Filling and drilling holes for tuning heads

[Jamieboy]

Hi all. I've just recently bought a sire z3, which I'm really impressed with.

 

I previously had a sire p5 on which I had replaced the stock tuning heads with gotoh gb528s. These replacements seemed to me to be exceptional quality and also much lighter than the originals. 

 

I kept the gotohs and had intended to swap them onto the new z3, but I see that the stock tuning heads on the z3 are not the same as the p5 (apparently the z3 and v3 models use slightly different ones to the rest of the sire range). The screw pattern is slightly different and the gotohs are not a simple drop in.

 

If the holes were in completely different places (e.g. hipshot ultralight) then I'd be comfortable drilling these into virgin wood and cracking on. However the hole positions for thr gotohs are really close, and probably slightly overlapping, to the stock holes so I'd def need to fill and re-drill the new holes. I've never done this and I'm worried about whether this would be strong enough or whether I might screw things up as I'd be drilling either very close to or partially into the filled holes.

 

Any thoughts? I could sell the gotohs and buy some hipshots, but given I already have them and really like them I wondered if the above would work. 

 

Thanks. 

[Geek99]

If it’s just one per tuner I’d just leave them

out 

[Jamieboy]

19 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

If it’s just one per tuner I’d just leave them

out 

Thanks. Hadnt considered that. The stock ones have 4 screws, the gotohs have 2. So are you saying just line up one of the holes and leave it at that? 

 

Not sure how secure that would be. Guess theres potential it could work (if it does line up) as the gotohs clamp the headstock with a threaded bushing from the front so it's not just the screws holding them on....

[Geek99]

Yes 

I’d put a smear of silicon under the tuner plate to hold it down

i avoid drilling holes if possible 

[Peejay]

Gotohs really are very good and some stock tuners just aren't, which is how they keep the price of basses competitive I guess. I've experienced a similar dilemma to you in the past and I try to avoid drilling if possible but have filled holes on headstocks with wooden cocktail sticks/toothpicks or shaved match stalks and superglued them in, then just cut them flat with a sharp knife. They set hard (possibly harder than the surrounding wood) so are a stable base on which you can drill new holes. It works even better if the new tuner base is bigger than the old one as it covers your handiwork up. You could always use a decent wood filler too but it's a little more difficult to get all the way into the holes left by the old screws.

If it's super rare or valuable instrument I'd leave it to a pro though.

Hope this helps.

[ezbass]

20 minutes ago, Peejay said:

filled holes on headstocks with wooden cocktail sticks/toothpicks or shaved match stalks and superglued them in, then just cut them flat with a sharp knife

This would be my solution.

[Jamieboy]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. Appreciated.

 

2 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Yes 

I’d put a smear of silicon under the tuner plate to hold it down

i avoid drilling holes if possible 

 Ah I see- the bathroom stuff I guess? Suppose that gives it some hold to aid the single screw but not so much you couldn't remove in future. 

 

I suppose hipshot ultralight only have one screw don't they. If I get time this evening I may remove one existing and see if either of the gotoh holes line up exactly.

 

2 hours ago, Peejay said:

If it's super rare or valuable instrument I'd leave it to a pro though.

It isn't, but this could still well be the most sensible solution 😉 

[Geek99]

@Jamieboy 

exactamundo

[PaulThePlug]

Matchsticks and PVA...

Cocktail sticks are very hard and mire likely to cause a drill bit to snap or move if you catch the edge.

As you gave mentioned, the thread bush attaches the machine head to the headstock, the 2 screws stop it from rotating.

[BlueMoon]

If you do end up drilling, just be sure to use a bradawl to locate precisely the location of where to drill the new holes. Also, Gotoh screws are notorious for ringing over if you don’t lubricate them and the hole. Candle wax is good.

[Jamieboy]

Thanks all for the thoughts. 

 

Update: the holes weren't as off as it seemed to me they would be (and as the internet would have you believe). I went to try the one-screw line up as per Geek99's suggestion and then I noticed I could just about see the other wood hole through the second gotoh screw hole. Thus by lining them up so neither were dead centre I could just thread both holes.

 

Sorry guys - turns out it was much ado about nothing! 🫣

 

All now installed and bass balances beautifully. Amazing how much difference the weight of 4 tuners can make to how a bass feels.