I ordered a set for my non-pre-CBS Jazz bass '75 reissue. Other than locating new mounting holes are there any aggravating problems that will pop up when I instal these on my bass?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
Welcome to TalkBass! Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Well they're metric, so between the metric tuning machines and the SAE bass, intonation will be a problem. 
Make sure the back of the headstock is flat. Mount your bushing BEFORE you attempt to mount the tuner (you have to get the peg in the correct location.) Often a screw will raise a little mound around a hole (the wood has to go someplace.) If your new bushings won't stay, there are several ways to deal with it. You can sandwich a damp rag between the old bushing mount and a hot soldering iron to vaporize the water and try to inject water back into the wood so it will hold the bushing; you can use CA (sparingly) to glue the bushing in place; or you can add tape or something around the bushing to hold it in place.
Make sure the back of the headstock is flat. Mount your bushing BEFORE you attempt to mount the tuner (you have to get the peg in the correct location.) Often a screw will raise a little mound around a hole (the wood has to go someplace.) If your new bushings won't stay, there are several ways to deal with it. You can sandwich a damp rag between the old bushing mount and a hot soldering iron to vaporize the water and try to inject water back into the wood so it will hold the bushing; you can use CA (sparingly) to glue the bushing in place; or you can add tape or something around the bushing to hold it in place.
Last edited:
Why did you go with the GB640's, weight? If not, there are other drop-in options.
As far as I can tell, no one makes a light-weight, drop-in replacement for CBS-style tuners.
GB640's are great tuners, but the bushings have never fit any of my Fenders, have had to use the stock ones.
As far as I can tell, no one makes a light-weight, drop-in replacement for CBS-style tuners.
GB640's are great tuners, but the bushings have never fit any of my Fenders, have had to use the stock ones.
Thanks for the heads up. I think I came across another poster who stated same, but that Gotoh may have recently updated the dimensions to fit properly. I always liked the look of the vintage long stem tuners...just personal taste mostly. I'm leaning towards taking the bass to a tech to do it.
Other than the aforementioned potential issue with the bushings, they're an easy install. I'm getting ready to install a set into a fresh neck, and I think I'm going to chuck each bushing in my drill press and just reduce the knurl diameter until I get a light press fit. Or, you can always try other makes of the same bushing; they vary dimensionally on the knurling.
And yeah, Gotoh needs to offer their FB3 in the Res-O-Lite material.
Gotoh GB 640's come with 17.6 mm / .692" O.D. bushings. I believe the holes in the headstock n a 75 reissue will be 18mm, which means the bushings that come with the Gotoh tuners will be too small and will fall out.
There is a Fender bass tuner bushing size of 17.5 mm. Your Gotoh tuners wll work If you happen to have that size, but you may have to enlarge the holes in the headstock slightly.
A couple things to avoid; don't hammer in the bushings if they are tight. They should fit snug, but not extreme. Press the new bushings in with a "C" clamp & put something on the back of the headstock to keep the clamp from marking the wood.
Do not force in bushings that are too large; you can easily split a headstock.
There is a Fender bass tuner bushing size of 17.5 mm. Your Gotoh tuners wll work If you happen to have that size, but you may have to enlarge the holes in the headstock slightly.
A couple things to avoid; don't hammer in the bushings if they are tight. They should fit snug, but not extreme. Press the new bushings in with a "C" clamp & put something on the back of the headstock to keep the clamp from marking the wood.
Do not force in bushings that are too large; you can easily split a headstock.
Last edited:
