Changing Tuners-Help!

Hello all, I just bought a new fluke concert ukulele. I love the sound and the look, its great!

My problem is it has friction peg tuners, and I've gotten so used to my lanikai's geared tuners that I'm having so much trouble with these!

I know you have to use a screw driver to tune it, which I tried to do, but I'm finding it extremely difficult, and I ended up popping off my G string by accident!

Is it at all possible to change the friction pegged tuners to geared tuners?


Please help! thanks everyone

You don't need a screwdriver to tune it. You only need to tighten the screws if they are too loose and the tuner is slipping. Also if the screws are too tight and it's really hard to turn the tuners then loosen them a bit. It makes tuning easier if the tuners turn smoothly. If they're too tight it will be more difficult to get in tune.

When I first got my fluke I hated the friction tuners too. I was used to geared tuners on guitars. After a while you get used to them though. Now I don't really mind them. You just have to keep in mind when tuning that barely turning them makes a big difference.

I don't know of geared replacement tuners for flukes.

In conclusion, tune your tuners with the screwdriver and tune your ukulele with the well adjusted tuners.

thanks gobes!! I'll try that once I re-string it

The other thing is just give it some time. Friction tuners take a bit of getting used to initially, but you'll develop a feel for them.
It's kind of like going from an automatic to a stick shift. Neither is better or worse. only different ways to accomplish the same thing. It's good to know how to handle both.

When I got a Flea in September, the only thing I disliked was the friction tuners. But I remembered Howlin Hobbit's advice about them: Pinch, don't twist. It made a big difference and made them much easier to deal with.