Anyone using Graph Tech Ratio tuners?

scottp

Fractal Fanatic
My EVH from Indonesia has the WORST set of tuners I have ever had on a guitar in 45 years!
Its a 3+3 set up.
The
Graph Tech Ratio Electric 3+3 Tuned Machine Heads

look like a direct fit as the factory tuners use 2 small pins to locate the tuners to the peghead.
 
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I don't have them on any of my guitars right now but I've used them in the past and quite like them. If I ever need to switch tuners in a guitar my favourite are Gotoh SG510Z series tuners.. 1:21 ratio makes for really smooth tuning on every string.
 
I just put a set of Ratios on my PRS Paul's guitar which came with truly awful cheap tuners. I had to enlarge the peghead holes a bit and use a set of adapter plates but they look awesome. I ordered the optional premium Graph Tech adapter plates for a nicer look than the free plates supplied by GT. Bought a really cheap wood reamer from Amazon that produce a perfect tight hole for the new tuners. I've got pics somewhere if you need to see them but highly recommend swapping out any cheap guitar tuners for better ones.
 
I put a set on my Charvel DK 24, it had locking tuners but they weren't staggered and these were a direct fit, its improved the tuning stability quite a bit they are really solid felling tuners and the ratio does what it says it really takes no time to tune up. I also just got a set of Wilkinson Locking saddles today which should take care of the last bit of waver tuning wise.
 
I put a set on my Charvel DK 24, it had locking tuners but they weren't staggered and these were a direct fit, its improved the tuning stability quite a bit they are really solid felling tuners and the ratio does what it says it really takes no time to tune up. I also just got a set of Wilkinson Locking saddles today which should take care of the last bit of waver tuning wise.
Please post your experiences with the Wilkinson saddles once you've had time to give them a try :)
 
I put a set on my Charvel DK 24, it had locking tuners but they weren't staggered and these were a direct fit, its improved the tuning stability quite a bit they are really solid felling tuners and the ratio does what it says it really takes no time to tune up. I also just got a set of Wilkinson Locking saddles today which should take care of the last bit of waver tuning wise.
Please post your experiences with the Wilkinson saddles once you've had time to give them a try :)
Going to the post office today to pick up mine!
 
Please post your experiences with the Wilkinson saddles once you've had time to give them a try :)

They work quite well, i put them on tuned and stretched out the strings locked them down and beat the hell out of it, i got a little drift but nothing that was readily noticeable and nothing that was radically out of tune. they are well worth it IMO

IMG-8028.jpg
 
They work quite well, i put them on tuned and stretched out the strings locked them down and beat the hell out of it, i got a little drift but nothing that was readily noticeable and nothing that was radically out of tune. they are well worth it IMO

IMG-8028.jpg
Funny... Mine are also going on a DK-24 in about an hour :)
 
Funny... Mine are also going on a DK-24 in about an hour :)

They help but also the staggered tuners do a lot as well, I also swapped the trees for Tusk Xl trees i had ordered for something else.

I have to say i love the DK24, My main guitars are PRS's and i ordered the Charvel just because i really dug the look and wanted to check it out, I lowered the pickups to tame some of the brightness, there still bright but not that bad anymore. I really want to get the new Model 2 Tele they came out with at NAMM to pair with it.
 
A Les Paul I got has Ratios on it. If I was making the change, I would have probably gone with Hipshots, like I've done on 4 other guitars; but the Ratios are working well enough that I'm not going to change them out.
 
I've used Sperzel locking tuners on a few guitars now and really like them. You do have to drill a hole to get them on -- it's small and pretty straight forward though. They have a similar locking mechanism to the Graph Techs and I find it works well enough for the non-violent vibrato bar style I have. On the inline headstocks, I use the ones where the poles diminish in height as you get to the far end of the headstock. I don't use a string tree with these and haven't had any issues with a shallow break angle and the string slipping out of the nut or anything like that.
 
They work quite well, i put them on tuned and stretched out the strings locked them down and beat the hell out of it, i got a little drift but nothing that was readily noticeable and nothing that was radically out of tune. they are well worth it IMO

IMG-8028.jpg

Do those allen head screws press directly down on the strings?

Thanks.
 
I put a set on my Charvel DK 24, it had locking tuners but they weren't staggered and these were a direct fit, its improved the tuning stability quite a bit they are really solid felling tuners and the ratio does what it says it really takes no time to tune up. I also just got a set of Wilkinson Locking saddles today which should take care of the last bit of waver tuning wise.
Did you need an adapter plate for the tuners with the DK24 or do they fit the 2 pin holes that are already in the headstock?
 
I put these on a Godin LGXT. Absolutely love them. Stable and precise. They also dropped right in, no drilling. I didn't need the plates either. They improved the sustain too.
 
I never followed up, but I bought the staggered ones to replace the stock tuners on my DK-24 and they were (as mentioned above) a drop-in replacement. They work great and I ditched my string trees. ;)
 
They work quite well, i put them on tuned and stretched out the strings locked them down and beat the hell out of it, i got a little drift but nothing that was readily noticeable and nothing that was radically out of tune. they are well worth it IMO

IMG-8028.jpg
Put a set of these on my PRS SE Standard 24 recently. Big improvement! The bar's action on light wiggles has no lag built in now. Immediate. Tone improved a bit also, as compared to the stock saddles. Seems to stay in tune better. Need to find some for my Strat!

Just put Grover 106C auto-locking machines on my SG Special. Much smoother and more precise action than the factory machines, and changing strings will be easier....

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/k-so-the-fedups-guy-dropped-these-off-today.164921/
 
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