Installing tuning gears

[Craig Regan]

I am about to drill a bunch of holes into the pegbox for tuning gears.

The photo below shows a 1/8" ply tracings of the tuners, being laid out on the peg box.

What are some things look for in a good layout?

What should I avoid?

Any comments would be appreciated.

[Ken Smith]

Wait until you have the actual Gears in hand so you know the exact size and angle they need to be drilled at. The Gear end of the the hole and the post anchored end are often two different sizes in diameter.

Wait! That's the best thing to do.

[Anselm Hauke]

hi craig

some interesting info you can find here:

http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=618

i like it this way:

[Craig Regan]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Wait until you have the actual Gears in hand so you know the exact size and angle they need to be drilled at. The Gear end of the the hole and the post anchored end are often two different sizes in diameter.

Wait! That's the best thing to do.

The gears are on my bench.

I made the tracings because the tuner shaft does not come off easily, making them difficult to position on the peg box.

[Matthew Tucker]

I think the gears look best when the handle shafts are perpendicular to the curve of the back of the scroll. But this can put the handles a little too close for comfort, so you have to play around with them a bit. ideally the pegs when fitted will not cause the strings to rub against the next peg, but this is tricky to achieve as well.

To drill the holes perpendicular to the cheeks, I mount a piece of 4" x 1/2" timber in my drill press, then with the timber inside the pegbox, clamp the pegbox edge to this. the cheek is now perpendicular to the drill and the timber serves as a backing piece to stop the drill from splitting the inside of the cheek.

[Ken Smith]

On the Strings reversed on the E and A, put the bass side gears lower than the g/d gears if it will get an Extension to play safe. If not, the reverse is ok with the G the lowest to extend the E. Overall, the regular way with the E on the A post is my favorite and most versatile. If putting an Extension on with the Gears reversed (G the lowest) then if an Extension is installed, the upper gear may be too far and the string can cut into the peg box or the lower Gear might be too low.

This also depends on the length of the gear box itself as well as the pitch or curve of the pegbox and the way the gears are installed.

Over the next few weeks I have a few Shows to do locally (South Pacific) and an Orchestra concert as well doing some Ellington and Gershwin. I will use my Mougenot for both jobs, currently strung with Evah weichs and put the E on the upper post as well. This bass was made originally as a 4-string which is typical for all of the Vuillaume Basses. The Mougenot has an extra long scroll/pegbox as well pushing everything up at least another inch (web pics show old string tuning). With those big ear handled French gears, the longer 'box is a blessing for my knuckles when changing strings or even just tuning the bass.

[Craig Regan]

Thanks for the comments and ideas, they were very helpful.

For some reason, it was difficult drilling out the first hole. After the first one, everything went fine.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

It helps to drill the holes before hollowing the pegbox. That way you don't get blow-outs. It's also way easier if the neck is seperate from the body.

[Craig Regan]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

It helps to drill the holes before hollowing the pegbox. That way you don't get blow-outs. It's also way easier if the neck is seperate from the body.

I'm learning the hard way.

Any thoughts on treating the inside of a pegbox? Black paint? Dark stain? Raw wood?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

I used to do blackout, but seeing the fine work of other luthiers inside the pegbox, I've been varnishing it just like the rest of the bass...the prep work is a b...h, though.