Best tuners currently available
 

Yes, Ken, agreed that the old hand made ones are hard to beat but wasn't this thread about finding what's available on the market today?
Sloan's seem have the consensus aside from the slow tuning issue
Just thought members might be interested in Martyn's work anyway aside from the tuners, he's worked for all the big English dealers etc and on cointless rstorations of valuable basses and in addition makes very nice instruments in the English tradition.

Yes, they look nice but quite pricy. If the Dollar was the Pound, then it's a different thing. Arnold put a set of gears from Gallery on the Storioni copy he made for me and I had another set on some other bass that came thru from them as well. I don't know from pictures which are better but I know of Martyn's gears.

Maybe a neat option on Sloanes (or any high ratio machine) would be for the key to have a little hex "nub" on it - then you could use a drill or one of those cheapo electric screwdrivers without an extra bit. I don't think it would look odd or anything.

I also wanted to recommend Martyn Baileys machines. They really are beautifully made and work perfectly.

Does anyone have any experience with the tuners sold by gallery strings? They have a large selection and most can be used with blind holes.

http://www.gallerystrings.com/access...eads/index.htm

yes..
 

I have had two basses with gears that were put on new basses when they were made. They worked great.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...lott_mod11.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...croll-left.jpg

They look lovely on the website, but when I contacted them, some time ago, i was given the impression that not all the models shown are available. I don't imagine turnover is very quick, so they probably make on order. I may be wrong.

make on order?
 

I doubt that they 'make' the gears or does almost anyone else that 'sells' gears. Usually, the 'have them made' and sell their 'branded' gears.

This is what I believe personally.

When Arnold was making my bass, he called them for a particular gear and found only one or two styles were available, period. I don't know if that was going to change down the road but, now IS down the road and you received a similar reply.

So, if they have what you like, buy them. The other choice for similar looking gears are from Martyn Bailey. I don't know who or how his are made but I am sure coming from him, they will be at least as good.

I have these gears coming in from Hungary on basses made for me or old basses restored there that need gears. They work 'ok' and need a bit of going over to be smoothed out. I am not 100% where they are made. Either in eastern Europe or China in my guess. Maybe, I will bring some sets in but I have yet to even ask for prices for just the gears. I am just happy to see them on the basses.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...roll-right.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...roll-right.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...roll-front.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...croll-back.jpg

Okay, thanks for the input. Those look quite nice Ken. I got a cheap vibe from the website, but maybe that's from the low res photos. That's unfortunate they don't stock all the models, but that's not surprising honestly. The Martyn Bailey tuners are gorgeous, but I'm not really hip with drilling through holes. I do however like that you can adjust length of the worm gear shaft. I guess I'd like to see the two designs combined.

What have you got against tuners that go all the way through?

Structurally inferior...doesn't look as nice... I guess it's okay, but I don't think it's the best way to do it.

contact michael abarientos in the phillipines. his tuners are nicely made, if a bit heavy. i use on my basses and very happy. the price is right too at around $300 a set. He supplies to Kolsteins i'm pretty sure.

Update..
 

These are the Tuners I prefer now. I have had them put on 3 of my basses already and love them. New model of Antiqued Rubner gears.