Tuning Machines.

[DrNomis_44]

Now they were "the best" for backlash, or they were "the best" in the absence of....backlash?

Well, because they are Gearless Tuners, they don't suffer from Backlash like conventional Geared Tuners do, Steinberger Gearless Tuners "Pull" the strings up to pitch rather than wind them, and it's a straight pull, Geared Tuners suffer from Backlash because sometimes the mesh between the teeth of the gears and the worm-drive isn't as tight as it should be, this can be caused by manufacturing defects, tolerances, or even just wear that happens during the tuner's useful lifespan before it's replaced, I've come across quite a few conventional Geared tuners that exhibited Backlash when brand new straight out of the packaging, some of the brand new conventional Geared Tuners I've bought also exhibited some capstan-shaft wobble, this is where you can actually move the capstan shaft side to side after installing the tuner, I've found that capstan-shaft wobble can also contribute to tuning problems as well.


If you go to the official Sperzel website they talk about all the manufacturing defects that plague other tuners, which contribute to tuning problems, Bob Sperzel talks about the design features of his tuners that are designed to maximize tuning stability, I haven't tried Sperzel Tuners myself but I wouldn't mind giving them a go one day.