For my guitars I've noticed nut is the most important factor, you could have the best locking tuners in the world and it won't make any difference if you have a cheap plastic nut
I love my Suhr with Locking tuners = total game changer in terms of Tuning Stability and return-to-pitch using tremolo. Also has the Gotoh 510 trem-system. . . just incredible.
Great video. For as long as i remember, people used to say that if the guitar doesnt stay in tune, you need to change the tuners, and only pretty recently people started saying that its the nut instead of the tuners, and that the locking tuners are mostly for convenience when changing the strings. You can save so much money just by changing the nut instead of tuners if all you want is to fix tuning stability
There's a big misconception by many people, that locking tuners improve tuning stabillity but that's not true. Locking tuners just make re-stringing the guitar much more easy and are a great ''quality of life''-improvement for guitarists. The nut is much more important for tuning stabillity and a good nut isn't really expensive , that's why I don't understand why big companies like Fender and even PRS are still using these cheapo plastic nuts on their budget models like the MIM or SE series.
i agree, my newest guitar, (Harley Benton sc550 plus EMG) has locking tuners and its my first with them. For me, its just about quick string changes it does save a lot of time. As for tunability, marginal at best i would say. My nut and bridge are okay but it still goes out occasionally which is not unsurprising
I couldn’t agree more Jon. It’s my mission to have locking tuners in all my guitars eventually. I just hate stringing up standard tuners. Too fiddly. I really enjoyed the intro 🙏😃❤️
That song was Jon unlocked, fantastic playing, excellent editing and transitions 🤩 When Miss Janet gave you the Graph Tech Ratio tuners, she gave you the best tuners out there imho, those are the ones I use, locking or non-locking, why? While every tuner out there has gears around 14:1, the Graph Tech tuners are multi-geared having ratios that fit every string, making tuning very easy because you don’t get fine tuning on the thicker strings and coarser tuning on the thinner ones, all strings feel the same and are ultra stable. Moreover, you even can retune a guitar to a tone with one turn on all strings. If the stock tuners are wobbly and unstable, upgrading them is necessary. Locking tuners are good when you change strings frequently, otherwise non-locking are good. However, for easier and quicker tuning/retuning with ultimate stability, the Graph Tech are great. They are not easy to find in Australia but I may go to Singapore in few months and I will stop at Davis Guitar 😉 Have a coffee ☕️ on me! Dios te bendiga Jon! ✌️😀👍🎸
Hey Jon! Love your channel man. Was in SG last week, bought myself a Fujigen from Sound Alchemy. I have five or six guitars with locking tuners but the FGN came with stock Gotoh tuners. Literally no difference in tuning stability. You're absolutely spot on. It's always about the nut and bridge and string trees when it comes to tuning stability. I also installed a Vega on my Ibanez and boy that thing is a beast!!!! Keep up the great content! -your biggest fan from Bangladesh 🙏
I have to agree with you. I love the top loading Kluson style tuners in my Squire Classic Vibe Stratocaster but the gear ratio is terrible and there’s always a noticeable jump on the digital tuner when tuning up or down. So I actually replaced them with the same exact set of GraphTech Ratio tuners you have. Not because i wanted a locking tuner, but because they had individual high gear ratios for each string which gives you the absolute smoothest tuning experience ever! I just wish they made them with the top load string insert like the stock Klusons I replaced however. I really miss that because it made it so there was no sharp end of the string sticking out to poke your fingers.
I have a PRS with locking tuners - single string changes are so quick and that's especially great at a gig. But my favorite tuners ever came on my early '70s Telecaster. Very easy, very stable. Cool opening jam!
I use Sperzels on my Patrick Eggle made HSS-strat. They make changing strings easier and add to the tuningstability, yet the bridge and the nut are equally important for that. I installed a Fender rollerbridge, which made the classic floating trem set up way more stable. It does not get out of tune quickly. Important as the strat is my main stage guitar. My telehybrid (Saint Blues) has a fixed bridge. It does not require locking tuners. The vintage Tonepros do a stellar job. Anyone who has tuning issues, like the G-string on Les Pauls, should first of all look at the nut.
Luv ya, Brother Jon. Thanks for all your nifty videos. I’ve just recently started using locking tuners - I luv em! Increased tuning stability, improved tone & sustain, and easy peezy string changes. :)
Hi, Jon. I have two guitars that I bought after watching you demo them. A G&L S-500 Tribute in Sonic Blue, and a Schecter Omen Elite 6 in Dark Cherry Burst. On the S-500, I installed Kiesel locking tuners (direct drop-in,) and on the Omen Elite, I mounted Gotoh Magnum locking tuners with Pearloid buttons. String changes are a breeze, now!
Great video…locking tuners are heavier so can cause head dive. They allow quick changes , but don’t necessarily fix tuning problems. other things can still cause tuning issues : nut and bridge. All our Daddys told us the same thing about messing with things that aren’t broken, but I do prefer locking tuners when I can afford them! Those Ratio tuners are very nice! Ratio, Hipshot, Gotoh, Grover and Schaller make nice ones that will fit most guitars. I’d even like them on my banjo!
Oh goodness, I've been playing guitar since the 70s, and finally got my first set of locking tuners about 3 years ago. I do like them, but they certainly are not necessary.
After years of hating having to fit new strings, the first time i fitted Fender staggered locking tuners to my USA Strat was the best upgrade i ever made, it has roller string trees that i left inplace, i can't stand unsightly holes on a guitar. Now about half of my guitars are fitted with them, as for tuning stability locking tuners won't make much difference unless the originals are realy bad ones, the nut is critical and sometimes the trem or tailpiece can cause issues. So whilst they may be thought as a luxury, once you have them you won't want to go back to non-locking tuners. Thanks for your thoughts on this subject Jon, i am all for locking tuners.🙂👍
I have Gotoh Vintage Locking Tuners on my 2021 MIJ Hybrid Telecaster - slower to unstring and because you have to line up two holes also no faster to string up. I prefer the top loading vintage tuners on my Stratocaster.
True, you don’t really need locking tuners. But they do come in handy not just for quick string changes but for stability “when your very heavy on the trem.” The windings go a little slack and can come back out of tune. Locking tuners negate this to a great extent.
I have locking tuners on 2 of my guitars (eventually all of them maybe)and love em because.... 1. Faster string change 2. Quicker break-in (minimal amount of stretching because there's a minimal amount of coil around the post) but truth be told, I notice no difference in tuning stability other than when the strings are brand new My only regret is that I didn't go with Ratio tuners, although I admit that wouldn't be a game changer either, it would be nice to have a more pleasing tuning experience.
Necessary? No. Convenient, yes. Depending on what specific issues you might have, and what else on your guitar is in direct contact with the strings, you might get more bang for your buck by upgrading your nut, bridge/saddles or soemthing. EDIT: OK, so i wrote that during your intro... seems we're pretty much on the same page with this.
I agree but I think locking tuners can help with non quality woods or cheaper tremolos. But I don’t have any guitars in collection equipped with locking tuners, so I just suppose this thought Edit: it should be nice trying locking tuners with a floyd rose guitar without locking nut compared with the locking nut. Just to see if there’s any difference or not
I recently bought a G&l asat special, at first I was thinking of putting a locking tunners because the bottom strings kept getting out of tune. All I did put a new graph tech string tree and it fixed the problem. The tuners it has now I actually like, so I won’t be switching to locking.
Heavy locking tuners are a PITA IMO. Away from those, they do make string changes quicker and versus vintage, you don't need a string cutter to be able to change strings. All that said high mass tuners can increase sustain as they reject energy forcing it elsewhere in the same way hard tailing a strat changes things. As regards tuning stability I think anyone who says locking tuners can aid that, just needs to learn to restring properly. Potential added weight aside, which is not for me, I am good to go with locking, vintage or standard........The time-saving factor is way over rated, IMO!
Hello Jon, was that an Gibson Classic with grover locking tulip tuners? I also own one from beginning 21 but it has grover rotomatics, which are also great, and i bought Grover Tulip Lockings but the length of the shaft is just 2 or 3 mm´s too short. But i want them the same length like on the original but i can´t find them in the same length, can you give me a hint, where i get those in the right length? Great video my friend
for my experience. i use locking tuners for change strings fast and perfect. No iisues with chnaging strings that a lot of perople have and is cause of tunning unstability. if you have the setup perfect, a( luthier setup )and a great quality construction guitar the locking tunners are not necesary.... but who has a perfect setup, ? a luthier setup and a great hi level construction guitar ?( the 30% 40% of people?) for the rest of mortals put a locking tunners and you have a easy life. always that i have put locking tuners my tunning stablity improve.. Always on midle level guitrs , no ore that 1500€ or less..
My only guitar with locking tuners is a MusicMan Axis Sport. Ironically, this one is the hardest for string changes compared to my other guitars. Probably something is wrong with them. After I take out the old strings, I find it's nearly impossible to get new strings to go through the open slot. Is that something I can fix? Or do I need to pay a tech to fix them? Considering my situation, I've yet to see the advantage of these crazy things :D
thanks Mate . Its probably an oversimplification :) I have just brought a JS2480 with NO locking tuners for that price. Mr Satriani doesn't need to change strings:) Anyway love you channel very straight forward with fantastic playing.
Locking tuners , stainless steel frets, roasted neck with carbon reinforcement in 2022 should be standard on all guitars. Just like Guthrie Govan guitar. That's if we wants to talk about quality instrument. If you only care about name ,then Fender and Gibson are great.
For my guitars I've noticed nut is the most important factor, you could have the best locking tuners in the world and it won't make any difference if you have a cheap plastic nut
Very true..thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
I love my Suhr with Locking tuners = total game changer in terms of Tuning Stability and return-to-pitch using tremolo. Also has the Gotoh 510 trem-system. . . just incredible.
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
Great video. For as long as i remember, people used to say that if the guitar doesnt stay in tune, you need to change the tuners, and only pretty recently people started saying that its the nut instead of the tuners, and that the locking tuners are mostly for convenience when changing the strings. You can save so much money just by changing the nut instead of tuners if all you want is to fix tuning stability
Yes indeed. Don’t forget the string tree!✌️❤️
There's a big misconception by many people, that locking tuners improve tuning stabillity but that's not true. Locking tuners just make re-stringing the guitar much more easy and are a great ''quality of life''-improvement for guitarists.
The nut is much more important for tuning stabillity and a good nut isn't really expensive , that's why I don't understand why big companies like Fender and even PRS are still using these cheapo plastic nuts on their budget models like the MIM or SE series.
✌️❤️
i agree, my newest guitar, (Harley Benton sc550 plus EMG) has locking tuners and its my first with them. For me, its just about quick string changes it does save a lot of time. As for tunability, marginal at best i would say. My nut and bridge are okay but it still goes out occasionally which is not unsurprising
My experience as well. 👍👍
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
老師彈得太棒了這首 中秋節快樂
I couldn’t agree more Jon. It’s my mission to have locking tuners in all my guitars eventually. I just hate stringing up standard tuners. Too fiddly. I really enjoyed the intro 🙏😃❤️
Cool.. Thank you Tom✌️❤️
Excellent advise, thank you.
You're very welcome
That song was Jon unlocked, fantastic playing, excellent editing and transitions 🤩
When Miss Janet gave you the Graph Tech Ratio tuners, she gave you the best tuners out there imho, those are the ones I use, locking or non-locking, why? While every tuner out there has gears around 14:1, the Graph Tech tuners are multi-geared having ratios that fit every string, making tuning very easy because you don’t get fine tuning on the thicker strings and coarser tuning on the thinner ones, all strings feel the same and are ultra stable. Moreover, you even can retune a guitar to a tone with one turn on all strings.
If the stock tuners are wobbly and unstable, upgrading them is necessary. Locking tuners are good when you change strings frequently, otherwise non-locking are good. However, for easier and quicker tuning/retuning with ultimate stability, the Graph Tech are great. They are not easy to find in Australia but I may go to Singapore in few months and I will stop at Davis Guitar 😉
Have a coffee ☕️ on me! Dios te bendiga Jon! ✌️😀👍🎸
Cool!! Thanks for sharing!!
Speed of string change! They just make it less of a chore, I love em.
✌️❤️
That solo starting at 2:00 (wow .. nice). Agree, LT's .. ease and speed especially when I am restringing 2 or 3+ guitars at once! Keep rocking Jon.
Thanks for sharing ✌️❤️
@0:36 One of the Tastier Tunes you have played!👍
Nice!🥰🎸
Mike in San Diego. 🌞🎸🚀🖖
Glad you liked it ✌️❤️
Like the PRS SE locking tuners, easy to change strings. Your killer riffs and always enjoy them. All the guitars sound great.
Thank you ✌️❤️
Hi Jonathan, lively intro & great review. Thanks so much for explaining the tuners difference. Cheers ✌️🎸💜
My pleasure!✌♥
I really enjoy listening to your mix. Very comfortable on the ears. Maybe be we could see your mixing techniques soon? :)
Thank you ✌️❤️
Hey Jon! Love your channel man. Was in SG last week, bought myself a Fujigen from Sound Alchemy. I have five or six guitars with locking tuners but the FGN came with stock Gotoh tuners. Literally no difference in tuning stability. You're absolutely spot on. It's always about the nut and bridge and string trees when it comes to tuning stability.
I also installed a Vega on my Ibanez and boy that thing is a beast!!!!
Keep up the great content!
-your biggest fan from Bangladesh 🙏
Cool ✌️❤️
My God you're on fire my man.
✌️😂✌️
I have to agree with you. I love the top loading Kluson style tuners in my Squire Classic Vibe Stratocaster but the gear ratio is terrible and there’s always a noticeable jump on the digital tuner when tuning up or down. So I actually replaced them with the same exact set of GraphTech Ratio tuners you have. Not because i wanted a locking tuner, but because they had individual high gear ratios for each string which gives you the absolute smoothest tuning experience ever! I just wish they made them with the top load string insert like the stock Klusons I replaced however. I really miss that because it made it so there was no sharp end of the string sticking out to poke your fingers.
✌️❤️
I have a vintage tuner for my new custom strat and now i'm finally convinced that i didn't need to change it at all. Thanks for your advice Jon!
Most welcome ✌️❤️
I have a PRS with locking tuners - single string changes are so quick and that's especially great at a gig.
But my favorite tuners ever came on my early '70s Telecaster. Very easy, very stable.
Cool opening jam!
Thanks… thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
I use Sperzels on my Patrick Eggle made HSS-strat. They make changing strings easier and add to the tuningstability, yet the bridge and the nut are equally important for that. I installed a Fender rollerbridge, which made the classic floating trem set up way more stable. It does not get out of tune quickly. Important as the strat is my main stage guitar. My telehybrid (Saint Blues) has a fixed bridge. It does not require locking tuners. The vintage Tonepros do a stellar job. Anyone who has tuning issues, like the G-string on Les Pauls, should first of all look at the nut.
Nice thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
Luv ya, Brother Jon. Thanks for all your nifty videos. I’ve just recently started using locking tuners - I luv em! Increased tuning stability, improved tone & sustain, and easy peezy string changes. :)
Thank you for sharing ✌️❤️
Hi, Jon. I have two guitars that I bought after watching you demo them. A G&L S-500 Tribute in Sonic Blue, and a Schecter Omen Elite 6 in Dark Cherry Burst. On the S-500, I installed Kiesel locking tuners (direct drop-in,) and on the Omen Elite, I mounted Gotoh Magnum locking tuners with Pearloid buttons. String changes are a breeze, now!
Cool thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
"Dios los bendiga amigos" 😇 😉
Thank you so much ✌🏻❤️
Great video…locking tuners are heavier so can cause head dive. They allow quick changes , but don’t necessarily fix tuning problems. other things can still cause tuning issues : nut and bridge. All our Daddys told us the same thing about messing with things that aren’t broken, but I do prefer locking tuners when I can afford them! Those Ratio tuners are very nice! Ratio, Hipshot, Gotoh, Grover and Schaller make nice ones that will fit most guitars. I’d even like them on my banjo!
Lol✌️❤️
Great video!
Thank you✌️❤️
J'adore votre style de jeu de solo 🎸👏👍😉
merci!😜
18 to 1 ratio Grovers is all I need.
✌️❤️
Love lockers. Love vintage split shaft tuners even more. Cheers! 🤘
✌️😆✌️
Oh goodness, I've been playing guitar since the 70s, and finally got my first set of locking tuners about 3 years ago. I do like them, but they certainly are not necessary.
Thanks for sharing ✌️❤️
After years of hating having to fit new strings, the first time i fitted Fender staggered locking tuners to my USA Strat was the best upgrade
i ever made, it has roller string trees that i left inplace, i can't stand unsightly holes on a guitar.
Now about half of my guitars are fitted with them, as for tuning stability locking tuners won't make much difference unless the originals
are realy bad ones, the nut is critical and sometimes the trem or tailpiece can cause issues.
So whilst they may be thought as a luxury, once you have them you won't want to go back to non-locking tuners.
Thanks for your thoughts on this subject Jon, i am all for locking tuners.🙂👍
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
1. Reads title .. 2.Clicks video .. 3. Types “YES! they should be mandatory on ALL guitars” .. 4. Now watch video
Lol✌️❤️
Great wisdom Jon. Always value your opinion.
Most welcome ✌️❤️
They may not be necessary but they do add a certain charm and certainly make restringing quicker !!
✌️❤️
Necessary? No. Really really nice to have? Absolutely. The ease of changing strings alone makes them worth the price of admission to me.
True ✌️❤️
I have Gotoh Vintage Locking Tuners on my 2021 MIJ Hybrid Telecaster - slower to unstring and because you have to line up two holes also no faster to string up. I prefer the top loading vintage tuners on my Stratocaster.
Cool thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
True, you don’t really need locking tuners. But they do come in handy not just for quick string changes but for stability “when your very heavy on the trem.”
The windings go a little slack and can come back out of tune. Locking tuners negate this to a great extent.
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
I have locking tuners on 2 of my guitars (eventually all of them maybe)and love em because....
1. Faster string change
2. Quicker break-in (minimal amount of stretching because there's a minimal amount of coil around the post) but truth be told, I notice no difference in tuning stability other than when the strings are brand new
My only regret is that I didn't go with Ratio tuners, although I admit that wouldn't be a game changer either, it would be nice to have a more pleasing tuning experience.
Awesome thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
Maybe for live applications, the locking tuners will save you time. But for home applications proper winding will suffice.
✌️❤️
Necessary? No. Convenient, yes. Depending on what specific issues you might have, and what else on your guitar is in direct contact with the strings, you might get more bang for your buck by upgrading your nut, bridge/saddles or soemthing.
EDIT: OK, so i wrote that during your intro... seems we're pretty much on the same page with this.
Lol✌️❤️
For the first time ever I now have more Instruments with locking tuners than without, for me they are not necessary but very convenient
Nice ✌️❤️
I have one guitar with cheap lockers and one with Grover non-lockers. Obviously, the guitar with the Grovers has the better stability.
Cool ✌️❤️
I agree but I think locking tuners can help with non quality woods or cheaper tremolos. But I don’t have any guitars in collection equipped with locking tuners, so I just suppose this thought
Edit: it should be nice trying locking tuners with a floyd rose guitar without locking nut compared with the locking nut. Just to see if there’s any difference or not
Yes I have often thought about that too..✌️❤️
A good quality nut can solve 90% of the problems even with vintage tuners and a 6-screw vibrato.
True ✌️❤️
中秋節快樂 ：）
祝中秋快樂，平安健康，萬事如意。❤️
👍
✌️❤️
I recently bought a G&l asat special, at first I was thinking of putting a locking tunners because the bottom strings kept getting out of tune. All I did put a new graph tech string tree and it fixed the problem.
The tuners it has now I actually like, so I won’t be switching to locking.
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
Oh yeah sorry it's about locking tuners..got lost I. Your guitar play..cheers jon
Lol✌️❤️
Same 🤷♂️😄
✌️❤️
Heavy locking tuners are a PITA IMO. Away from those, they do make string changes quicker and versus vintage, you don't need a string cutter to be able to change strings. All that said high mass tuners can increase sustain as they reject energy forcing it elsewhere in the same way hard tailing a strat changes things. As regards tuning stability I think anyone who says locking tuners can aid that, just needs to learn to restring properly. Potential added weight aside, which is not for me, I am good to go with locking, vintage or standard........The time-saving factor is way over rated, IMO!
Thanks for sharing ❤️❤️
Most problem is cause by way you put string on tuning peg , do it right way it will stay in tune
✌️❤️
Don't nobody want those old fashion tuners 😎🎸 and the two point trem is also a upgrade 🤔
Lol✌️❤️
mine has lock-in tuners
lol
I said the other day in a group that the guy who named them "locking" tuners was a marketing genius.... I caught some shit for that 🤣
Lol✌️❤️
Hello Jon, was that an Gibson Classic with grover locking tulip tuners? I also own one from beginning 21 but it has grover rotomatics, which are also great, and i bought Grover Tulip Lockings but the length of the shaft is just 2 or 3 mm´s too short. But i want them the same length like on the original but i can´t find them in the same length, can you give me a hint, where i get those in the right length? Great video my friend
Thanks.. mine was a 2012 LesPaul standard Traditional & a gift from a old friend ✌️❤️
for my experience. i use locking tuners for change strings fast and perfect. No iisues with chnaging strings that a lot of perople have and is cause of tunning unstability. if you have the setup perfect, a( luthier setup )and a great quality construction guitar the locking tunners are not necesary.... but who has a perfect setup, ? a luthier setup and a great hi level construction guitar ?( the 30% 40% of people?) for the rest of mortals put a locking tunners and you have a easy life. always that i have put locking tuners my tunning stablity improve.. Always on midle level guitrs , no ore that 1500€ or less..
Nice thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
I dislike them intensely. I've removed them from a couple of Strats and Tele's and put traditional slot head tuners.
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
What Helix amp model and Cab are you using in this video? Thank you
Fender Deluxe and a VC212 cab✌️❤️
My only guitar with locking tuners is a MusicMan Axis Sport. Ironically, this one is the hardest for string changes compared to my other guitars. Probably something is wrong with them. After I take out the old strings, I find it's nearly impossible to get new strings to go through the open slot. Is that something I can fix? Or do I need to pay a tech to fix them? Considering my situation, I've yet to see the advantage of these crazy things :D
Try unlocking fully so that you can fully extend the hole
@@JonIsJustTooLoud I've done that. Something must be stuck.
Non locking tuners remind me of those guys who would hand crank their car to start it.
Lol
If you gig you will want them . Charging string in a dark bar much easier . If u don’t gig not so important.
thanks for sharing!✌️❤️
thanks Mate . Its probably an oversimplification :) I have just brought a JS2480 with NO locking tuners for that price. Mr Satriani doesn't need to change strings:) Anyway love you channel very straight forward with fantastic playing.
Locking tuners , stainless steel frets, roasted neck with carbon reinforcement in 2022 should be standard on all guitars. Just like Guthrie Govan guitar. That's if we wants to talk about quality instrument. If you only care about name ,then Fender and Gibson are great.
✌️❤️
Yeah well my opinion is they should be used instead of traditional tuners period.
✌️❤️
No, they're not. But they make life easier.
✌️❤️
No they are not , but try to change strings on stage without them.
✌️😆
Not at all. Once you learn how to properly string your guitar.
✌️❤️