Thank you! I also recently purchased a 7 string with 25.5 scale - been driving me nuts even in B-standards & tuning down to Ab and I'm on a 64! Want to go up to a 72 or 74 and do the heavy bottom, skinny top like I have on my 8-string! So useful seeing this!
Looking to ream out the hole on a epiphone es 339 for G# I was a bit impatient but once i get around to changing strings again ill keep this video in mind.
This really helped me, i recently bought an ibanez rg (northern lights burst) 7 string guitar that came with gotoh magnum locking tuners. I had doubts whether i should replace the tuners at the expense of breaking my bank lol but then i saw your vid and got convinced to just drill the shit out of those tuners. I now run a 0.80 on my thickest gauge.
Karl Elnas great! I’m glad it helped you! I was in the same situation with my guitars (and even started wondering if I was gonna need to have a bass tuner installed...Major headstock surgery)
did you do anything to "finish" the peg? like smoothing it or anything? i keep thinking that that the metal might be rough and break the string or something
I only made circular motions with the drill while it was in the hole so it would hit the edges. I definitely see the concern but it hasn't happened on either of the 2 guitars I have done this with.
Just ran into this problem last nite with an .80. searched to see if anyone had done what I did, glad this is a thing lol I felt crazy taking the Dewalt to it
I was actually surprised to find that they don't manufacture the pegs to fit thicker guages, even on extended range guitars. The same peg used for the high-e is used for the low f#... or in my case really low D (36.708 hz).
It makes it look like extended range instruments really are just an afterthought to these bigger companies who are making them solely because they want to cash in on a trend, rather than thinking through the end user’s experience and really researching what’s going on in the world.
Thanks. Wasn't really sure I wanted to drill my brand new eight string. 5/64" did the trick with a little bit of "filing". This is great I didn't want to unwind a F# string every time I needed to change strings.
Thank you, needed this! Moving up from a .74 to .80 on my 8 string (surprising that a new enough model, the LTD M-1008MS doesnt have a wider hole...) and was terrified at the idea of doing this.
This described and fixed my exact problem! I have an Ibanez RG8 and my D'Addario 80 gauge F# string wouldn't fit to through the tuning peg. Drilling through this would not have been something I would have been comfortable with without video support. Thanks man \m/
I wouldn't see this as a problem with the floyd-rose type bridge and nut locking as you have to chip out the ending of the string. Great video of course, I am now encouraged to drill my hole for .80 :) thanks a lot.
How would you smoothen out the hole? I have seen times when there is a sharp edge on either side of the hole and I think it is causing my strings to break when I get to the tuning process.
I've never really needed to do that, but I can see how it might come out with sharp edges, especially if you do it for too short a time. When I did it, I let the drill just spin in the hole for a while for that very reason. If I had experienced sharp edges, that's also probably what I'd do to fix it... just grind them down a little with the same drill bit by letting it run in the hole for a while, and give it a tiny wiggle so it hits the edges all the way around just a little. That's me though; I'm not sure if there's a better way.
What about when your bridge hole won't fit the higher gauge strings? Tried to but a .130 bass string on my bass but it won't fit through the bridge hole
There might be a fix for that but I don't know what it is. I suspect it would require a new bridge and some body drilling. Definitely not something I'm qualified to advise you on, unfortunately.
You can just skip the part where you loosen the locking tuners and go straight to drilling. (The locking nut really doesn’t come into it by the way. My guitar just happens to have a locking nut from the Floyd Rose, as well as locking tuners; overkill from the guy I bought it from originally.)
So I have a Fender Lead III where the holes for the tuners are at the top with a notch that brings it to the side and not a hole on the side of the tuner like in this video. Is it possible to drill into it the same way or would I not be able to make the hole bigger? Thank you for your time and for making this video.
I'm unfamiliar with this type of tuner, so unfortunately I can't say either way; if it was me I'd have a repair tech look at it and tell me if they'd do it (if they're willing to tell you what solution they'd use), or of course just have them do it.
I have a Jackson Soloist 7 and I put a 60 through the 7th and it was really tight. I think I need to go a little bigger to get the tension I'm looking for as I do like it to be a little loose feeling but not that loose. I may need to do this to get a 62 or 64 in there like what I want to try on it.
Ima about to do this tomorrow when my .74 gauge gets in. I have a Ibanez fanned fret string and the .64 gauge is fret buzzing like no tomorrow and I just got it back from the luthier. The luthier did a great job it’s just my low B is buzzing but it’s my fault for choosing the ring gauge for the low string.
@@ShredMentor thank you for replying, I actually drilled out the whole just like you and did a perfect shave inside the post, funny thing is the D’Addario .74 gauge string I brought came tapered perfectly so I didn’t have to drill the hole out lol. But regarding food I got with another brand it may not be tappers and your video was great thank you.
@@dylansalcedo2797 I know that Ernie Ball strings also have it tapered at least on their eight string sets, but yeah you never know with other companies, so it’s probably still good that you did it so that you’re not gonna have this problem later (unless you go with too insane a string gauge). Lol
Having to do that every single time you have to change strings from now on sounds like significantly MORE hassle than this one time, 5-second drilling job.
@@nicosonic clearly, but that's largely out of fear and from not knowing this is the solution. Also, this is obviously a video to show you HOW to do it so you don't have to go to a luthier who would do the exact same thing for you and charge you money for it, no one's twisting your arm here lol - you might notice the 4 years worth of comments here thanking me for showing them this. I just used this guitar in the video to finish up some guest solos this morning, to illustrate that 4 years later the guitar is still doing great. 🤷♂️
What about when your bridge hole won't fit the higher gauge strings? Tried to but a .130 bass string on my bass but it won't fit through the bridge hole
Thanks for this.
I was able to install mini Grovers on my mandocello (which takes two .74 strings for the lowest course).
Oh wow that's awesome! I'd like to see/hear that in action!
Thank you! I also recently purchased a 7 string with 25.5 scale - been driving me nuts even in B-standards & tuning down to Ab and I'm on a 64! Want to go up to a 72 or 74 and do the heavy bottom, skinny top like I have on my 8-string! So useful seeing this!
Looking to ream out the hole on a epiphone es 339 for G#
I was a bit impatient but once i get around to changing strings again ill keep this video in mind.
I use a .90 as my 8th string for drop double D. I had to wrap the string around the peg twice, despite using being locking tuners.
thanks a lot, i was kinda scared to do that myself but after seeing your video, I feel confident I can do it myself!
This really helped me, i recently bought an ibanez rg (northern lights burst) 7 string guitar that came with gotoh magnum locking tuners. I had doubts whether i should replace the tuners at the expense of breaking my bank lol but then i saw your vid and got convinced to just drill the shit out of those tuners. I now run a 0.80 on my thickest gauge.
Karl Elnas great! I’m glad it helped you! I was in the same situation with my guitars (and even started wondering if I was gonna need to have a bass tuner installed...Major headstock surgery)
did you do anything to "finish" the peg? like smoothing it or anything? i keep thinking that that the metal might be rough and break the string or something
I only made circular motions with the drill while it was in the hole so it would hit the edges. I definitely see the concern but it hasn't happened on either of the 2 guitars I have done this with.
Hey, just wanted to say it worked and thank you for the solution man!
Just ran into this problem last nite with an .80. searched to see if anyone had done what I did, glad this is a thing lol I felt crazy taking the Dewalt to it
Yeah it does feel scary at first :)
I was actually surprised to find that they don't manufacture the pegs to fit thicker guages, even on extended range guitars. The same peg used for the high-e is used for the low f#... or in my case really low D (36.708 hz).
It makes it look like extended range instruments really are just an afterthought to these bigger companies who are making them solely because they want to cash in on a trend, rather than thinking through the end user’s experience and really researching what’s going on in the world.
Thanks. Wasn't really sure I wanted to drill my brand new eight string. 5/64" did the trick with a little bit of "filing". This is great I didn't want to unwind a F# string every time I needed to change strings.
This is what i am doing to my electric Cello! Cheers🙂
How did it go? I'm sorry I didn't respond until now!
Thank you, needed this! Moving up from a .74 to .80 on my 8 string (surprising that a new enough model, the LTD M-1008MS doesnt have a wider hole...) and was terrified at the idea of doing this.
This described and fixed my exact problem! I have an Ibanez RG8 and my D'Addario 80 gauge F# string wouldn't fit to through the tuning peg. Drilling through this would not have been something I would have been comfortable with without video support. Thanks man \m/
Alex Liggett that’s excellent, I’m so glad it helped. I felt exactly the same way before doing it myself so I’m glad I could put your mind at ease.
I wouldn't see this as a problem with the floyd-rose type bridge and nut locking as you have to chip out the ending of the string.
Great video of course, I am now encouraged to drill my hole for .80 :) thanks a lot.
How would you smoothen out the hole? I have seen times when there is a sharp edge on either side of the hole and I think it is causing my strings to break when I get to the tuning process.
I've never really needed to do that, but I can see how it might come out with sharp edges, especially if you do it for too short a time. When I did it, I let the drill just spin in the hole for a while for that very reason. If I had experienced sharp edges, that's also probably what I'd do to fix it... just grind them down a little with the same drill bit by letting it run in the hole for a while, and give it a tiny wiggle so it hits the edges all the way around just a little. That's me though; I'm not sure if there's a better way.
Duuuude, it's awesome! I have the same problem, but on the 6 string(26,5 inch scale): 72 string and locking tuners(
I hope that drilling will help
What about when your bridge hole won't fit the higher gauge strings? Tried to but a .130 bass string on my bass but it won't fit through the bridge hole
There might be a fix for that but I don't know what it is. I suspect it would require a new bridge and some body drilling. Definitely not something I'm qualified to advise you on, unfortunately.
What should I do if I have a normal nut instead of a padlocked one like the floyd's?
You can just skip the part where you loosen the locking tuners and go straight to drilling.
(The locking nut really doesn’t come into it by the way. My guitar just happens to have a locking nut from the Floyd Rose, as well as locking tuners; overkill from the guy I bought it from originally.)
I have an ibanez rg8 it doent have locking tuner so the 1st step is not required to be done rit?
dragtr0n right - you can just skip that part.
So I have a Fender Lead III where the holes for the tuners are at the top with a notch that brings it to the side and not a hole on the side of the tuner like in this video. Is it possible to drill into it the same way or would I not be able to make the hole bigger? Thank you for your time and for making this video.
I'm unfamiliar with this type of tuner, so unfortunately I can't say either way; if it was me I'd have a repair tech look at it and tell me if they'd do it (if they're willing to tell you what solution they'd use), or of course just have them do it.
Thank you. I appreciate the response and will look into a guitar tech.
I have a Jackson Soloist 7 and I put a 60 through the 7th and it was really tight. I think I need to go a little bigger to get the tension I'm looking for as I do like it to be a little loose feeling but not that loose. I may need to do this to get a 62 or 64 in there like what I want to try on it.
once you record ， you gonna know how soft your tone is. I tuned to GDGCFAD on 11-74
@@xiaodongyuan4733 I play standard and drop A so my set up is pretty good for me.
Bro the fact I have to this on my Gibson to fit 56’s
Ima about to do this tomorrow when my .74 gauge gets in. I have a Ibanez fanned fret string and the .64 gauge is fret buzzing like no tomorrow and I just got it back from the luthier. The luthier did a great job it’s just my low B is buzzing but it’s my fault for choosing the ring gauge for the low string.
Yeah just start small, and you might need to use a couple different thicknesses to gradually carve some of the material away.
@@ShredMentor thank you for replying, I actually drilled out the whole just like you and did a perfect shave inside the post, funny thing is the D’Addario .74 gauge string I brought came tapered perfectly so I didn’t have to drill the hole out lol. But regarding food I got with another brand it may not be tappers and your video was great thank you.
@@dylansalcedo2797 I know that Ernie Ball strings also have it tapered at least on their eight string sets, but yeah you never know with other companies, so it’s probably still good that you did it so that you’re not gonna have this problem later (unless you go with too insane a string gauge). Lol
Stringjoy!
I bought a 90 gauge string only to realize it doesnt fit
That's exactly where this drilling I'm demonstrating comes into play
just cut the string and unwind it. less hassle than drilling your tuner.
Having to do that every single time you have to change strings from now on sounds like significantly MORE hassle than this one time, 5-second drilling job.
@@ShredMentor not everyone wants to drill their tuners.
@@nicosonic clearly, but that's largely out of fear and from not knowing this is the solution. Also, this is obviously a video to show you HOW to do it so you don't have to go to a luthier who would do the exact same thing for you and charge you money for it, no one's twisting your arm here lol - you might notice the 4 years worth of comments here thanking me for showing them this. I just used this guitar in the video to finish up some guest solos this morning, to illustrate that 4 years later the guitar is still doing great. 🤷♂️
What about when your bridge hole won't fit the higher gauge strings? Tried to but a .130 bass string on my bass but it won't fit through the bridge hole
I don’t know for sure but I’d suspect that involves some modifications that are beyond my scope.