Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF

Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Topic started by: not darth on December 10, 2011, 01:44:37 PM

Title: Poll: Tuners
Post by: not darth on December 10, 2011, 01:44:37 PM
If this was a motorcycle forum, I'd ask what oil is best,  ::), but it's not, so.....

What tuning machine heads do you have on your Taylor guitar?
If they were not stock, why did you choose them?
 :)
-Kris
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: flaggerphil on December 10, 2011, 02:03:45 PM
Well, the problem here is I have more than one Taylor guitar.  Some have Grovers, some have Taylors and one has Gotoh.  So...
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: Kingby on December 10, 2011, 02:08:46 PM
Gotoh 510 antique gold
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: Taildragger on December 10, 2011, 02:22:17 PM
Motul or Mobile 1 - I mean just the standard Taylors. They seem to work just fine  :)
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: bo1142 on December 10, 2011, 02:26:33 PM
Mostly Taylor tuners, with the exception of my 01, which has Grovers.  If I needed to change any of them, I'd bo with the Black Gotoh 510's, but that's another project for another time ;)
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: michaelw on December 10, 2011, 02:40:02 PM
mostly Grover (gold with ebony buttons), chrome Schallers (on a 77 710)
some unidentifiable gold tuners with ibanez shaped buttons (84 612, 84 650)
chrome tuners 14:1 (couple of Babies i havent swapped tuners on yet) &
chrome Gotohs, not 510s, but they're on a 79 510 - here's a peek
(http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/48591/2968148600081788860S600x600Q85.jpg)
guitars that i had that came with the Taylor branded ping tuners, i swapped for Grovers -
i had been so used to the Grovers (operation, feel & aesthetics) that i stuck with 'em

the Gotoh 510s (21:1 deltas) are so smooth - i didn't see what all the 'hub-bub' was
about until i saw them on a 07 914ce ... gave them a little twist & wow (very nice)
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: not darth on December 10, 2011, 04:32:46 PM
Shoot, forgot about Grover.  I added that to the poll, but now I can't edit how many times you can vote. 
Oh well, first time I've ever tried to post a poll thread. 

I have Schaller's on my "610", and I have no complaints.  The idea of putting 'better' ones on it is enticing, but I can't justify it since the current ones are keeping tune and seem nice and smooth.   
The only change I'm thinking of making, is that my guitar is blue, and the tuning machines are gold colored, I think that chrome or nickel would look better, so I bought some chrome Schaller M6's but I haven't installed them yet. 
-K
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: flaggerphil on December 10, 2011, 11:52:55 PM
If this was a motorcycle forum, I'd ask what oil is best,  ::), but it's not, so.....


 :)
-Kris

BTW, I have absolutely no idea what kind of oil is in my motorcycles...whatever the dealer in St Louis and Florida put in them.

I know, I should be ashamed.

 :-[
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: InsideOut on December 14, 2011, 12:31:01 AM
Grover.  That is what it came with, and I have never any problems.
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: Edward on December 14, 2011, 11:47:35 AM
I've had the different tuners which have come stock with Taylors.  Never had a problem with any, including my '99 BabyT. where some have posted issues with them holding true.  All have worked well and turned smoothly.

So I was skeptical about the hoopla over the Gotoh 510s.  Until I got my first Taylor with gotohs already on ...wow!  This skeptic saw the light and felt the difference: both in smoothness and absoulte accuracy (as in zero gear lash = absolute precision).  Do these tuners make me a better player or sound better ...I wish!  But the feel better and look amazing .  Antique gold is my favorite fin and compliments Taylor's aesthetic appointments nicely.  BTW, that was a couple of years ago.  Let's just say at present, every Taylor I own (less the BabyT) now has gotoh 510s ...including the 410CE and GA7-E I am selling (that would be the shameless plug insertion).  :D

Edward
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: Iplay2 on December 14, 2011, 11:52:58 AM
I have to say that I am in the crowd of people that love Gotohs, though I just sold both of my guitars that had them.  I didn't really see what difference a set of tuners would make until I had the opportunity to try some out.  They are smooth, smooth, smooth, and the 21:1 ratio makes tunning a breeze.  I want to put them on both my 614ce and my 710, though I wish they weren't so blasted expensive.  I will get around to it one of these days...I guess Christmas is just around the corner.
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: Edward on December 14, 2011, 01:16:22 PM
Hmmm, so you obviously like dreds as per your sig.   Did I mention my 410ce- L30 ltd has Gotohs?  Gee, and it's in the classifieds ...what a coinkidink ...lol!  :D :D :D

Edward
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: not darth on December 14, 2011, 04:54:09 PM
I don't have any experience with Gotoh's or Grover's, so I can't really say what it'd be like to have such fine and smooth control, but I can attest to how horrible bad tuners can be.

My brother's Norma dread is in foster care at my home, he doesn't play and it's on long term loan to me. 
The headstock looks quite a bit like a Taylor headstock, and the tuners are open-geared 1:12.  Not only is the adjustment coarse, due to wear and/or crud they are stiff and, well, I guess "crunchy" is the best term. 
You'll apply finger pressure and nothing happens for a bit, then it will skip a little bit and then if you went too sharp and have to tune down a bit you turn the other way and at first there is slack, then another gritty adjustment. 

It's terribly frustrating and to make matters worse, for some reason this git goes slightly out of tune in one day, so before it can be played it must be retuned every time. 
Oh, and did I mention the action is so high you could nearly slip a pencil under the strings at the 14th fret! 
Yes, it's actually junk. 
It's not mine to sell (not worth anything anyway probably), brother doesn't want it back (lives way far away and can't easily transport, plus, he doesn't play) and I keep hoping that maybe the cat will pee on it or something equally tragic so I can get rid of it. 

I nearly gave up trying to learn to play because of this guitar.   :'(
Then I found Taylor.   ;D
-Kris
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: dcarey on December 14, 2011, 05:21:10 PM
I fitted my Taylors with Gotoh "Schaller Style" tuners. Like them much better than the original.

Dan
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: mcookoc on December 14, 2011, 10:44:29 PM
If this was a motorcycle forum, I'd ask what oil is best,  ::), but it's not, so.....


 :)
-Kris

BTW, I have absolutely no idea what kind of oil is in my motorcycles...whatever the dealer in St Louis and Florida put in them.

I know, I should be ashamed.

 :-[
       how often do you change your tuners?
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: MAS on December 14, 2011, 11:21:11 PM
I'm getting a set of Gotoh 510's in antique gold for Xmas. They will be going on the GS8. ;D
Title: Re: Poll: Tuners
Post by: Iplay2 on December 16, 2011, 08:17:32 AM
I'm getting a set of Gotoh 510's in antique gold for Xmas. They will be going on the GS8. ;D

Saaweet!  Antique gold Gotohs not only look amazing, they feel so good.  I had two guitars with them, and I would sometimes catch myself smiling like an idiot when I was tuning.  Its just fun to use them lol.  ::)