plastic hexagonal tuner - stripped?

Stephen Cordingley · From: Ontario, Canada

dumb question of the day:
the white plastic hexagonal tuner screw on the end of one of the rods on my Carter D10 seems to be stripped (it doesn't turn)
I assume these things are grooved on the inside like a screw (the rod is grooved)
the rod seems to have a bit of white plastic stuck to it like the tuner screw stripped on the inside
if I'm making sense so far, does one purchase a new plastic screw end and screw it on, (or crazy glue it to the rod), or what?
I'll probably take it to my semi-local steel pro/vendor, but I'd like to educate myself so I don't feel so clueless...can anybody explain these thingees to me, as I've never had to repair/replace one before
thanks

Billy McCombs · From: Bakersfield California, USA

Try a little Teflon tape on the threads. Some of those plastic tuners have threads on both ends you might try switching it around. Very Happy

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78 Emmons PP,Great tone.82 Emmons SKH #56

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

The nylon/plastic tuning nuts are available from many of the vendors here. Check 'em out via the links button.

A good source is George L's products. http://www.georgelsstore.com/steelacc.html Closer to you, is www.steelguitarcanada.com Al Brisco handles this stuff as well as Carter guitars. He can tell you which length and I.D. you need also.

These will eventually wear out from tuning and retuning, so you probably need to keep a few on hand.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Bo Borland · From: South Jersey -

@ Tony ..

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

No, no glue. Whoa!

These things are self tapping...they cut threads as you screw 'em on. Billy's suggestion is good for a temporary fix and sometimes long term.

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

Point of interest:

Sierra's do not use nylon tuners. They glue a brass hexagon tuner on the end of the pullrod and the enire rod turns. NOT just the brass tuner.

Excel's did it the same, but they glued a nylon tuner on the end of the rod AND the nylon tuner was ROUND on the outside and hexagonal on the inside.

Excel provided an appropriate sized hexagon wrench, with a knob pressed onto it. Mitsuo then had a neat and handy place to store the wrenchs. One for the nylon tuners and one for the Keyless tuners. See photo.

The small yellow knob hexagon wrench. is for the "split" srcews which have smaller threaded set screws.

Notice, these wrenches will not fall out when you turn the guitar upside down. A blessing Very Happy

Both guitars used nylon swivels IN one of the holes in the bellcranks. So the rod was actually threaded at the bellcrank end; rather than at the changer end. Obviously, the entire rod turned.

This was NOT good. And Mitsuo knew it, because he stopped doing it and changed it the way most guitars do it, but still having round tuners, with internal hex shapes.

I really like this, because the snug and DEEP fit of the hex wrench simply will NOT fall out. NO matter how hard you stomp the pedals or knee levers.

Something I have fought for years on my LeGrandes. That hole in that wrench is too dadgummed shallow. Mad

c.
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A broken heart + † = a new heart.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I don't know if you are aware or not but there is about 3 different inside diameters to thes hex nuts. make sure who ever you order from. Give them the guitar model make and and if possible the size of the rod so you get the right size. Yes order a few spares hex nuts. They are know to fail at some weird times. One of the best tools I have ever found when working on anything mechanical. It is a dial caliper. Mid-way a gunsmith place in Missouri have a good deal on some dial caliper. Make sure it is a stainless steel one. with this you can measure rods,shafts, nuts bolts and screws so you can tell the place you are ordering from the exact size parts you need. Good luck and Happy Steelin

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

Ive had good luck with a 5mm hex driver. Its much bigger like a standard screwdriver with handle but the hex is slightly smaller than the PSG wrench. Some older hex nuts may be very slightly smaller, and though a standard PSG wrench may work, sometimes it slips on the nut and it feels like the nut is stripped, when actually the wrench is slipping on the outside of the hex. This can happen when the hex is tightened a lot and hard to turn.

Take a close look at the hex as you turn. If it feels like its stripped, but its not turning, try a 5mm wrench.

Clete

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

"the white plastic hexagonal tuner screw on the end of one of the rods on my Carter D10 seems to be stripped (it doesn't turn) "

It doesn't turn? Sounds more as if it's at the end of the rod's threads? If it was stripped wouldn't it turn easily, but have no effect on tuning? Have you tried loosening it up as well as tightening it up? I've never seen a Carter, so I really don't know anything about them.

EDITED TO ADD; rod's threads.

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

The poster that said, "the threaded rods cuts its own thread in the nylon tuner", Is exactly right. (paraphrasing)

For the LAST thing you want is to have the nylon tuners pre threaded. In fact the VERY reason for the nylon is JUST that. Here is why:

Nylon is one of the most incredible synthetic things man has discovered. It has natural lubricating qualities. Delrin is a later advancement, but it is much more expensive than nylon.

But it has another quality that almost defies itself. It can also grip like a crocodile's jaws! Whoa!

Indeed it can.

So they became a mecca for Ron Lashley Sr and others to achieve a goal, that few other materials can. And that is; you can drill an undersized hole in it, and let the rod thread itself into that hole making a very tight connection that will HOLD like a tiger.

BUT you can still turn the rod, albeit tightly.

And voila! it is a perfect solution for its application. You do NOT want pre threaded nylon tuners; for it will not hold its setting; particularly when you consider the driving forces impressed upon it with the constant pounding of the Doug Jernigan's and Wally Murphy's etc; playing rapid fire stacatto songs; such as "Orange Blossom Special" and "The William Tell Overture, to name just 2!!

For it is higly conceivable that if you used pre threaded tuners that were not glued on, neither of the above virtuosos would be able to get past 8 bars, without the tuners unthreading (or threading) the guitar totally OUT of tune. Mad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP8YbVus_TE

See whutah mean? Wink

Praise Jesus for giving man the ability to discover ways to overcome what might seem to be an impossible task. Very Happy

"For with God, ALL things are possible; EVEN that which seems impossible!"

c.
_________________
A broken heart + † = a new heart.

Stephen Cordingley · From: Ontario, Canada

thanks for the info, folks

when I pondered it for a while, I realized Crazy Glue was NOT the solution (the rods don't rotate, right?)
I also realized that the stripped plastic piece actually does spin now; it just doesn't get any grip on the rod (if I'm thniking this thru right)

I'll measure, then get some new ones, install them, and hopefully understand a little more about how this voodoo machine of mine actually makes them crazy sounds...

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