Looking for an affordable way to make your bass even better? Then a quality set of aftermarket tuners will not only improve the feel, and tuning stability, but also the tone of your instrument.
Tuners are often overlooked as just being functional, but they are one of the most important pieces of hardware on your instrument. Your bass may have a silky smooth neck, fantastic pickups, and a quality bridge, but if it’s out of tune, you will sound awful. And good quality bass tuners are the way to ensure that it is quick and easy to get perfectly in tune, and most importantly, that it stays that way.
But which set of tuning machines should you choose, and why? Well, it’s time to find out as I guide you through everything you ever wanted to know about bass tuners. Let’s start with the very basics…
What are Bass Tuners?
The headstock of your bass usually has four metal objects on it which you thread your strings through. These are the tuners (or tuning pegs, machine heads, or tuning machines as they are also known). There is one tuner per string and it will raise or lower the pitch of the string depending on which way the key of the tuner is rotated.
What are Detuners?
Some tuners also include a detuner function which is a small lever that will instantly drop or raise one of the strings to a preset pitch, such as from E down to D. These are a superb option for bassists performing live who use standard and dropped tunings.
Features of Bass Tuners
Let’s now take a look at the most common features of different styles of tuners, starting with…
Headstock Tuner Layout
You need to buy a replacement set of tuners that matches the tuner layout of your headstock. You may have 4-in-a-line on either the bass or treble side of your headstock, 2+2, 3+1, or a more unusual configuration.
Materials
Most bass tuners are constructed from steel for strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion. Budget and low-priced bass guitars will have steel tuners but they will use low-quality steel which will not be as durable as on better-quality tuning machines. Aftermarket tuners are made using far better quality steel for a long life of precise tuning.
Some of the best bass tuners are constructed from aluminium. They are more expensive but much lighter in weight, making them an excellent choice for bass guitars that are prone to nose diving.
Or, if you want a set of tuning machines that are even more high-tech, how about carbon fibre, such as the GB-530T Carbon Fiber Tuning Pegs for Bass Gear ratio 1:26 from Guyker? These high-quality bass tuners are super strong, ultra-lightweight, and look fantastic!
Finishes
This is purely aesthetic and won’t affect the way your tuners function. But looks are important, especially for gigging bassists, and the cooler your bass looks, the cooler you will be!
The majority of bass tuners from most manufacturers are available in a choice of finishes, normally chrome, nickel, gold, or black. Most bassists replace their tuners with the same color as the rest of their hardware. But if, for example, you are also adding an aftermarket bridge (or intend to in the near future), you can get a lot more creative and go for a new color. One of the most stylish sets of bass tuners on the market is the Guyker GK150BKGD Headstock Sealed Bass Tuners Machine Heads, which come in black and gold as opposed to most tuners which are only a single color.
Key Style
Another aesthetic choice is the style of key, which, after all, is the part of the tuning peg that the audience will see most of the time.
They are available in many different designs, such as clover leaf key, lollipop key, mini clover key, and Y key. Which one you choose is purely a personal decision!
Sealed or Open-Gear
Some tuning machines are exposed (open-gear), others are enclosed (sealed). Therefore, if you can’t see the gear, the tuners are sealed.
Sealed tuners contain grease within their metal housing which means they are always lubricated. This makes them resistant to dirt and rust, therefore they will be more durable than open-gear tuners and need next to no maintenance.
However, many popular bass guitars, especially the traditional designs such as the Fender Precision are still manufactured with open-gear tuners, and many bassists replace them with aftermarket open-gear tuners to maintain the classic look.
Gear Ratio
Many musicians tend to ignore the string ratio of different tuners because they either don’t understand what it means or think that it can’t make that much difference. So, let’s start by explaining what it is… the gear ratio is the number of times you need to turn the tuning key to complete one rotation of the string post (the shaft that the string is threaded through).
Therefore, the higher the number, the more precisely you can tune your bass. For example, a tuning machine with a 27:1 gear ratio is more precise than one with a 22:1 ratio.
Bore Size
Often overlooked, get this right and it will save you a lot of time and frustration. The bore size is the size of the holes in your headstock. If your aftermarket tuners are exactly the same size, they will slot in nicely, if not, you’ll need to get the drill out which could lead to lacquer cracks or worse.
To measure the bore size of your headstock, remove one of the tuners and then carefully measure the width of the hole - it will normally be 14.3mm (9/16”) or 17.5mm (11/16”).
Wrapping It Up
That’s it, you now have all the information you need to select the best bass tuners for your bass guitar.
Adding a set of quality aftermarket tuners will dramatically improve your playing experience every time you pick up your beloved bass. You’ll be able to tune more precisely, your strings will stay in tune for longer, and you’ll get more sustain. It’s a no-brainer, so get shopping today!
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