MY TUNERS

My Tuners

For years I've been searching for good tuning machines. There's always been nice looking ones around but they just didn't work well. Most were horrible. Finally the Sloane gears came on the scene. They worked like a dream - I mean you shouldn't have to use muscle to tune your bass. There shouldn't be noise, high spots or a gritty feel. These were smooth. There were complaints though - most people said they were too slow [50-1 turning ratio]. This never bothered me, but I did have issues with the way they looked. Style, not quality - there was more than enough quality. I used them on my basses because they were inarguably the best working machines on the market. But I still wanted something more in my own so I set to designing my own gear with my machinist. I am very fortunate to have as a friend a gifted machinist - Lutz Wallasch. Gotta go with the German in this regard. I know I'm promulgating a stereotype but what the hey. The first step was figuring out what made the Sloane machines so superior. Done. Sloane was a genius! I wish he was alive so I could kiss him. By the way, the answer to this equation is a secret [well almost - those smart boys over at kc strings figured it out as well - their machines work beautifully] - I can now take almost any gear - including those horrid working, heavy duty brass Philipino-made gears - and make a DRASTIC improvement on them. At a modest cost no less. Call me. Where were we - oh yeah - my machines are a little faster [40-1… a Juzek is about 25-1] - the ratio is a factor in the precision. They are minimalistic in profile - I know that those who love that heavy brass look will hate them - but aren't basses heavy enough? They are also completely modular in design so that if any repair is ever necessary no complicated welding will be needed [thanks Lutz]. But the ever popular bottom line is that they work. Smooth. It's a good thing.

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