changing from geared tuners to friction?

ashleychantel

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Just wondering if anyone has ever changed tuners from geared to friction? I searched the forum but I could only find topics on changing out from friction tuners. I can't stand the weight and the look of the geared tuners. I'll take it to a luthier to have it done, so I'm not doing a home job.. I just wanted to know if it's even possible as I've heard that geared tuners require larger holes.
 
I'm interested to know this as well. My soprano Lanikai has geared tuners that often get in the way when I play particular chords, such as D. I'd love to convert to friction tuners which would be more out of the way.
 
i have the "peghed" (sp?) tuners on a couple ukes. they look like friction tuners, but are geared. and they work well! they're also lightweight.
 
I love PegHed tuners, although they seem a bit long on soprano ukes (in my opinion..). That was the only transition I've made towards friction tuning machines. I'm sure it's possible though. Why the switch, just personal preference?
 
I think most geared tuners use a screw or two to anchor them on the back of the headstock, so that would be the only problem I would see in that you might be left with some small holes where the screws were. I don't think the size of the holes is much different though.....maybe some of the luthiers can chime in here.
 
I was looking at the Grover website and they give the diameter of the holes required for their pegs, and the geared were smaller. So you should have no trouble going to larger holes, except for the aforementioned extra screw holes.
 
I love PegHed tuners, although they seem a bit long on soprano ukes (in my opinion..). That was the only transition I've made towards friction tuning machines. I'm sure it's possible though. Why the switch, just personal preference?

yeah, I think geared tuners really take away from the looks of a uke and in my opinion they make a standard soprano or concert uke feel a bit off balance. The one I'm wanting to change them on is a concert.. I didn't even think about the extra screws on the geared tuners.. it's a pretty expensive uke so I don't really want to have all these extra little holes in the headstock.

edit: blonde moment.. the extra holes will be on the back of the headstock so it wouldn't really bother me too much. maybe I'll call around to a couple of luthiers and see what I can find out.
 
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Depending on your luthier, the residual screw holes shouldn't be a problem, but matching a finish is an art form in itself, so be sure they know what they're doing!
 
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