New SE Standard Headstock Thickness: Your Machine Heads and You

[CantankerousCarl]

Just a PSA, perhaps just an oddity with my guitar, but modders and tinkerers beware: the headstock on my new SE Standard 24 is about 3/32" thicker than all of my other SEs. I doubt it's all sparkly platinum finish, because I measured my sparkly blue and sparkly red SE EGs as well.

What's my point?

Ergo, our favorite Grover 406C Mini Rotomatic machine heads are a no-go (no can do). They can't go for that. Because of the extra wood, the shaft does not stick up high enough for the string holes to be completely open. This meant that I couldn't even thread the low E string through the hole. I hope that explanation makes sense.

I am going to some Home Improveits tomorrow to see if I can get some really really thin washers, maybe that will do the trick. Just another 32nd" might do the trick. Cannot install without the washers.

If anyone else knows of another drop-in replacement machine head that might have slightly taller posts, I'm all ears.

So I wasted a new set of strings, but it was a good excuse to drop in another trem spring, lower the saddles a bit, and throw on that set of ClearTone .09s I bought like 4 years ago that have been gathering dust.

 

[bricel24]

I have these on my SE CU24, the posts may seem taller than the Grovers. You have to drill new mounting holes though. No biggie for me.

Planet Waves Auto Trim Locking Tuners
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002E2NBI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

 

[wardog]

i thought grover made taller post locking tuners.

 

[CoreyT]

I have these on my SE CU24, the posts may seem taller than the Grovers. You have to drill new mounting holes though. No biggie for me.

Planet Waves Auto Trim Locking Tuners
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002E2NBI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

These do have tall shafts on them, I have them on almost all of my PRS guitars.
Like mentioned, new screw holes, but I dig these tuners, and they turn very smooth.

 

[Duffy]

Grover has a tuner called the Roto-Grip Mini Locking Rotomatic, that has the smaller knobs. I would check to see if the pole post holes are higher than the 406C's.

They are really cool locking tuners too, with the locking wheels on the back of the headstock, and they have the traditional Grover look. If I'm not mistaken they also have the offset set screw and might be a direct drop in for a PRS SE. I saw a picture of a set on an SE and they looked great, and it didn't look like any new holes were needed.

The full size Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics are also really nice on your other guitars with the set screw that comes straight down from the body.

 

[UltraDrive]

I just got one of the standard 22s in Platinum. I had the same problem. I tried to install some Grover 406C's and they wouldn't fit. Did anyone find a drop-in that fits? Are all SE Standard headstocks this way?