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Minimal tuner spacing for 12-string
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Author:  Dave Rector [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 4:35 am ]
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Can some of you that have built 12-strings chime in here and let me know what spacing you used between tuners?

I am using Schaller Mini tuners and have them layed out for a 1" spacing, center to center. This seems workable to me and I have drilled a test piece to verify but I would like feedback from someone who actually plays a 12-string. Do you think this is spacing them to close together?

TIA
Author:  Richard_N [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 4:43 am ]
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Hi,

My Wasburn 12 string has the tuners just under 1" centre to centre and seems fine.

Hope that helps
Author:  Dave Rector [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:22 am ]
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Cachalote, are you talking about the post being less than 1" center to center? I forgot to mention where I was measuring. If so, that is great!
Author:  crazytooguy [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:37 am ]
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I'm working on a 12er now, and I plan to use the Grover Rotomatic
minituners, because they are 0.730" long on the backside. You could, then,
place them 0.75" apart, and have a little wiggle room left. I personally don't
like 12 strings with really long headstocks, but the price for a shorter
headstock is cramped tuner knob spacing. Worth it to me, but some people
don't like that. It's especially annoying when you're restringing which, with a
12er, is never any fun.
Author:  Dave Rector [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:57 am ]
Post subject: 
Crazytoo, the cramped button issue is what I am trying to avoid. They seem okay to me with the 1" spacing, but I am not a 12-string player and am used to a little more space between knobs on a six-string. Maybe 12-string players are used to the tighter spacing?
Author:  matt jacobs [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:15 am ]
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Dave,
I used just under 1"(.98) center to center on mine. I used grover minis. Like crazytoo said, you could probably get them closer together, but too close and you'll have a tough time getting a string winder in there.
Author:  Richard_N [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
Cachalote, are you talking about the post being less than 1" center to center? I forgot to mention where I was measuring. If so, that is great!


Yes , The string posts are just over 24mm centre to centre.Cachalote39004.8930787037
Author:  Billy T [ Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:52 pm ]
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[quote]I personally don't like 12 strings with really long headstocks, but the price for a shorter headstock is cramped tuner knob spacing. [/quote]

Neither do I! I always considered if I build a 12 someday I would consider using the Rickenbacher layout. It also makes knobs clearer for the octave strings.

Author:  Dave Rector [ Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:41 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for the replys! I thought I was all right with the 1" spacing, just wanted some confirmation.
Author:  CecilJ [ Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:29 am ]
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Here's a couple of pictures of my headstock with tuners and 1" spacing. The headstock is rather long but the balance is okay.

.



I probably would have had the first tuners placed closer to the nut and shortened the top a bit if I did it again. The taper helps keep the headstock lighter.

The tuners are Gotoh and I think they are just a few thousands of an inch longer than the Schallers. You can see that there is not much space between tuners with the screw holes. If you get much closer they will be touching.

Stewart MacDonald has diagram sizes in their catalog but they don't show the button size. I don't know if the Schaller buttons are the same size. If you use a cheap plastic speedwinder designed for regular size buttons, you will bump other buttons if they are in line. If you stop at 90 degrees and fine tune by hand, you will not have a problem
Author:  crazytooguy [ Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:39 am ]
Post subject: 
Dave, you are quite correct about the string winder. A normal sized one
won't work on closely spaced knobs, so I made my own that's a bit smaller.
The slightly-under-1" spacing reslts in a headstock that's really not much
longer than a six string headstock with full size tuners. I just like to be
weird...
Author:  Dave Rector [ Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:54 am ]
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Cecil, the pics you showed are pretty much how my design looks at the present time. I think I'll just go ahead with the 1" spacing, it looks good to me. I'll let the owner worry about changing the strings.
Author:  Billy T [ Sun Oct 15, 2006 10:14 am ]
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    Cecil, Nice work on the twelve. THe headstock is tastefully done.

    I saw your headstock logo before and tried to read it, to no avail. Now I see your in Viet Nam!

    Is there a big market over there for acoustics. It's great talking to people from all over the world! Again, nice work!
Author:  martinedwards [ Sun Oct 15, 2006 10:09 pm ]
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I've just drilled the holes for my 6/12 doubleneck with the 12 holes at 25mm. looks OK so far
Author:  Dave Rector [ Mon Oct 16, 2006 6:31 am ]
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Thanks for the input Martin!

I just drilled the holes this morning at the 1" spacing. Looks like it will work out fine.
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