Sperzel locking tuners

Riaan

I've been looking at them on the web, and I'm thinking of getting some for my strat. I like the look of the Sperzels.

Do they require modification of the existing holes on a standard US Strat?

Would it matter if one still uses the string tree in spite of the tuners being staggered? I don't fancy filling the holes where the string tree was.

Explorerlover

You will need 10mm holes for the shaft to go through and another small hole for the "holding pin", but there is a template on the packaging. I don't think the string tree would still be needed as the sting would sit lower than the tree. Alan?

singemonkey

My Pacifica has sperzels and no string tree. Once tightened up, the strings join the capstans lower than normal, so you've probably got a better break-angle.

AlanRatcliffe

If you don't want to remove the trees, you can remove the spacers underneath them, which brings them down flush with the surface of the headstock, and under the strings.

I've had problems with the newer Sperzels though, so I've been sticking with the Schaller locking, which are also staggered.

Riaan

I've had problems with the newer Sperzels though, so I've been sticking with the Schaller locking, which are also staggered.

What kind of problems was that Alan?

AlanRatcliffe

You name it, they had it - play, lashback, sharp edges, stiffness in parts of the rotation, looseness in other parts. Stuff I wouldn't accept in a cheap tuner. Not too bad at normal tension (aside from sharp edges of chrome on the edges of the string holes - which cost me a few strings before I realised), but when I tightened them up a touch, they went to absolute hell.

I got them from Stewmac (who handled it excellently as usual) and the first set were faulty, so they sent replacements and didn't ask for the faulty ones back. When the second set were even worse, I demanded and got a set of Schallers and sent back both Sperzels. But I ended up paying VAT on all three sets. >☹

In all fairness, Bob Sperzel sent me a third set to try free-of-charge, but didn't tell me he was doing so and neglected to include any paperwork, so customs wouldn't release them and wanted me to provide proof of value to charge VAT and I didn't bother.

Shame really, they were so good when they first came out - but when the company grew, they shifted production from the US to China and obviously quality control didn't make the trip. I've used Schaller since and never had a single problem, plus it's easy to get pearloid or ebony keys to bring the weight down. The Gotoh top-locking tuners would be my first choice, but no-one stocks the sets that are both staggered and locking, and I'm unwilling to buy a thousand sets at a time to get them directly from Gotoh. ?