Making Grover Rotomatics Work Correctly

[@sc12100]

They’ve got my vote

[@Bryankimsey]

You can have them all!!

[@luvbgrass]

Good info Bryan. Thanks

[@jimsliverootsculturemusic]

you must play those channel pliers like a pair of fine chopsticks man

[@Dang...]

Thank you!

[@NinerFourWhiskey]

AKA, "wavy washer". My local hardware store has them, but not that small. :) The problem with spring steel is once you bend it past a certain point, the heat treatment tempering is gone and they lose tension.

[@Bryankimsey]

True, but these aren't that critical. Just give them a bend and then don't over tighten them again.

[@HayesTech]

I have to admit that those tuners are very smooth. You can't beat standard Grover tuners. But I prefer open gear tuners. I'm going to replace the stock "Martin" branded open gear tuners on my HD-28V with a set of Waverly. Hopefully...lol... It's crazy, the stock Martin tuners are actually loose. They still work ok, but with no strings, while changing them, they rattle and are really loose.

[@Bryankimsey]

The stock Martin brand are the "cheap" Gotoh's. If you look at the sides, they don't fully enclose the gear. New Gotoh and Waverly and Grover 18:1 do. That's where your wobble is coming from. There no solution but to replace. I use open back for the weight savings. They weigh 1/2 of what Rotomatics do and at the end of a 2' leverage (the neck!), that's multiplied. Removing them will make the neck effectively stiffer, just like 85 gr vs 125 gr on the end of an arrow shaft.

[@HayesTech]

@@Bryankimsey Completely agree. And yes, they are split and not completely enclosed. I can't wait to get the Waverly. Great video.

[@Bryankimsey]

I personally use Grover 18:1 if it's my money. :)

[@RahulSharma_JaiMataDi]

Hey Bryan … please share your thoughts on “Bear Claw” on a spruce top Guitar… Adi/Sitka/European Spruce… your feedback will be valuable thanks

[@Bryankimsey]

I love bearclaw!!! For one thing, it looks cool but for another, I can't think of a (good) guitar that had it that didn't sound great. As you probably figured out by now, I like punchy mid-range guitars and bearclaw seems to give a little extra something. If you want big bassy (muddy) guitars... I dunno. But, me, I love it.

[@RahulSharma_JaiMataDi]

@@Bryankimsey Thanks a lot Bryan.....thanks for your feedback .... please keep making videos

[@LegsON]

Making Grover Rotomatics Work Correctly is all about replacing them!😝

[@maltesetony9030]

Have you made a video where you have installed a new nut / saddle on a Dread so as to widen the string-spacing? I'm really struggling with 1 & 11/16in, but am wary of having a repairman do any work in case the high E-string skids off of the end of the fretboard.

[@Bryankimsey]

You can push the E's right to the edge of the board but it will then be up to YOU to not pull them off. And you will need frets with a minimal bevel. The MOST important thing to me in a nut is equal spacing between the strings.... NOT equal center to center. I replaced the nut on the 1940 D-18 I had recently and _transformed_ that guitar for me. If the spacing is equal and it's spread reasonably wide, I'm good. I have a spreadsheet full of numbers and if the E's are about 1.5" apart (from outer edge to outer edge), with equal distance _between_ strings, I'm good. Search for "long nut", as to how I actually make a nut. Your tech will have be an excellent measurer and meticulous in execution.

[@maltesetony9030]

@@Bryankimsey Thanks - just found this vid of yours from 8 years ago! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGSxl6tnjsSFjKM

[@Bryankimsey]

I'd forgotten about that one!!! That is 2 1/4" at the BRIDGE, though. I run that on all of my personal 70's overhauls and customer's if they'll let me. To do it right will require a new bridge and, since I'm replacing a 70's bridgeplate anyway, I do the bridgeplate, too. Changing string slot angles is hack-around that can be "okay" but it would drive me nuts.

[@stravaign]

Bryan, thanks for that. Very useful to know. I have question for you. What do you think of the procedure of increasing the angle the string comes out of the saddle slot to the bridge? I have seen a couple of videos where they modify that angle and swear that it increases volume as it allows the top of the guitar to vibrate more. I'm sure you are aware of this, so do you think it is a good thing? Cheers.

[@Bryankimsey]

You're talking about "ramping". There's "slotting" and there's "ramping". Slotting is in the link below and I might talk about ramping, too. Basically, the optimum angle is 45 deg from saddle to bridge. Any flatter and the string is sliding more than pulling down. Any steeper and the string is leveraging the saddle forward. If there's a sound change, it's minute, especially compared to the other things I can do to a guitar. It's like running premium fuel in your car vs a full exhaust/intake, camshaft, ECU, gearing ratio change. I do slotting more for protection of the bridgeplate and all the advantages that go with non-slotted pins and then use ramping to control the break angle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6nWd6Roi7eaq80

[@stravaign]

@@Bryankimsey Thanks for the reply Bryan. Your video explains it perfectly. Regards from Scotland. 👍