Opinions - best tuning gears?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

I've been using the Sloanes from Gage. I like them much better since they started making them with the lightweight aluminum shafts. If you like really fast tuning these are not for you.

[Thomas Erickson]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

I've been using the Sloanes from Gage. I like them much better since they started making them with the lightweight aluminum shafts. If you like really fast tuning these are not for you.

I've wondered about that before, since I haven't seen the aluminum version yet - so is it just the shaft that is aluminum then? I like most aspects of the original Sloanes, including the ratio, but the weight is a bit of a nagging issue. Do you think there's any compromise in feel or durability with the aluminum?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

No compromise. The shafts are anodized to match the brass color. The only thing is, if you mount them all the way through the scroll, the opposite side will be silver. I don't find this objectionable, since it polishes up to a nice sheen that goes well with the stainless steel worm gear. And on new basses, I don't drill through. I think there is about a 25% weight reduction.

[Ken Smith]

I like the quality of them but I do not like the look of the mounting plates under the gears. Also, I do not like how slow they tune. I too have used Hat Peg gears and there are the fastest to change strings but not the easiest to tune. Two of the very expensive old Italian basses in the Philly Orchestra have old Hat Peg gears on them and the owners/players are fine with it.

Personally, I love the old English gears, the real Bakers and the older versions of them, possibly by other English gear makers of the 19th century. Any copy of these that actually work and turn smoothly are my kind of bass gears. Nothing I have seen beats the Baker's or similar period English gears.

If a Bass is French, it should have French gears on it and repaired to work as well as possible. If English, English gears or something close to it.

For German or Italian; English gears on the Italian if possible and German on the German is my like. Some finer German gears look French but they are German make but French 'style', not French made. I have one old German bass with actual French gears and they will stay on. No great bargain but they work. My Prescott had French gears as well.

As long as they work or can be made to work and they look ok, leave them be.

[Thomas Erickson]

Nice to know that the Sloane shafts are anodized. Like Ken, I'm not a big fan of the look of the plate - but I do like the high ratio. I don't generally have a need to change strings in a hurry, and I've spent enough time playing (other people's) basses with lurching gears that the slow tuning is kind of nice.

[Matthew Tucker]

IMO if you're not using the cheap string winder attachment for cordless screwdriver that All Hail sells, you're making string changes a harder job than it needs to be.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Sloanes now come with a free winder that goes on your drill. I have quite a collection.

[Ruben E garcia]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

I've been using the Sloanes from Gage. I like them much better since they started making them with the lightweight aluminum shafts. If you like really fast tuning these are not for you.

Are you refering to this:

Irving Sloane Bass Machines By David Gage???


http://www.davidgage.com/store/index...4d999f7d9e3e5e

[Ruben E garcia]

Question for you guys... are Ebony ones considered the best ones??? the could be quite expensive...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ruben E garcia

Question for you guys... are Ebony ones considered the best ones??? the could be quite expensive...

No, the Rubner HatPegs to me are much less expensive than any of the higher grade Baker type copies or the Sloans. The Ebony is cheap as compared to high grade machining. The Rubners are the same gears as the metal ones but made to house the Ebony or Rosewood shafts. I have had both and they are in my book, medium grade machines. They will only work as good as the 'machined' Gear/Worm parts are. The Ebony shaft just holds the string. Also, the installer has to drill the hole in the wood for the string.

[Thomas Erickson]

^^^ What he said.

I think the basic Rubners are good simple gears for the money (cheeeeep), but not much more. The hatpeg versions seem rather pointless to me - more money for something that usually looks goofy.

[Thomas Erickson]

Anybody used both Sloanes and the Krutz gears and want to compare?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

Anybody used both Sloanes and the Krutz gears and want to compare?

I would take the Krutz as they tune easier and quicker. Sometimes you get a slightly sticky gear in the set but that can be adjusted.

I just like them better and also, I think they are slighter cheaper. They are heavier maybe but not that big of a difference.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

Anybody used both Sloanes and the Krutz gears and want to compare?

I hate to disagree with our esteemed host, but to me the Sloanes win hands-down over the Krutz gears (which I hear are out of production anyway).