Post by antares on Mar 11, 2021 10:41:42 GMT -6
Sorry for a long one but ...
Yes folks, I finally stepped up and pulled the trigger on a set of Kluson "Banjo" tuners for my Firebird. The factory installed tuners are the spawn of s4t4n and feel like eccentrically profiled or egg-shaped ball bearings running in a laterally grooved race. Tuning was a case of going high and then releasing under tension- clump clump clump- to the desired pitch. This was especially enjoyable when changing strings because of the number of times it is necessary to retune while the strings settle in. I've never subscribed to that string stretching routine everyone seems to do. Why subject human flesh to that when you have tuners that will do it for you?
Digression: once tuned up to pitch, push down on the strings right next to the saddles. What is happening is that the string has only undergone elastic deformation at first and if you look carefully across the top of the saddles, you can see that the strings do not make a definite fold across the fulcrum, there is an almost imperceptible curve in the strings as they leave the saddles heading towards the pickups. As the metal gives up the struggle and settles down into plastic deformation from the slight curve to a straighter line, the tuning stabilises. If you press down and make that slight bend over the saddles, you'll experience much faster settlement without wildly yanking up on the cheese cutters with your fleshy little digits. The same applies to the nut really but just attending to the saddles end works wonders alone.
Anyway, the Kluson advertising spiel claims that their new planetary tuners are supposed to be re-engineered slightly, and I can confirm that whilst still not in the league of Sperzels, they are indeed a vast improvement over Gibson's lamentable excuses (whoever made them). But- there always has to be a gotcha or two doesn't there? First up, having extracted the low "E" bush, I was very pleased to discover that the new bushes are smaller and rattle in the peg head holes. Kluson state that the peg head holes may need to be enlarged to fit these newer 5/16" capstan bushes, but they didn't anticipate that they would in fact be too small. Moreover, the existing Gibson bushes have an Art Deco stepped profile which renders them higher than the Klusons. This means that having been forced to redeploy the Gibson bushes there is a recess in the bush around the protruding capstan. (Read: dust trap.) This is made worse because 50% of the reason for shelling out some two hundred bucks was to end up with nickel plated hardware to match the rest of the guitar and I'm stuck with chromium plated bushes.
Secondly, I was one screw short. Now, writing as an ex aerospace quality assurance operative, I can confirm that Airbus (and especially- the paper pushers at Boeing) always led me a right song and dance over loose parts kits. Parts missing ended up penalising our company in one way or another. I can see why because on an aircraft the inference is that if you can't get the loose parts kit 100%, what more important aspects have you dropped off on? But guys, 12 screws, 6 bushes and 6 machine heads and you leave out a screw for $200? Yeuch. Yep- I have one chromium plated screw too.
I always say that we should count our blessings, but that doesn't mean that mediocrity should pass without comment. I don't blame the American store where I bought them, it's not their fault in any way because they are no doubt of Korean manufacture (or wherever) but I am tired of encountering this poor service. Caveat emptor- I bought Stateside to save a good $50 (even after taxes and duties) over ripoff UK prices, but had I bought it from the UK distributors or their retail outlets, they would have had them back. Oh well, it gave the UK taxman, Pitney Bowes, eBay and PayPal a bit more for their pension funds.
So, counting blessings- they tune much better now, and they are in that lovely honey tinged nickel plated finish which ages so gracefully. I shall put the old ones in the case with all the other cheap Gibson hardware.
Now about that nickel plated Maestro Vibrola ...
e&oe ...
Yes folks, I finally stepped up and pulled the trigger on a set of Kluson "Banjo" tuners for my Firebird. The factory installed tuners are the spawn of s4t4n and feel like eccentrically profiled or egg-shaped ball bearings running in a laterally grooved race. Tuning was a case of going high and then releasing under tension- clump clump clump- to the desired pitch. This was especially enjoyable when changing strings because of the number of times it is necessary to retune while the strings settle in. I've never subscribed to that string stretching routine everyone seems to do. Why subject human flesh to that when you have tuners that will do it for you?
Digression: once tuned up to pitch, push down on the strings right next to the saddles. What is happening is that the string has only undergone elastic deformation at first and if you look carefully across the top of the saddles, you can see that the strings do not make a definite fold across the fulcrum, there is an almost imperceptible curve in the strings as they leave the saddles heading towards the pickups. As the metal gives up the struggle and settles down into plastic deformation from the slight curve to a straighter line, the tuning stabilises. If you press down and make that slight bend over the saddles, you'll experience much faster settlement without wildly yanking up on the cheese cutters with your fleshy little digits. The same applies to the nut really but just attending to the saddles end works wonders alone.
Anyway, the Kluson advertising spiel claims that their new planetary tuners are supposed to be re-engineered slightly, and I can confirm that whilst still not in the league of Sperzels, they are indeed a vast improvement over Gibson's lamentable excuses (whoever made them). But- there always has to be a gotcha or two doesn't there? First up, having extracted the low "E" bush, I was very pleased to discover that the new bushes are smaller and rattle in the peg head holes. Kluson state that the peg head holes may need to be enlarged to fit these newer 5/16" capstan bushes, but they didn't anticipate that they would in fact be too small. Moreover, the existing Gibson bushes have an Art Deco stepped profile which renders them higher than the Klusons. This means that having been forced to redeploy the Gibson bushes there is a recess in the bush around the protruding capstan. (Read: dust trap.) This is made worse because 50% of the reason for shelling out some two hundred bucks was to end up with nickel plated hardware to match the rest of the guitar and I'm stuck with chromium plated bushes.
Secondly, I was one screw short. Now, writing as an ex aerospace quality assurance operative, I can confirm that Airbus (and especially- the paper pushers at Boeing) always led me a right song and dance over loose parts kits. Parts missing ended up penalising our company in one way or another. I can see why because on an aircraft the inference is that if you can't get the loose parts kit 100%, what more important aspects have you dropped off on? But guys, 12 screws, 6 bushes and 6 machine heads and you leave out a screw for $200? Yeuch. Yep- I have one chromium plated screw too.
I always say that we should count our blessings, but that doesn't mean that mediocrity should pass without comment. I don't blame the American store where I bought them, it's not their fault in any way because they are no doubt of Korean manufacture (or wherever) but I am tired of encountering this poor service. Caveat emptor- I bought Stateside to save a good $50 (even after taxes and duties) over ripoff UK prices, but had I bought it from the UK distributors or their retail outlets, they would have had them back. Oh well, it gave the UK taxman, Pitney Bowes, eBay and PayPal a bit more for their pension funds.
So, counting blessings- they tune much better now, and they are in that lovely honey tinged nickel plated finish which ages so gracefully. I shall put the old ones in the case with all the other cheap Gibson hardware.
Now about that nickel plated Maestro Vibrola ...
e&oe ...
