Tuners: Gotoh FB30 vs. Hipshot HB2

2

2F/2F

May 26, 2009
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Los Angeles, CA
#1
I am about to get some lollipops for a build. In the style of mounting plate I need, there are Hipshot HB2s and Gotoh FB30s. The Hipshots are 40 or 50 percent more expensive. They do look a bit better built to me, and they have adjustable tension. But the Gotohs are almost certainly fine, IME with the brand. And not having a big brand stamp on them, they do look better IMO (but who is going to ever see the back of them).

Any bad experiences with the Gotohs? Any reason it's "totally worth it" to get the Hipshots instead? I lean toward the Gotohs, unless the Hipshots are radically superior in real-world use, for some reason.

Hipshot (looks beefier, but a little uglier and more expensive):

jxfiqas549xcg6zizvkt.jpg


Gotoh (gorgeous design, built more like original lollipops, cheaper):

FB30LP-N.jpg
 
#6
Thanks for the replies. I just ordered the Gotohs. They really do look a lot better, and they were $30 cheaper.

I wonder if the big gear can be flipped over to hide the "Gotoh" and "Made in Japan" on them.
 
#7
Booth brands make great tuning keys, but I have to say that the four Gotohs that were on my '03 AV '62 Jazz Bass sucked (technical term). The 18 510s that I have on other instruments are superb. That is all.
 
#8
What no one told you is the Gotohs have the shaft held on with 'U' clamps that go through the plate and have the ends bent over, clenching the shaft in place. That does a couple things, 1) it makes the machine non-reversible so be sure to order what you actually need. 2) you will need to drill or carve notches into your head stock to provide room for the clinch tabs.
 
#9
sissy kathy said:
What no one told you is the Gotohs have the shaft held on with 'U' clamps that go through the plate and have the ends bent over, clenching the shaft in place. That does a couple things, 1) it makes the machine non-reversible so be sure to order what you actually need. 2) you will need to drill or carve notches into your head stock to provide room for the clinch tabs.
Click to expand...

Well, if that doesn't clinch it, nothing will. :laugh:
 
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#10
sissy kathy said:
What no one told you is the Gotohs have the shaft held on with 'U' clamps that go through the plate and have the ends bent over, clenching the shaft in place. That does a couple things, 1) it makes the machine non-reversible so be sure to order what you actually need. 2) you will need to drill or carve notches into your head stock to provide room for the clinch tabs.
Click to expand...

I don't have the neck in hand at the moment, but I believe said notches were placed there in the Fender factory, but probably for older style reverse tuners. Hopefully they line up with the Gotoh lollipops too. If not, no big deal, as the neck isn't collectible, and it's already kind of ugly anyhow. It's an older Fender Genuine Replacement neck, with old AVRI specs. I got it used, with these ugly gold '70s style tuners already on it (I finally pulled them the other day, after meaning to do so for over 10 years).

63967339-E4C3-4F87-A75F-4EF45342CF3C.jpeg


B827090F-0870-40EB-BF0C-D0430E49F9B0.jpeg
 
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#11
2F/2F said:
I don't have the neck in hand at the moment, but I believe said notches were placed there in the Fender factory, but probably for older style reverse tuners. Hopefully they line up with the Gotoh lollipops too. If not, no big deal, as the neck isn't collectible, and it's already kind of ugly anyhow.

View attachment 3533223

View attachment 3533224
Click to expand...
I doubt it. Those Fender tuners were made by Schaller. Schaller used(s) a different method where the plate between the 'U's' is discarded and the 'U' is integral to the back plate, so no clinches are needed. As a result there would be no divots for the clinch tabs.
 
#12
sissy kathy said:
I doubt it. Those Fender tuners were made by Schaller. Schaller used(s) a different method where the plate between the 'U's' is discarded and the 'U' is integral to the pack plate, so no clinches are needed.
Click to expand...

Those tuners on the neck in the pix don't have anything to do with what's underneath. They are not original (it did not come with tuners), and they were not the style for which the neck was intended. It was intended for reverse-gear tuners, and it does have notches cut. I just don't know if the notches line up with lollipops or not.

At any rate, it's a non issue. If they work, then they work. If they don't work, then I'll make it work.
 
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#13
sissy kathy said:
What no one told you is the Gotohs have the shaft held on with 'U' clamps that go through the plate and have the ends bent over, clenching the shaft in place. That does a couple things, 1) it makes the machine non-reversible so be sure to order what you actually need. 2) you will need to drill or carve notches into your head stock to provide room for the clinch tabs.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I got the Gotohs today, and the tabs that fold over under the mounting plate are so tiny and so flush to the plate that it would be a complete non issue, even without headstock notches. Looks like Gotoh might have made some slight refinements over the original design.
 
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#14
Gotohs are held in high enough regard that I'd say 80 to 90% of basses you see where the brand of the bass is engraved on the key is made by Gotoh. But I'd have to say hard to go wrong with either brand, HipShot does make my-t-fine gear.
 
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#15
This is what the back of the neck looks like. Has factory-made divots for the fold-over tabs on old-style reverse tuners...but the original owner of the neck installed 70s style ones instead.

7893FC23-CAA4-4C86-ABD9-404E109822F1.jpeg


I tapped the bushings out today, but I ended up having to reuse them because the Gotoh ones are far too loose. So I'm gonna have to have to use the scuzzy old bushings with the fresh tuners, and the fresh bushings will have no home.

The Gotoh bushings are also a hair too small for my two brand new Musikraft necks, which are drilled for vintage style tuners. I'm not sure what exactly they're supposed to fit. MIJ reissues, maybe. But Gotoh states that they are supposed to fit 11/16" holes. They don't.
 
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#16
sissy kathy said:
What no one told you is the Gotohs have the shaft held on with 'U' clamps that go through the plate and have the ends bent over, clenching the shaft in place. That does a couple things, 1) it makes the machine non-reversible so be sure to order what you actually need. 2) you will need to drill or carve notches into your head stock to provide room for the clinch tabs.
Click to expand...

2F/2F said:
FWIW, I got the Gotohs today, and the tabs that fold over under the mounting plate are so tiny and so flush to the plate that it would be a complete non issue, even without headstock notches. Looks like Gotoh might have made some slight refinements over the original design.
Click to expand...
Apologies for bumping a thread from a few months ago, but just wanted to clarify for posterity's sake that it was only the older (pre-CBS) tuners that had the protruding tabs and needed the holes drilled in the headstock. The Fender tuners from the mid '60s - mid '70s have the same basic design as the FB30 tuner, where the tabs are flush with the back plate. My '74 Jazz had this style of tuner.
 
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