tuner bushing help!

[will hesch]

OK, just received my Mighty Mite neck from RH Guitar and my vintage tuners from Guitar Fetish with a set of conversion bushings. The bushings that come with the tuners don't fit and the special "conversion" bushings don't fit either (they fall through the holes!). The Mighty Mite tuner holes appear to be a "hair" over 3/8".What do I need to order? Thanks in advance, Will

[Hollmanp90]

Is it a bare neck ?

ANY Mighty Mite neck I've used and bought new had a thin protecting coat of sealer and thats it........Once I clean that off and tinted and cleared I had to clean up the tuner holes to get them(bushings) in........If your not gonna put a finish on it you could use thread tape or brush some CA around the lip of the holes and you'll be fine.

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by ArmyGreenKustom

Is it a bare neck ?

ANY Mighty Mite neck I've used and bought new had a thin protecting coat of sealer and thats it........Once I clean that off and tinted and cleared I had to clean up the tuner holes to get them(bushings) in........If your not gonna put a finish on it you could use thread tape or brush some CA around the lip of the holes and you'll be fine.

was exactly what I was thinking as I read the thread...


,BUT if the tuner ferrules hd fit right the first time we would be reading a thread about how mighty mite didnt drill their holes large enough...lol


its a vicious cycle.

[Jack Wells]

I recently replaced some vintage style tuners on a '50s Classic with Gotoh gold vintage style tuners. The bushings were a little loose. I just wrapped a little masking tape around the bushings.

Gee ............ I hope that tape doesn't negatively affect on my tone......

[boris bubbanov]

Hey, Will!

Here's what I see: The MM neck is Asian standard bore, 10.5 mm. The conversion bushes that GFS has access to for their non Gotoh split shafts is for a 10.0 mm (3/8ths) North American tuner bore. The Stew Mac 10.5 mm conversions are for Gotoh split shafts, which GFS does not carry.

My solution is to buy all the tuners + bushes from Stewart MacDonald from the get go.
I'm real persnickety about tuner and bush fit - like some other guys are about custom cut bone nuts I suppose. I did my time using cloth tape or shrink wrap, but that was a while back and I don't accept that any more. Tore dozens apart and redid them. I think it dumbs the guitar down, I really do.

[mellecaster]

Yep...as Boris states above the 10.5mm Stew-Mac bushings are the way to go, even if you have to enlarge the bushing ID for your tuners to fit...at least the OD will be snug for your MM neck.

[will hesch]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your help! Talk about "dumb down", those weren't "conversions bushings" that Jay sent (from Guitar Fetish), they were the through-body ferrules. OK, I measured and measured (I'm a lifer-carpenter/tile setter, done "hard time", now it's just part time!) with my trusty Stanley tape measure, hey, 1/16" is as tight as I usually need to get...anyway, Boris, you win the "here's the info you need" prize, they are definitely 10.5 holes, I went to a Mighty Mite link and read it with my own eyes. So, I'll use the Gotoh fakees from GF with the 10.5 conversion bushings from SM, along with a bunch of other stuff for build #2, a double bound home made body (2 piece alder with front and back curly maple veneer-gold transparent, YES!!!) Again, thank you very much for the help! Will

[Hollmanp90]

I not had that problem with the MM necks and the GFS.....just did one....no problems here......and I spray pretty thin too.....I will say I like the looks of the SM bushings alot better.....they look the say size as vintage ones....the GFS look bigger on the headstock.

Let Jay know......I can just picture you dropping them in and the ferrel bushings going right through......You ain't the first.....Post up pics. when your finished.