72 Pawn Shop ...Replacement Locking Tuners

[3 Tone Burst]

I recently purchased a new 72 Pawn Shop and it is not staying in tune. I am going to have the nut replaced with a real bone nut and I would also like to replace the tuners with the Fender locking tuners that come standard on American Deluxe Strats, would they retro fit on this guitar?

I also read somewhere that the Wide Range neck pickup is not potted, is this true?

Thank You

[Kap'n]

The locking tuners that come on the American Deluxe are a drop in retrofit for the Schallers that come on the American Series. My guess is that the pawn shop comes with different tuners.

[3 Tone Burst]

How about the Wide Range neck pickup....do you know if its potted?

Has anyone replaced the tuners on their 72 Pawn Shop? If so what didi you replace them with?

Thank You

[yankeerob]

Here's a real simple fix for a guitar that won't stay in tune and it doesn't cost a dime (as long as you have an ordinary 'lead' pencil lying around the house)...

First of all... when you wind your strings on... how much string do you allow to wrap around the peg?... 3 cm is plenty for the method I'm about to describe...

Measure about 3cm of string past the peg you're going to wind it onto and grab it with a needle nose pliers at that point and make a right angle bend in the string; then cut it about a cm past the bend you've just made (this will also help to stop the winding from loosening when you cut it) and then offer it into the peg. Start winding the string on but instead of winding the string in the traditional way... ie going under the first turn around the peg - go over it and then as you continue to wind the string on start pressing down on it towards the headstock so you are crossing the string over itself... in effect tying the string onto the peg as opposed to simply wrapping it around it... you should wind up with around three turns around the peg in all... one over and at least one and a bit turns under... this is sufficient to allow for stable operation of the machine head but reduces the continued stretching of the string around the peg over time... If you don't get what I mean send me a PM and I'll email you some photos...

Then comes the magic pencil... pencil 'lead' isn't lead at all...it's - in fact - graphite - a fantastic dry lubricant... just rub a little in the grooves in your nut everytime you change strings and hey presto... your strings glide through the grooves that much easier... if they start getting a bit sticky... just rub a little pencil in... I've been using many different types of trem over the past 35 yrs and have never used a locking system - even if one was fitted I'd just get rid of the locking bits... I read that Van Halen used to use a drop of 3in1 'easing' (which contains graphite) but the oil itself will get in between the string core and winding if you use too much (not hard to do) and your strings will go dead faster... I thought - forget that... and rubbed a little pencil on any surface where the tension of the string may make it catch...works a treat...

If you're insistent on changing the machine heads... Sperzels come with an easy to use template to mark and drill the required holes whereas the Fenders do not... and if you need to do any drilling/reaming of the existing holes that the pegs go through (most likely)... remember that the neck is made of maple which is a very tough wood to work... go slowly and halfway through one side and then the other to avoid damaging the surface finish... good luck!!