Grover 406C Tuners

[wazkelly]

Count me in for a set of black 6 inline for the EX-1 kit that just arrived on Thursday.
Adam, I will include details of that invoice in the order. V
Cheers, Waz

[daviduzzo29]

The Mini can be mounted only on the Stratocaster headstock? The larger Rotomatic no? Which would be those mounted by Gibson guitars on some models. I was thinking of putting grover on LP-1S kit but do not know if they fit.

[adam]

Hi Daviduzzo29, the Grover 406C Mini Rotomatics Tuners are perfect for our LP kits, they also work on 6 inline headstocks. It's the regular (larger) size Rotomatics that won't work on a 6 inline headstock (or maybe they do, but it would be a tight fit... I'm sure someone here who actually knows these things will let us know).

The Mini can be mounted only on the Stratocaster headstock? The larger Rotomatic no? Which would be those mounted by Gibson guitars on some models. I was thinking of putting grover on LP-1S kit but do not know if they fit.

[Simon Barden]

Whilst they would work, the Mini Rotomatics would look rather undersized on a LP headstock, and you'd normally fit the standard Grovers. On the standard Grovers the overall body length is 5mm longer (measured along the length of the headstock), which is why the standard ones won't fit on a Strat or Tele headstock.

The tuner buttons on the standard Grovers are correspondingly larger as well: You need enough space between the tuner buttons so that you don't catch the one either side when tuning up, so ones designed for 6-in line headstocks (where the tuners are closer together) have to be smaller. On the kidney-bean style tuner buttons, the minis are 18mm wide, the standard ones 23mm wide.

If you were making a compact 3+3 headstock, say a bit like a Music-Man, then the minis would be ideal. But for a LP, I'd go with the standard Grovers, the 102-18 series (which have an 18:1 gear ratio for even better tuning than the 14:1 ratio of the minis), also available on the PBG site as very affordable quality upgrades when ordering a kit.

[daviduzzo29]

But in updates the standard grover have not seen them!
Perhaps I saw them, I by chance the grover 102-18? these are better for LP?
But instead of the mechanical that lie within the full chrome or gold upgrade, not have the same seal of Rotomatic?

[Simon Barden]

No, I'm sorry. The PBG site only has the non-locking standard size Grover Rotomatics (102-18), but the mini-Rotomatics (406) are the locking type. The standard size locking Grovers are either the 106 series (same locking mechanism as the 406), the bottom locking 502 series (which looks most like a standard tuner from the front if looks are important) and the tip locking 602 series.

The 102 series are what Gibson would fit to a Les Paul or an SG etc.

Here's the Grover website. https://www.grotro.com/Grover/ROTOMATICS

Unless you plan on fitting a tremolo unit to the kit, the standard Grovers are more than adequate for keeping the guitar in tune (and the 18:1 gear ratio versions make it even easier to hit the tuning sweet spot). But if you really want locking tuners at a very good price, then go for the mini-Rotomatics. But they will look just a bit small on a standard LP headstock. More suited to fitting on a LP Junior, Special or Melody maker that had the small button tuners to start with. But they will work, and it's your guitar so you make the choices and make it how you want to make it and not how I'd make it.

[daviduzzo29]

So if in the kit take a Upgrde gold or chrome, the tuners are not self-locking. The grover Rotomatic 102-12 standards are not self-locking, so I would not have differences? The differences I would only with the mini 406 which are self-locking, I understand you correctly? Then perhaps there will be differences in construction or materials among those inside the kit and Rotomatic 102-18 do not know.

[Simon Barden]

If you pay for Grovers as an upgrade with a kit (the only way PBG sell them), then the standard kit tuners will be removed and the Grovers you selected will be put in the packaging instead. You choose the finish you want (chrome, black or gold) to match the rest of the kit's hardware. The basic kit tuners work adequately, but they are not of the same quality as the Grovers (which are really good tuners).

Amongst the Grover tuners, there is no difference in quality or materials between the standard or mini versions, just the size. The Grovers that PBG sell give you the choice between using locking mini-rotomatics (with a 14:1 gear ratio) or the 18:1 gear ratio version of the non-locking standard-size Rotomatics.

Or if you want a more traditional '50s look to your Les Paul, then get the non-locking vintage 135 series Grovers. They are still 14:1 ratio tuners and work just as well as the other non-locking Grovers with a 14:1 gear ratio.

[daviduzzo29]

Thank I so much here I got it right

[adam]

Thanks Simon, I had it the wrong way round, the minis work best on 6 inline, standards for 3-a-side.

I'm slowly adding some new Grover Tuners to the site, which we've jut received... after lengthy negotiations.

They are Chinese, licensed versions, actually recommended to us by the good folks at Grover.

You'll see the prices are very reasonable and the quality looks good.

Hopefully I'll have them all up on the site by tonight.