Hipshot Ultralite tuners

Happy Face

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For some reason. my JS-II is unbalanced - it has nasty head dive. I bought a set of 3/8" tuners to try to offset that. I was psyched, thinking about how I could start to use regular straps, being I am so obsessed with my on-stage appearance.

Today I went to install them. Ah well, for one, the set was four-in-line and, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to reverse a pair.

But that was academic in any case since the tuners do not fit into the 3/8" holes. I measured the hole carefully once I pulled one (smart idea!) and it measures 3/8" exactly. The Hipshot pegs have a screwed on sleeve that add a lot of width. So even if the set was 2x2, I'd have to rout out the holes, which I am not gonna do. Ah well.

Just be forewarned.

PS - when I pulled one tuner off, I found there were four screw holes on the head end hiding beneath the big plate. I wonder what sorta tuners a former owner had tried?
 

johnbiscuti

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Hipshot Ultralites are my favorite tuners by a long shot - every single one of my gigging basses wears them. It is the second thing I do to every "keeper" bass I buy (after changing the strings to flatwounds).

Currently, my '67 Starfire is wearing Ultralites on the E/A side (the tuners had already been swapped out for heavy Schallers anyway). As soon as I can find two for the D/G side, it'll be all Ultralites.
 

Happy Face

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Maybe I should bore out the holes. I just worry since it is a non-reversible mod.
 

johnbiscuti

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Maybe I should bore out the holes. I just worry since it is a non-reversible mod.

Of course I should preface this with the fact that I have 1/2" Ultralites on mine -- the holes have already been bore. Not sure I'd recommend it for an older bass!

If it's a keeper & a player, then I can't recommend the Ultralites enough, especially for a neck-heavy bass like a JetStar. One of my main basses is a Thunderbird and the Ultralites really saved the day for me on that bass.
 

hagmeat

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Currently, my '67 Starfire is wearing Ultralites on the E/A side (the tuners had already been swapped out for heavy Schallers anyway). As soon as I can find two for the D/G side, it'll be all Ultralites.

As far as I know, the hipshot ultralite bass tuners are convertible for installation on either side of the peghead.

See here on the stewmac website - http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/...nob.html?actn=100101&xst=1&xsr=4240&tab=Specs

Cheers. Rob.
[h=1][/h]
 

johnbiscuti

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Happy Face

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So he says in the review. I guess the weird allen-like hole on one side has some sort of threading. I'll check it out tonight before I send them back.

Gotta say I am getting tempted to keep them though.
 

johnbiscuti

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I just tried to do this with a set of licensed Ultralites I have here, but I don't have the right size hex key! UGH.

Let us know how it works out for you, Happy!
 

Happy Face

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OK, you can reverse them using a 1/16th inch Allen wrench.

Sloop, when I measure the casing it's 1/2" even though the box says 3/8". In your experience, did you have to rout out the peg holes to 1/2"?

I'm tempted on this bass since, like your Gibby, the head dive is pretty annoying.
 

johnbiscuti

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Sloop, when I measure the casing it's 1/2" even though the box says 3/8". In your experience, did you have to rout out the peg holes to 1/2"?

I'm tempted on this bass since, like your Gibby, the head dive is pretty annoying.

I did not have to touch the holes -- they had already been reamed out once upon a time for these heavy Schallers with wavy keys. Whatever they were, the Hipshots were a direct replacement (though I had to drill one extra hole for them).

Here's what I'm working with:

 

Happy Face

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Thanks John.

Well, get yourself a 1/16th hex and go to work. (I got my set at an auto parts store. Always handy, with a Rick & Steinie in the house too.)

I guess I'll cancel the return and give it a try as well. My JS-II has already been refined and the pickups swapped, so I guess there's no harm done.
 

twocorgis

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Frank, I don't think the Ultralite tuners use a hex key, IIRC it's a torx bit. Still loving the 1/2" conversion on my Casady bass. I've never done one on a Guild (never felt the need).
 
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Happy Face

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Well, I maybe I used the wrong term. I used the 1/16th allen wrench. One of those L shaped things. It worked.

But I will say that it looked odd. Maybe it is a torx?
 

Happy Face

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Just in case anyone is interested, the nice fella at Hipshot told me that the 3/8" designation is the measurement of the pole, not the sleeve. You need a 1/2" hole to fit the sleeve on a 3/8" model tuner. (It's 11/16" for the 1/2", as I recall he said.)

But a friend who is a skilled luthier was kind enough to accept the commission to rout out and install the Ultra-lites a week from Saturday
 

Happy Face

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My friend Jim K routed out the holes in the headstock so we could install the Ultralites.

Before:
JS01.jpg


After:
JS04.jpg


I had assumed that he would use a drill. Nope. In order to minimize the risk of cracking the headstock, he first used a hand router and then a irce of dowling with sandpaper wrapped around it. It took over two hours to finish the job. That's a REAL friend!

The special tool:
JS03.jpg


Jim at work:
JS02.jpg


He will order some mahogany dowling to fill in all of the screw holes.
 

twocorgis

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Excellent work Frank! I just left the holes on the Casady bass as they are for now, but may do something with them in the future.
 

edwin

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My Starfire has a set of Gotohs on it. They fit pretty well, only needing new set screws.
 

Happy Face

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I needed the Ultralites because this JS-II is really head-heavy. Even with a fishing weight in the control cavity!
 
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