Best Cheap Locking Tuners?

[guitaardvark]

Hey all,

I'm in need of two sets of locking tuners, and unfortunately I don't have the budget for two sets of Sperzels/Gotohs. Has anyone had any luck with cheaper brands of locking tuners? Wilkinsons are a great price on Reverb, but can anyone testify to their quality or similarly priced ones?

Thanks! Y'all have been such a major help in my guitar playing journey.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Hipshots are 50 a set

 

[Adieu]

Ive used Kmise for like $12 iirc

They seem OK

 

[Steinmetzify]

Had good luck with the GFS lockers. Cheap enough.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Had good luck with the GFS lockers. Cheap enough.

Same. I've thrown several sets on cheaper guitars and aside from some so-so finish every so often, they function as they should.

I believe they're just re-branded Vansons, which are another option.

 

[littlebadboy]

Don't go cheap on tuners. I learned my lesson.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

I've had a few sets of Vanson locking tuners and they're solid they were also a direct swap for both the stock Gotoh set in my 7421XL and the Jackson-branded tuners from my Japanese DKMG.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

I didn't know about the GFS ones. If everyone is saying these are good I think I'll grab a set instead of the hipshot ones

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I didn't know about the GFS ones. If everyone is saying these are good I think I'll grab a set instead of the hipshot ones

Just about everything on GFS is really solid.

 

[Bobo]

GFS is as cheap as I'd go after using those, real cheapies (Kmise and some others), and Hipshots. Hipshots aren't much more expensive than the GFS ($15?). I'd spend that, but GFS works fine ime if money is really tight.

 

[Emperoff]

Save and buy good tuners. They're not that expensive to cheapen out on them. They're responsible of the most important part of your tone!

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Save and buy good tuners. They're not that expensive to cheapen out on them. They're responsible of the most important part of your tone!

Eh, they're one of the parts you can cheap out on without much issue.

I know it seems like tuners are very important. I mean they're called "tuners", you use them to tune your guitar so they obviously must be an important part of keeping your guitar in tune.

Really though, they're just a peg on a gear that you wrap the string around and how well you accomplish that task will have more influence on tuning stability.

Unless they're burred to all Hell, any tuner will do just fine.

Just as the most expensive tuners aren't that much more costly than the cheapos, the returns dimish significantly after about $30.

 

[budda]

Used is the way to go.

 

[Emperoff]

Eh, they're one of the parts you can cheap out on without much issue.

I know it seems like tuners are very important. I mean they're called "tuners", you use them to tune your guitar so they obviously must be an important part of keeping your guitar in tune.

Really though, they're just a peg on a gear that you wrap the string around and how well you accomplish that task will have more influence on tuning stability.

Unless they're burred to all Hell, any tuner will do just fine.

Just as the most expensive tuners aren't that much more costly than the cheapos, the returns dimish significantly after about $30.

Personal preference I guess. For the cost I don't take chances and not all tuners feel the same. I'd have Hipshots in all my guitars if they didn't require extra holes (or plates). So I'm happy with Gotohs and they're definetely better than what usually comes stock. Difference is quite noticeable to me.

 

[Shoeless_jose]

Damn old canada dollars hipshots are $100 and most reputable brands are around that price. Will check out these GFS baddies rn though need to replace the GForce on my lespaul