Locking vs vintage tuners

[Boogie]

Unless you need quick string changes on stage, locking tuners are just a preference or choice, IMO. Non lockers work just fine and can give as good tune stability if you use them correctly. Enjoy your choice!

 

[Going Modal]

Weird that they quickly pulled them from the store. Seems like plenty of people wishing to upgrade to locking for no other reason than the ease of string changes. Hence the disappointment for many when they changed back to vintage tuners from Phase 3 on the Core lines. I would think a market would exist to buy these vintage locking directly from PRS. Maybe pandemic related and need to focus on making guitars? Seems they have been extremely slow to update the accessory store since pandemic hit.

I'm not sure if they really pulled them back out of the store--rather, that they might not have been supposed to send me them in the first place (?). Meaning that, the web description when I bought said nothing of "locking," only "vintage style" which was all that I wanted (the guitar is stoptail bridge, which I don't exactly feel requires locking tuners anyway).

Having received them, though, I went ahead & installed them (1) for ease of quick-string-changes, and (2) because those little black thumbscrews are a nice black-accent that matches other black hardware on the guitar. And I also had to ream the peghead holes larger to fit these (in place of some older gold vintage-style PRS ones, which had smaller bushings & posts). So... they're mine now, and they're on there & they ain't coming off, regardless.

 

[Fireroadeddy]

I'm a HUGE fan of the Mann vintage lockers. Even though the wrap/lock method works it's just soooooo much easier to get strings on AND OFF the guitar with the lockers. String changes are so much faster too.

I put them on my McCarty and I highly recommend them!

I agree about the Mann tuners, and great people to deal with to boot!

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

Non-locking tuners become locking tuners if you use this technique. I use it on all my guitars that don't have locking tuners, and I only have less than one wrap on the peg.

https://www.prsguitars.com/index.php/support/article/prs_non_locking_tuners

Yep, this video is extremely helpful, and helped this self acclaimed "World's Worst String Changer", change the strings on my new McCarty Thinline with the vintage non-lockers.

A funny but true story is that, the very first guitar I bought 25 years ago (that I still cannot play) came with locking tuners . But it really didn't matter , as it took me 24 years to get brave enough to change strings myself. So I really didn't appreciate how difficult non lockers could be to change, until I messed with the "vintage" tuners on my Fender Jaguar, the kind that have the slotted tops that you place the string in through the top. Man what a cluster. Some swear by them as the coolest design ever. Me, I at swear at them, and have found Gotoh lockers to replace them.

I have gotten brave enough to change tuners on my 2 SE's , and a coupla Brand F's , all having relied on the PRS video on how to get it done ...

All this said (to divulge my high level of ineptitude and relative lack of skills) ... I found the vintage tuners on my Thinline, to be beautiful and cool and from the factory, strung just like lockers with a bare minimum of wrap around their beautiful brass posts.

I really didn't want to mess with this stellar job, but I had to reduce string tension (stock w/ 10's to 8 gauge)
I watched the Skitchy video, and Whizz -Bang ! Got it done with minimum muss and fuss.

These stock vintage tuners have a very positive feel (no trunnion slop) about them. No slack movement. And strings when properly stretched (another newly acquired skill) hold tuning as well as any "locker"

So the only real reason to change to lockers for a couch sitting, bedroom player like myself, is that lockers can look cooler (the SE's do).

For someone who is not bound by law , and allowed to perform in public and might be in a combat situation jammin' at the local Bar, then lockers make sense as they allow string changes as fast as a F1 pit stop...

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

Couple months later, and I realize I never shared the photo that I promised (see 2 posts ago) in this thread. So, here you go--purchased straight from the PRS Accessory store, unintentionally:

Yo ! You mean there is (was) a vintage style locker offered by PRS, that vanished for some reason ? ...

H'mmm they do look cool ... (but what do they cost ?)

PS, If my Thinline has to be reamed, then its a no-go !

I am strictly of the straight replacement , drag & drop persuasion...

I did change bushings on the Jag however, a simple pop and press kind of deal. No reaming ! (I'd probably snap off the headstock !

 

[Broseph]

I'm not sure if they really pulled them back out of the store--rather, that they might not have been supposed to send me them in the first place (?). Meaning that, the web description when I bought said nothing of "locking," only "vintage style" which was all that I wanted (the guitar is stoptail bridge, which I don't exactly feel requires locking tuners anyway).

Having received them, though, I went ahead & installed them (1) for ease of quick-string-changes, and (2) because those little black thumbscrews are a nice black-accent that matches other black hardware on the guitar. And I also had to ream the peghead holes larger to fit these (in place of some older gold vintage-style PRS ones, which had smaller bushings & posts). So... they're mine now, and they're on there & they ain't coming off, regardless.

I can’t even find the vintage tuners on PRS website now. What year is your McCarty? I thought the locking would be a direct drop in replacement on newer core and S2’s.

 

[Going Modal]

You mean there is (was) a vintage style locker offered by PRS, that vanished for some reason ?

Well, in a way, yes... or, maybe. The PRS Accessory store website had "vintage style" tuners (did not say "locking" anywhere, and I wasn't looking for that); but what I got were vintage and locking. But I do see that the vintage-style ones are no longer there, either. So who knows, maybe they're going to make the switch soon? Part of me thinks that this was an "oops" and I wasn't supposed to get them. I'd have been fine with non-locking, but these are even cooler.

What year is your McCarty? I thought the locking would be a direct drop in replacement on newer core and S2’s.

It's a 2008 korina soapbar model; I believe at that point, all the McCarty's were still getting the vintage-style non-locking tuners--which is what it had on it, only in the "wrong metal finish" (gold, and I wanted to change them to nickel).

They might be a "drop-in" fit for today's later models; but those '08 tuners had narrower bushings and tuner posts than these newer ones.

 

[SundanceSanDiego]

anyone know if there are non-black top screws that would fit these PRS Locking Vintage Tuners? The buttons and casings look the business (proper vintage) but I can't see putting anodized black top screws on my McCarty Sunburst 594 SC...

 

[Going Modal]

anyone know if there are non-black top screws that would fit these PRS Locking Vintage Tuners? The buttons and casings look the business (proper vintage) but I can't see putting anodized black top screws on my McCarty Sunburst 594 SC...

I think you're sort of correct... if they weren't black anodized, they'd look more vintage.

I don't have one as proof, but the Silver Sky appears to have PRS locking tuners, but with a locking screw of a more chrome/nickel finish. Perhaps this would do the trick..?

 

[DISTORT6]

anyone know if there are non-black top screws that would fit these PRS Locking Vintage Tuners? The buttons and casings look the business (proper vintage) but I can't see putting anodized black top screws on my McCarty Sunburst 594 SC...

The old BMX trick to remove the anodized color was to spray Easy-Off oven cleaner on the part.
The finish would sometimes be a little “blotchy” on the raw metal, but all of the color was gone.
If you try it, poke the screws into some cardboard so just tops are exposed.
Try it at your own risk.

 

[Broseph]

Glad I wasn’t the only one that is hesitant to upgrade to locking because of the black screw look

 

[Broseph]

I think you're sort of correct... if they weren't black anodized, they'd look more vintage.

I don't have one as proof, but the Silver Sky appears to have PRS locking tuners, but with a locking screw of a more chrome/nickel finish. Perhaps this would do the trick..?

The silver sky screw works on all PRS Locking tuners for S2/CE/Cores. I haven’t tried SE lockers to find out. I used it on a guitar that has no black on it. Worked perfect