Ears or No Ears? (On your headstock)

Ears or No Ears (on your headstock)


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b.r.us546

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Purely an aesthetic question.

Just curious to see how many out there like seeing the tuner knobs stick out of the sides of the headstock (Guitar style) or hidden behind the headstock (Planetary tuners, friction tuners). Or again, if you like looks of the tuner knobs installed on a slotted headstocks? Who just doesn't care.

I don't mind that the tuner knobs stick out the sides if the knobs were made of solid wood or another material not just the silver metal ones. If I had the silver metals knobs then I'd prefer them hidden behind the headstock.
 

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I like ears...just changed out the "stealth and friction" tuners on my new to me Kamaka White Label Baritone to "eared and geared" tuners.
 
I like planetary tuners on a solid headstock. I do love a slotted head stock if available, just don't like the appearance of rabbit ears
 
Anything but friction tuners... friction pegs are always a PIA for me. Cheap tuning machines are less hassle for me even than the nice friction tuners. And quality tuning machines are a pleasure to use.

As far as where they stick out? As long as they aren't poking my eye I'm not picky.
 
I like planetary tuners on a solid headstock. I do love a slotted head stock if available, just don't like the appearance of rabbit ears

^ this... but not limited to planetary. Good friction tuners are fine with me on sopranos and concerts.
My least favorite setup is "ears" but they don't prevent me from buying a uke.
 
Anything but friction tuners... friction pegs are always a PIA for me. Cheap tuning machines are less hassle for me even than the nice friction tuners. And quality tuning machines are a pleasure to use.

Opinions vary. But I can say that the sealed mechanical tuners that came on my Kanilea Islander MST-4 are far more problematic for me than even the cheapest plastic friction tuners, now 13+ years old, that came on my Kolohe concert. And the friction tuners on my Kiwaya are my favorite tuners in my ukulele horde... which includes a soprano with Gotoh UPTs.
 
I like ‘em stickin’ out the back best for looks, but I have a heck of a time usin’ that kind.

What are Planetary Tuners vs. Frictions? The kind on my banjos (out the back and twist clockwise then back and
always back over the mid point), are an abomination, but I like the way they look.

I can use “regular,” uke ears, but they look dumb on a banjo. I like uke ones that are on the sides but point backwards like on a slotted peghead too.

Ahhh, well . . . Nothin’ is ever perfect, I guess. :eek:ld:
 
Opinions vary. But I can say that the sealed mechanical tuners that came on my Kanilea Islander MST-4 are far more problematic for me than even the cheapest plastic friction tuners, now 13+ years old, that came on my Kolohe concert. And the friction tuners on my Kiwaya are my favorite tuners in my ukulele horde... which includes a soprano with Gotoh UPTs.

Perhaps I have been lucky not to get really bad tuning machines... I have used a few that were grindy and one uke even had an open gear machine that froze up, but once I got it moving again it worked well enough.
 
I voted "don't care"
 
My favorite is slotted, but I also like the ones that stick out to the side, or planetary tuners for a specific look. Depends a bit on the entire look/design of an instrument. The only thing I try to avoid is friction tuners - they simply don't give me the precision I need.
 
I prefer with ears, mostly because I've just had one too many experiences where behind the head tuning pegs just didn't stick, or were just really low quality. I'm sure that there are good quality behind the head pegs, but because of my experiences, I'm not a big fan of them.
 
I just bought a used Fluke here on the Marketplace, which Is my first experience with planetary tuners, I normally don't like them but the Fluke was a good deal and I wanted a beater uke. I always prefer geared tuners, sticking out or back, these planetary are a PIA, as soon as I got the uke I had to tighten the knob screws so they would not slip, which made the tuners more difficult to get a precise turn. I'm debating if I'll replace them with geared planetary tuners.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video
 
I just bought a used Fluke here on the Marketplace, which Is my first experience with planetary tuners, I normally don't like them but the Fluke was a good deal and I wanted a beater uke. I always prefer geared tuners, sticking out or back, these planetary are a PIA, as soon as I got the uke I had to tighten the knob screws so they would not slip, which made the tuners more difficult to get a precise turn. I'm debating if I'll replace them with geared planetary tuners.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video

I think you are talking about friction tuners?
 
Geared tuners look just fine to me. I hate friction pegs. Planetary tuners are fine, but I don't see the need for the expense over geared. And I would prefer NOT to have a slotted headstock as they seem to be a silly affectation that probably results in a more fragile instrument.

But then, I only play tenors. I will admit that on sopranos the large geared tuners do look a bit out of place sometimes.
 
Prefer Gotoh UPT’s on a traditional headstock and just love slotted headstocks. But I don’t let geared tuners deter me from purchasing a Ukulele that I like.
 
Because I stick to concert sized ukes, I prefer planetary tuners. I don't mind the stickie out the side ones, if they're good ones, and the buttons aren't huge.
Friction pegs? Ugh.
Slotted headstock? Not on a concert uke, no thanks.
 
My taste may change a little in the future, but so far I prefer Guitar style, and Planetary geared.
 
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