Sperzel Locking Tuners or Grover Locking Tuners?

[soulsoothin]

Hi all,

I am considering getting some locking tuners for my guitar. I am wanting to know which one is better in your opinion -- Sperzel or Grover--- and why you chose one over the other. Thanks.

Frank

[7String Thing]

i like my sperzels because i like the way they look and they work properly for me. ive only ever had a problem with one tuner because a string got caught next to the pin and it was impossible to get the jam out. other than that, they are a great tuner.

i dont have a set of the grovers, but i do have a set of the schaller's and they are also nice but not my favorite. they work well and are very smooth, but id rather have sperzels.

[?&!]

I use Sperzels. I bought the Grovers because they look right on an LP, but the lock mechanism isn't nearly as user friendly, and the posts stick up kind of far.

[guitaraddict]

I'm very happy with my Sperzels although I think the Grovers are a easier install.

[JUSTJOB]

I prefer the Sperzels. I like their locking mechanism, easy to use, and stay nice and tight.
Best Regards!

[walterw]

sperzels are the top dogs for a reason, but i've heard good things about the new hipshot locking keys. haven't seen them yet, though.

[Brett Valentine]

Sperzels

+1 on Sperzels above the Schallers for the same reasons as well

[Pa'ani]

+1 for Sperzels. Excellent locking tuners!

[stuagu]

sperzels... grovers, which prefer the look of, have made a locking mechanism that is (very) fiddly & sometimes when getting the top e out would stick so id have to get the screwy out. sperzels zperlses ssreplze gogogo

[Gas-man]

I put Sperzels on my Gretsch and dig on them.

When I first put them on the posts were so low I thought I got the wrong ones, but that's just the way they work.

[bionic]

I am looking for some locking tuners and was wondering if Sperzels will fit in where I had Grovers.

[Dave]

I don't care for the Grover locking mechanism either. The Sperzels are nice, I've got them on two guitars, but the best I've used are the Gotohs like Tom Anderson puts on his guitars, similar to these (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead_tuners/Gotoh_Mini_510_Locking_Tuners.html). They have a great locking mechanism and they look like regular sealed tuners. Pretty cool.

[Trebor Renkluaf]

Here's what I didn't like about Sperzels:
1. Compared to Schallers the knurled knob used to tighten them is really thin and tears up your fingers.

2. You can back them all the way out and there's this little pin that will fall out and render your tuner useless.

3. The tuning ratio is not as fine as Schallers: 16:1 for Schallers vs. 12:1 for Sperzels.

Here's what I like about the Sperzels: they are lighter than the Schallers.

I really don't care for the locking Grovers on my Tom Anderson guitars. They hold well, but are a bit of a pain to lock down and you need to use the key, or a scewdriver, or a quarter or somesuch.

I recently got some Gotoh/Kluson style locking tuners that I love. First they look vintage. Second they are light weight. Third they are simple to use - you simply thread the string through the whole, start tuning up and it locks in place automatically. These are my favorite I've tried so far.

[phantasm]

I like the Sperzels.
What's the cost on the hipshot locking tuners? I like thier bridges a whole lot.

[Help!I'maRock!]

grover, hipshot, gotoh, prs...ANYTHING but sperzel.

[Cokemachine]

We've been using the Hipshot locking tuners for over year and I've had them on my own guitar for most of that time. They work well. They're VERY light weight (it's an open back design). And the tuning ration is 18:1. Availability is also very good which can't always be said about some other tuners. The mechanism works in a similar manner to the Sperzel (which I consider to be a plus).

http://www.jimsoloway.com/CompletedSwans/G178-392Number2/G178-392Number2-Tuners.jpg

+1 on the Hipshot locking tuners. Anybody looking for an open back locking tuner design like the Sperzels should consider these. Like Jim said, their open back design makes for a very lightweight tuner and the 18:1 turn ratio makes for nice smooth tuning. Various tuner button styles are also now available from Hipshot to further customize the tuners to your aesthetic preference. I really like these tuners.

[?&!]

www.guitarfetish.com (http://www.guitarfetish.com) has the Wilkinson "EZ Lock" tuners, and they look interesting. Instead of a mechanism, the capstan has another hole perpendicular to the main string hole. You thread the string through both holes, and the tension "locks" the string. Does anyone have any experience with these?

[frankencat]

I have the Wilkinson ones on my Reverend and I don't care for them. They are not "locking" tuners, they just have an extra hole drilled in them to wrap the string around them. They are not bad tuners by themselves but the whole "locking tuner" name is a bit misleading and they are a pain in the rear to use. I would take a set of Sperzels or Gotoh's over the Wilky's any day. Heck, I would take a good set of regular Gotohs or Schallers over the Wilky's.

[?&!]

I have the Wilkinson ones on my Reverend and I don't care for them. They are not "locking" tuners, they just have an extra hole drilled in them to wrap the string around them. They are not bad tuners by themselves but the whole "locking tuner" name is a bit misleading and they are a pain in the rear to use. I would take a set of Sperzels or Gotoh's over the Wilky's any day. Heck, I would take a good set of regular Gotohs or Schallers over the Wilky's.

Thanks for the info! I'll just stick with my Sperzels.

[daddyo]

I have a tele with Schallers and a strat with Sperzels. They both work fine but the workmanship is better on the Schallers - the Sperzels have burs on the ends of the tuner shafts (opposite end to the buttons). The Schallers also have better knurling and a better ratio. So I prefer the Schallers.

[baimun]

We've been using the Hipshot locking tuners for over year and I've had them on my own guitar for most of that time. They work well. They're VERY light weight (it's an open back design). And the tuning ration is 18:1. Availability is also very good which can't always be said about some other tuners. The mechanism works in a similar manner to the Sperzel (which I consider to be a plus).

http://www.jimsoloway.com/CompletedSwans/G178-392Number2/G178-392Number2-Tuners.jpg


Jim... I'm going to have to try those out on my next custom.... they look to be like the sperzels in function, but the tuning keys look closer to the hipshot mini bass tuners in shape.

That will work well for me because my next one will have four guitar tuners on the treble side and two mini-bass tuners on the other to accomodate the unusual gauges I use on my fifths tuning. :AOK

[kodecar]

I don't care for the Grover locking mechanism either. The Sperzels are nice, I've got them on two guitars, but the best I've used are the Gotohs like Tom Anderson puts on his guitars, similar to these (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead_tuners/Gotoh_Mini_510_Locking_Tuners.html). They have a great locking mechanism and they look like regular sealed tuners. Pretty cool.

Those are cool. How does the locking mechanism work?

[Marcel]

I don't care for the Grover locking mechanism either. The Sperzels are nice, I've got them on two guitars, but the best I've used are the Gotohs like Tom Anderson puts on his guitars, similar to these (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead_tuners/Gotoh_Mini_510_Locking_Tuners.html). They have a great locking mechanism and they look like regular sealed tuners. Pretty cool.

The picture of the Gotoh tuner shows a low post, so are these 6-in-lines tuners staggered -like the Sperzels?

[mybusinessmy]

If the guitar is a Stratocaster with vintage/"Kluson style" tuning heads, I would recommend NEITHER and go with the Gotoh Vintage Oval Knob tuners, as they are a direct retrofit!

If it's not, I am comfortable enough to recommend both the Sperzels and Schallers, as I have owned guitars with both (and the Gotohs).

[PrestonBrick]

Sperzels are cool. I would buy them simply because here in town i went to Sperzel and they were some of the nicest people i have met. They were around before cars were invented. They made horse shoes first, then tire pump parts, and now tuners. They opened the shop up for me.

[oscar100]

sperzal goooood :RoCkIn

[stratrat2000]

Gotoh are my first choice - excellent mechanism, nice ratio and really well made. The cam locks keep the weight down too (I like chunky necks and lighter tuners with wood or pearloid keys help keep the balance). Easy to use too and are a breeze to use. The only thing that could improve them is staggered posts (or staggerd post holes - I'm not fussy). Sperzel will make them with height adjustable posts - but no-one stocks them.

Otherwise, for the thumbwheel tuners, I like the Schallers for six-a-side headstocks (they are staggered) and the Planet Waves for 3+3. Neither have quite the same precision gearing as the Gotoh, but are close. They're both quite heavy though. I see Schaller does a top lock tuner too, which is a lot lighter, but I haven't tried them and they are not staggered.

Grover, I like the cam design, but they don't seem to make them like they used to - there's too much play for me and they seem to wear quickly.

I got a sets of Sperzel a while ago and was extremely disappointed in them. They had areas of stiffness in the rotation, lashback, play - everything that could be wrong, was. I figured I'd got a dud set with bad gears (it happens), so I got another set... which were even worse, and added sharp post hole edges to my list of complaints (I broke three strings before I realised). Other folks are happy with them, so maybe it was a bad batch from my supplier - but I haven't tried another set to find out.

The Steinberger Gearless have a wonderful design, but are both heavy and ugly. Judging purely from pics they seem to pull the strings further over than regular tuners and on Fender headstocks seem to pull the low E into contact with the wood behind the nut. I must still try a set and see.

So my quest for a locking tuner that is lightweight, staggered and is really precision engineered continues...