Protecting peghead from clip on tuner marring

[Bill Bradshaw]

Hi all:

Sorry if this is old news; I don't remember, but might even have read it here before.
Just want to pass it on in case it might be useful to someone.

I put some felt (sticky on one side) inside the jaws of my tuners and it really protects the peghead from being marred by the factory jaw pads; some of which seem pretty hard.

I had a tuner that lost one of the rubber pads and the hard plastic did some damage to the back of the peghead before I noticed it.

The felt goes from the tip of the lower jaw, all around the inside, to the tip of the upper jaw, and keeps the unpadded hinge mechanism from hitting the end of the peghead.

It doesn't seem to affect the tuner function at all.

Cheers,

Bill

[sunburst]

Those of us familiar with old guitars are also familiar with the capo damage that is so common on the backs of the necks of said guitars from the owners using the capos of the day. Not too long ago I remember predicting that damaged pegheads would be common as the advent of clip-on tuners receded into the past. Sure enough, it's showing up regularly on the instruments I see in my shop for repairs.

[rcc56]

Dare I suggest that musicians purchase a tuning fork and start learning the art of tuning by ear again?

[pops1]

Dare I suggest that musicians purchase a tuning fork and start learning the art of tuning by ear again?

I did that for a very long time, my ears don't work like they used to, I'll put up with the tuner. It comes off in the case so doesn't stay on the mandolin and I haven't noticed any damage in a few years.

[Timbofood]

I’m with you Pops!
Place, tune, remove, play. Repeat as necessary.
I am not fond of the appearance of the “Tune God” on an instrument, and I don’t like the added weight.
Just one grumpy old man’s take on it.

[Phil Goodson]

Yep. It just depends on the finish used on the mandolin. I've had a couple of mandolins that hazed up if I left a tuner clipped to the headstock for even 10 minutes. One even carried the print of the weave of a piece of cloth that I used to "protect" the surface. (That sure didn't work for that particular finish.)

I've got a mandolin that I've had since 2007, which had a Mini-tuner clipped to the headstock for over 5 years with nary a smudge on the finish.

I do appreciate the reminder though. I've been planning to sew a little "sock" of soft material to slip over the tuner clips similar to Bill's description above. But, in all cases, I plan to 'tune & remove'.

[dhergert]

Over the last 20 to 30 years, electronic clip-on tuners have completely changed the jamming and band playing environments, in a very wonderful way. Like others have mentioned, tuning forks were the ultimate standard before, but they left a lot to subjective interpretation as people tuned.

That said, it's good for people to be aware of the finish issues. But to me, having the whole gang in tune without wasting time is very much worth a potential small mark on the peghead. I wouldn't voluntarily go back.

FWIW, there are certain tuners that have very small, innocuous footprints. Also, armrests, ToneGards and pickguards frequently leave marks, yet many of these items are very popular among many people, on even the most valuable mandolins.

[Denny Gies]

I bought a little square SNARK that fits on the peg head, fits in the case while on the mandolin, and i never take it off.

[Steve Ostrander]

I had a mando that was varnished and the PO had left the tuner on the peg head for some time. It did some real damage to the finish. Haven’t had any issues with nitro.

[Markus]

If I'm buying a mandolin from someone, I'll be more concerned about the marks left by their arm rest, planted fingers, etc than the tuner [which will be covered at least part of the time by my own tuner].

That said, it always makes me shake my head when someone has a fern or other beautiful inlay covered 100% of the time by a tuner which never comes off [even for performance]. In those cases, I can very much understand the desire to keep it as perfect as it arrived as that inlay is often stunning.

[marbelizer]

Prediction: This may have already been done, but here goes. Tuner technology will get to the point that the tuners will be built into the headstock with a small jack for charging a lithium battery. USB style.

It might end up as a passing fad or only included on certain models.

[Dave Hanson]

I believe it's the solvents that keep the tuner pads soft that damage the finish, never leave them on your instrument after tunining.

Dave H

[Paul Busman]

Dare I suggest that musicians purchase a tuning fork and start learning the art of tuning by ear again?

Not for me,thanks. It's a great skill to have and to tune an occasional string on the fly it works for me. OTOH-- you can only do it in a quiet place,so tuning on stage or at a session/jam is difficult if not impossible.YMMV

[EdHanrahan]

... Mini-tuner clipped to the headstock for over 5 years with nary a smudge ...

Same here, on my D-35. NS-Mini for however many years since they came out, and now a Micro for the past year or two. Had been hesitant way back and watched it closely for a year or two, but no sign of dammage at all. They also sit on several mandolins, w/ no issues.

[mugbucket]

Prediction: This may have already been done, but here goes. Tuner technology will get to the point that the tuners will be built into the headstock with a small jack for charging a lithium battery. USB style.

It might end up as a passing fad or only included on certain models.

Not sure about mandolins, but I recall seeing an Ovation guitar in a pawn shop with an integrated tuner. Pretty cool.

[Billy Packard]

Regarding a pitch fork...

I used these for years and years. My ears are well trained (despite tinnitus) but the electric tuners are very handy for reference.
BTW, in the ole' daze I'd hit the fork and hold it between my teeth which would fill my head with 440 and leave both hands free to tune!

Billy

billypackardmandolin.com

[sunburst]

Regarding a pitch fork...

I used these for years...

Unfortunately, I'm old enough to have used them too... then we got a baler.

[sunburst]

How did I remember the existence of this thread!?
Ah, the fun we used to have...
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...merican+gothic

[dhergert]

...
BTW, in the ole' daze I'd hit the fork and hold it between my teeth which would fill my head with 440 and leave both hands free to tune!

Billy

billypackardmandolin.com

Yes, me too, in addition to playing the old jaw harp and stripping wire between my eye-teeth. I'm afraid those days are over since my teeth are now no longer all my own. Just like our older mandolins, some original parts have had to be replaced. Oh well.

One of my friends used to tap the tuning fork on a knee and then plant it on a guitar's top for amplification while tuning... And yes, after a while there was a mark from that. So tuning forks aren't always guilt-free, either.