. I actually modifed the pickup to fit the hole in the guitar rather than modifing the guitar to fit the pickup. Kind of the same thing here with the tuners. I'll keep you posted on this

Does anyone have a spare Gotoh 510 that they care to donate to the cause?

I will be ready when he comes!

[michaelw]

depending on how tightly the bushings on the tuners were torqued, there may  be
some impressions left on the back of the headstock that the Gotohs won't cover

imho, you may  not recoup the entire investment in the Gotohs, should you decide to sell the guitar
at a later date, but changing the tuners should  not be detrimental to the resale value either

[cpugsie]

I agree with both comments. I don't belive that I will cover any heavily indented marks left by the Taylor tuners and I'm not sure that the Gotoh's won't leave any marks either. I may try to prepare the underside of the Gotohs to minimize any heavy marks.

I see the Gotohs going for a bit over a $XXX various places. Not too high of an investement. I tend to keep my guitars a very long time too. However, for what I'm paying for this particular Taylor, I don't plan on loosing much/if any when/if I ever go to sell it.



please review rule #2