Fitting tuners if headstock holes are too big

[Paolo85]

Hi all. I have just bought some Hipshot Licensed Ultralite used here. I jumped at them because at the moment I have a bass with cheap tuners that is a bit neck heavy and could do with less weight, and another bass with cheaper tuners and proper neck dive. However, the hesdstock holes do not match the size of the Hipshots for both basses.

The main candidate for the tuners now is a Harley Benton JB-75fl, the one with neck dive. It has 18mm headstock holes (tuners are 16mm). It seems Hipshot sells adapters but I have only found them for sale from the US and I cannot spend $50ish postage on a £155 bass.

So.. how do I fit them? I obviously would need a solution that does not add weigh to the bass... I read somewhere that I could fill the holes with superglue and baking soda and then drill. Would that be the right thing to do? Would it be heavy?

 

[Buddster]

Is it the sleave that is too small? If so, how about wrapping it in PTFE (plumbers tape). Its very light and will take to being wedged in. Plumbers use it to seal threads in taps etc. Its very thin but strong. You'll get it at any diy store. 

Or a nice blob of super glue on one side and to hokd it. Make sure they are all glued to the same side of the headstock. The flange should cover any gap. I did this on a bitsa bass and worked fine (so far) 

[3below]

Same problem when I fitted them to my Gibson.  I cut strips of plastic milk carton which then filled the gap perfectly.  Has worked perfectly for the last 10 years or so.  Hipshots sorted the neck dive on the SG bass, they also improved another bass I fitted them to.

Edited July 12, 2022 by 3below

[Reggaebass]

I’ve used the PTFE tape before on a jazz I bought and the previous owner had changed the tuners which were very slightly smaller , I wrapped the ferrules a few times with the tape very tightly , it’s quite strong, and it was fine, definitely worth a try 👍

[Paolo85]

Thanks all! Yes it is the sleeve. Quick and simple solutions. The PTFE in particular looks like a very quick job. Is there a risk that 2mm of softish material (the tape) will affect tuning stability?

Edited July 12, 2022 by Paolo85

[Reggaebass]

2 minutes ago, Paolo85 said:

Thanks all! Yes it is the sleeve. Quick and simple solutions. The PTFE in particular looks like a very quick job. Is there a risk that 2mm of softish material (the tape) will affect tuning stability?

It’s very thin but strong ,  I wrapped it round a few times until they were snug and screwed the tuners back in place, it was quite solid after, the tape is really cheap so it’s worth a try

[Bolo]

The correct way is of course to fill the holes with a fitting wooden dowel and woodglue, then drill the appropriate size hole.

[3below]

When you bring the strings up to full tension any remaining play will be pulled solid. This happens even when the holes and bushes are a really good fit.  Tuning stability is then not a problem in my experience.

Edited July 12, 2022 by 3below

[tauzero]

Hipshot adaptors from the UK?

 

https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/product/hipshot-licensed-ultralite-adapter-bushings/ - out of stock though.

 

Or maybe plain bearings - https://www.bearingstation.co.uk/products/bearings/plain-bearings-rod-ends/permaglide/cylindrical-bush?atts=650%2C651

[Matt P]

8 hours ago, tauzero said:

Hipshot adaptors from the UK?

 

https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/product/hipshot-licensed-ultralite-adapter-bushings/ - out of stock though.

 

Or maybe plain bearings - https://www.bearingstation.co.uk/products/bearings/plain-bearings-rod-ends/permaglide/cylindrical-bush?atts=650%2C651

 

 

these might be a bit cheaper? (no idea about postage)

 

another option is to find a bearing supplier locally and phone them, i'd expect that they would be a couple of quid each and they would sell you them through the trade counter as a cash sale.

 

just ask for 18mm outside diameter and 16mm inside diameter and make sure the length is right, many of the cheaper options are easily trimmed to length with a stanley knife (nylon or polyamide)

 

I would avoid Oilite beatrings as they are designed to leach oil out slowly which might damge the finish (possible staining of the wood under the finish)

 

Matt

 

[ezbass]

Hipshot recommend  aluminium HVAC tape, at least they did when I sent them an email regarding a similar situation, some time back. I eventually just used masking tape, worked/works fine.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I have used masking tape for this before, but would probably use aluminium tape if I had to do this again—but only as I have a roll of it sitting here unused.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[Reggaebass]

2 hours ago, ezbass said:

aluminium HVAC tape

That’s a good shout, it would compact much better than most other tape 

[Gigbab]

Not quite the same issue but I bought a bare Precision AVRI neck off a certain auction site, the ferrules/bushes of the Gotoh GBR640 vintage resolites I was going to use were a rattling good fit. The holes had been adjusted by a former owner using a taper reamer and were now too big. I used a piece of PVC pipe into which the bushes happened to be a tight fit and cut four rings to suit the depth of the bushes. I counterbored the holes in the headstock to be a tight fit for the rings, pressed them in a and voila.

[prowla]

I tend to use aluminium food trays for this kind of thing and for neck shims - cut strips to size, fold and double-over to required width.

[Delberthot]

I always cut along the length of an A4 sheet of paper, the width of the peg hole. Put a small piece of tape on one end to secure it to the tuner then wrap it around. Once I have enough added to it I cut the paper then put a small piece of tape around it to hold it together then in it goes

 

Prior to buying my Status neck with holes that were actually the correct size for my tuners this is what I always did