Grover 406C Locking Tuners and String Breaking

[Rodc]

Hi guys,

Has anyone else had any problems with Grover 406C breaking strings? I've had a couple of sets of them that break a 9 thou and 11 thou strings. I've tried a couple of different ways of stringing them but no luck. One set was a real pain in the a$#e so I replaced them with a set of Fender locking tuners.

Thanks guys..

[Simon Barden]

Not those Grovers but I had some Korean-made rear-locking tuners that broke a couple of strings very quickly. So I took the rear locking screw off that came attached to the pin that pushes against the string internally, and found that where the end of the pin had been machined to a round shape, the end was very sharp. So I sanded them all down smooth, and they were fine after that.

Some types of locking tuner are hard to dismantle. I don't know if the Grovers will simply unscrew off the top of the post, but I'd give it a go.

Sometimes you can get sharp bits of chrome plating sticking out around the post string holes (can happen on any make/type of tuner in my experience) and again its a question of smoothing off as best as you can around the holes. I normally twirl the end of a round needle file in the hole, followed by a small piece of rolled up wet and dry paper. That normally cures the problem

[Rodc]

Thanks Simon. I did run a oxy acetylene tip cleaner through them all but never gave them a 3rd chance. I have a set of gold ones coming with the next kit. I will run the tip cleaners through all of them before I fit them. I have 3 other guitars with them and never had a problem.
Do you know if this is the correct way to have the offset for the strings to go through? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba7uEeMgR40

[Simon Barden]

I don't think that's ideal reading the Grover instructions (I see they work differently to how I thought they did). You want to keep the string pulled tight and in as much of a straight line from the neck as you can. The holes are offset slightly so I'd arrange them so they were on the inside of the headstock. Keep the string tight and start turning the tuner until it locks the string in place and begins to tension the string, then tighten till it's in tune.

You want as little of the string as possible around the post, never a full turn, so there's no point having the string going in sideways as that video seemed to show, as you've lost almost 1/4 of a turn of the post and you're more likely to have a complete turn+ around the post when up to tune.

[Rodc]

I don't think that's ideal reading the Grover instructions (I see they work differently to how I thought they did). You want to keep the string pulled tight and in as much of a straight line from the neck as you can. The holes are offset slightly so I'd arrange them so they were on the inside of the headstock. Keep the string tight and start turning the tuner until it locks the string in place and begins to tension the string, then tighten till it's in tune.

You want as little of the string as possible around the post, never a full turn, so there's no point having the string going in sideways as that video seemed to show, as you've lost almost 1/4 of a turn of the post and you're more likely to have a complete turn+ around the post when up to tune.

Good point Simon. The instructions with the tuners aren't the best from memory. I can't seem to find any worth while instructions online.

[Simon Barden]

Try here https://www.planetz.com/grover-locking-tuners/

[Rodc]

Try here https://www.planetz.com/grover-locking-tuners/

Thanks Simon!

[vh2580]

I have these on my SG GT and had the same problems with the G and B breaking consistently until I worked out the offset position. Wouldn't have thought it made that much of a difference but haven't had any issues since ensuring they are orientated correctly.

[Rodc]

I have these on my SG GT and had the same problems with the G and B breaking consistently until I worked out the offset position. Wouldn't have thought it made that much of a difference but haven't had any issues since ensuring they are orientated correctly.

That's good to know vh. I did run into the same problem with my first set last year. Then switched the offset to the middle of the headstock. This set is right though and it was still breaking strings. I'll give the next set a good file out..