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Been thinking about what tuners I want to stock as "standard" on my guitars that I build.  My "store" guitars have no name, grover, or guitar branded tuners.  I put Schaller M6A's with ebony buttons on the first build.  I found Gotoh with ebony buttons for $25 less a set.  I can't tell the difference.  I've never had problems with the no name variety, but I can't bring myself to put these on a guitar that I spent so much time building.  I've never had trouble tuning a guitar or find there is any slippage either.

I've never tried or seent he really high end ones like Waverly, etc. 

What do you use for tuners?   

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Laurie, I've used the Schallers and the Gotoh (Delta's). They are both awesome tuners.

However, the first time I tried Waverly's (on the guitar Hesh gave away) I was amazed. I took the guitar and dropped the big E down to D... I hadn't noticed what kind of tuners were on there... I immediately turned the guitar over to see what brand they were...

From now one, it's Waverly's only for me...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I'm currently in love with the 510s, and I'm quietly nudging customers to upgrade to them. I'm yet to try the Waverlys but I've got a feeling when I do they'll become my new favourite toy.

I currently put Rotomatics on my instruments as standard but I think I may change that to the Gotoh M6 clone because often the Grovers just don't feel right.

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Richard
http://www.guitarmaker.com

Laurie,

"Fit and Finish"
Ned Steinberger designed some tuners that are manufactured by "Planet Waves", which is now owned by D'Addario. They are 18:1, locking, and self-trimming. I have used only one set, but they may be something a bit different than the mainstream. The have the engineering, but aesthetically are not up to the Gotoh 510 "contour" styling or the finish of the better Schallers or Gotohs.

This is off the subject, but have you ever considered using Labradorite as fret markers? That would be quite a local signature!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

I will give another vote for the 510s. They are my standard tuners. I have used some Waverlys on a few vintage styled OM guitars. They are nice, but yes a bit over priced.

I use a few sets of Gotah standard machines on my first few guitars. They have been on the first guitar I built for 4 years now and still work great.

 

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

My favourite cheap tuners have to be the standard Gotoh machines. Excellent for the price, look good, work great, nothing wrong with them for around the 30 buck mark. Smoother than the two sets of Schallers I have, if I'm honest with myself. I've got a few Gotohs coming, and have some open-back grovers to try out, but that's as expensive as my tuning machines have ever gotten...