Gotoh style auto-locking tuners

[eruji]

I just picked up an RT150 on the bay and would like to put some locking tuners in it. I have no experience with them and would like to hear some opinions.

It looks like you have two options for locking tuners:

the gotoh auto locking tuners that cinch down as you turn the pegs. or the manual clamp down style that you tighten from beneath the pegs.

my first instinct is to get the auto-locking ones because they look almost identical to the originals (with no funny looking button clamp on the bottom) and they seem like they would be less hassle because you would not have to lock them in (which really isnt that big of a deal).

however ive never had any locking tuners before so. which do you prefer?

[TheOrangeChannel]

I'd actually like to add some cosmo black ones to two of my prestige 1570's to facilitate quicker string changes... anybody know if they make these aftermarket available? That drop in to the stock ones?

[scottop1972]

i found some on the web and ordered one to replace another one from a similar series guitar. the shaft was a bit shorter that the original, but it fit so i went with it.

cant remember the website. google for it and you should be able to find it.

[stratoskier]

eruji -- both types work fine, but I find the ones with the knobs below a little easier.

Whichever way you go, I'd encourage you to get staggered height tuners, as the RT has a straight headstock. If you don't get staggered height (shorter for the high strings) you may have to use string trees which can contribute to tuning problems. Otherwise, you may not have enough break angle to give you a clean, strong tone. I don't know why, but this is a particular problem on RTs -- I have 5 of them.
Bert

[eruji]

Excellent advice stratoskier...

the only ones ive seen with the staggered peg heights are the schallers, are there any others?

which ones do you have strato? did they require any modification to the existing tuning holes in the headstock? and do you have any spare pick guards for an rt. im currently refinishing my rt150...

[stratoskier]

I mostly use Sperzels, but yes, they do require a slightly bigger hole, and the old pin hole from the Gotohs will be visible after mounting. That doesn't bother me. Recently, I thought I read that one of the other companies was making staggered height lockers that WOULD be a direct swap for the Gotohs -- can't recall if it was Gotoh, Planet Waves, or Schaller? You might try searches at StewMac and AllParts. I don't know if the Schallers are a direct swap, but I'm pretty sure that topic has been discussed here previously.

I don't have any spare RT pickguards -- I left them all stock.

[Dino]

I dunno but those Planet waves that clip the string for you are a lazy mans dream!

[stratoskier]

I need to amend my last statement that the Sperzels required a bigger tuner hole -- I was thinking of a different guitar I recently mounted Sperzels on. The tuner hole diameter is fine on the RTs, but you do have to add another small hole for the Sperzel pin and fill the old screw hole from the Gotohs.

[eruji]

thanks for the clarification..

[eruji]

picked up a set of locking sperzels...

refinishing the rt, cant wait to get it back together again.

thanks for everyones help.