Help Ukulele Bass Machine Heads!

V

Vid Gobac

Guest
Feb 6, 2018
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#1
Hi there!

I have a Ukulele Acoustic Bass. One of the machine heads died and I need to replace the set.
What I'm worried about is which machine heads to buy. I saw some on amazon but they look very different to the ones I have! Any advice would be appreciated!!! :)

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Vid
 
#2
Those are pretty robust to just die. Let me guess it’s the G string? I see the shaft is protruding the side of the frame. Have you tightened the screw at the end of the button?

They very closely resemble Hipshot ultralight gets.
 
#4
Gorn said:
The pyramid forming around the A tuner is gonna eventually be a problem.
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I'm more worried about the E string tuner. It looks as though the shaft has been spread apart to take the fat string into the hole in the shaft centre. THat's not the right way to wind strings on this kind of bass for the very reason that the strings are too fat. Check this vid - skip the first 30 seconds:

 
#5
Turnaround said:
I'm more worried about the E string tuner. It looks as though the shaft has been spread apart to take the fat string into the hole in the shaft centre. THat's not the right way to wind strings on this kind of bass for the very reason that the strings are too fat. Check this vid - skip the first 30 seconds:

Click to expand...

The thunderguts on the bass in the OP are meant to be started in the hole, unlike the pahoehoes in the video. But in my experience with both you just gotta do what you can to get them to stay put.
 
#6
Vid Gobac said:
I have a Ukulele Acoustic Bass. One of the machine heads died and I need to replace the set.
What I'm worried about is which machine heads to buy. I saw some on amazon but they look very different to the ones I have! Any advice would be appreciated!!! :)
Click to expand...

Those look like the same tuners Kala uses on their Ubass. They're made specifically to go with those types of thick, rubbery strings.
You can order replacements directly from Kala's web site.

BTW, my guess is the A tuner is going out. The clear plastic debris in the gears is exactly what happened with two of mine that needed to be replaced. It's from a gasket inside that sometimes goes bad. You can also see that it's been tightened down too much and the washer in the shaft is shredded as well.
 
#7
Gorn said:
The thunderguts on the bass in the OP are meant to be started in the hole, unlike the pahoehoes in the video. But in my experience with both you just gotta do what you can to get them to stay put.
Click to expand...
I don't know where you got the idea that Thunderguts should be started in the hole. I've been working with the Canadian distributor of Aquila strings for years now and Aquila has never suggested starting the string in the hole - the installation has always as shown in the Kala video.
 
#8
Turnaround said:
I don't know where you got the idea that Thunderguts should be started in the hole. I've been working with the Canadian distributor of Aquila strings for years now and Aquila has never suggested starting the string in the hole - the installation has always as shown in the Kala video.
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I thought that's what the instructions said. I tried them once and hated them.

But following the directions in the video above for thunderguts would destroy them. You can't stretch them the same way.
 
#9
Gorn said:
I thought that's what the instructions said. I tried them once and hated them.

But following the directions in the video above for thunderguts would destroy them. You can't stretch them the same way.
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I use Thunderguts and don't have a problem with the Kala method of stringing. If you feel it's a problem for you, then do it like this:

 
#11
Gorn said:
You've stretched thunderguts as far as they do in the kala video? They must've changed since I last tried them.
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You stretch them only so far as needed to wind properly on the post. That's not the point. The point is how you lock them to the post. Down the hole is not the right way for these strings - more like how you lock strings on a classical guitar - the free end goes under the wind and get's bound to the post.
 
#12
Turnaround said:
You stretch them only so far as needed to wind properly on the post. That's not the point. The point is how you lock them to the post. Down the hole is not the right way for these strings - more like how you lock strings on a classical guitar - the free end goes under the wind and get's bound to the post.
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You're probably right about locking them in the post. That's the point, sure. I've conceded it. But it's also true that stretching them like in the kala video would destroy the strings. That's another point.
 
#13
Don't stretch them like the video. Stretch them less. Lock them to the post like the video. Don't stick the ends down the hole. That's my recommendation, from a user who has had 2 Kalas and no problem with tuners or strings, including the Pahoehoes, Rumblers, Thunder Reds, and Thunderguts.. Except that they all wear out to quickly.

Anxious to try some round wounds though.
 
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