'F' Tuner fitting issues.

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Addam
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'F' Tuner fitting issues.

Post by Addam »

I've been collecting parts to piece together a '70s style Mustang.
To tie in with the whole '70s vibe, I got some reissue 'F' tuners.
Any way the main issue is the spacing of the Allparts neck Vs the tuners.
Measuring from centre of the holes/tuners E - E.
The Allparts neck measures 119mm and the tuners measure 123mm.
4mm doesn't sound alot, but it means that these tuners wont fit.
Any suggestions?

Incidentally, I have a Bronco with 'F' tuners that measures 122mm between centres, and a telecaster-style neck with Kluson-style tuners is 120mm between centres.

Anyway, I'm slightly pissed off, because like a prick, I assumed they would all be standardised.
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theworkoffire
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Post by theworkoffire »

I've run into this before. My Jag and JM neck templates (which were both cut directly from late 60s necks with F-tuners) are 119 and 120mm spacing respectively. Vintage Fs must be slightly smaller. I've just measured some re-issues I have knocking about and they're the same 123mm as yours, and some similar shaped Schaller tuners I have are 128mm, which is even worse.

The only thing I can suggest, if you're determined to use those tuners, is to plug and re-drill that neck, which is prefectly feasible - the new holes would be 10mm anyway for the re-issues, so only a tiny sliver of repair would remain on the outer two holes, and the bushings would cover that.

Failing that, you'd need to hunt down some vintage F-tuners.