Locking tuners can be the best answer for guitarists that are tired of loosened strings, restringing, and going out of tune, as even the best guitar tuning pegs will eventually come loose sooner or later. The best locking tuners add tunning stability, make it easier to change strings, are not very heavy, and fit perfectly with your guitar without you needing to do any modifications unless you want to.
They shouldn't affect tone, they will help you avoid string slippage, and overall, they are fairly priced. When it comes to avoiding low-quality locking tuners, your only concern should be if it fits your guitar first. Some work best on certain guitars, such as Les Paul or even acoustic guitars. Before we reveal what the top choices are, and what makes or breaks them, let's see exactly what a locking tuner is and how does it work!
What are Locking Tuners?
Locking tuners are a guitar component or accessory, if you will, which looks and relatively acts exactly like the regular tuning pegs. They keep the strings from coming loose, keeping them in place, by holding the strings, rather than do so through friction and windings, as regular tuners do.
Their primary role is to help you stay in tune while also helping you in restringing your guitar faster. This is because locking tuners act differently than regular tuners. You push the string, rather than winding it, through the tuner and push the locking mechanism. You can wrap the string however you like now since the locking mechanism will hold it in place. Whereas with regular tuners, if you wind the string insufficiently, it will come to loosen, and you have to tune again.
Do Locking Tuners Affect Tone?
Contrary to popular belief, locking tuners do not affect tone. However, they do affect playability due to the increased weight on the headstock. This heavier feeling might make players alter their playing style a bit, and of course, their technique. Since the technique of the guitar player might change, the tone may do so as well, and this is why some believe that locking tuners affect tone, but they don't.
How Tight Should Locking Tuners Be?
There isn't a general rule on how tight locking tuners should be; however, it should feel comfortable. The bigger problem is when they are too tightened as they can lead to eventual degradation and damage. As a rule of thumb, tighten them very snug but not mashed.
How to String Locking Tuners?
Changing the strings on your guitar while using locking tuners is quite easy. Keep tension on the old string while you loosen the tuner, and take the string out by the back of the guitar. Take the new string and insert it through the tailpiece and pull it all the way through.
Pull the string with enough tension while also ensuring that it is aligned with the hole as it needs to go straight through the tuner. Now you have to tighten the locking tuner based on your needs and tune-up every new string. Clip every string about 1/8" from the hole.
Locking Tuners vs Traditional Tuners vs Locking Nuts
To understand how do locking tuners work, we also need to compare them to traditional tuners or the locking nut. As stated before, locking tuners are easy to install, give a boost in staying in tune, and their biggest advantage over traditional tuners is that the restringing time is greatly reduced and easier to do.
A locking tuner also appears to be better than a locking nut since a locking nut is designed to be locked, and thus the strings won't move as easily through the nut slots. A combination of the two is also not recommended.
Locking Tuners Buying Guide - Things to Consider
Now that you know how to use locking tuners, how they work, and what they do, it's time to mention a couple of important aspects before buying a set of tuners for your guitar that you should consider.
Guitar Design & Tuner Compatibility
Before buying a locking tuner, you should make sure it is compatible with your guitar. Otherwise, you won't be able to use them, or you will have to adjust the holes. For example, Gibson locking tuners come with three pegs since SG guitars have three pegs on both sides of their headstock.
Fender tuners may come in six-packs of pegs since a guitar like a Fender Telecaster has all six tuning pegs on one side. When buying locking tuners, check their configuration and layout, 3/3 or 3/6, and see if they fit with your guitar.
The best locking tuners for Les Paul, for example, come from Musiclily Pro. However, they won't fit on Strats and Teles. Some of the best acoustic guitar locking tuners also come from this brand, as their tuning machines worked quite well on them.
There is also the Musiclily Pro 6, full metal guitar locking tuners, which are designed specifically for Strat and Tele guitars. However, if metal is your thing, the best locking tuners for strat come from Fender.
Hole Size, Installation, and Drilling
Typically, guitars have these three standard string hole sizes: 13/32" - 10mm, 11/32" - 8.5mm, and 1/4" - 6mm. Not all tuners will fit with the peg holes on your guitar, and thus, you will need to drill and make them bigger. If you want high-quality work done on your guitar, you should take it to a specialist.
These machine heads should be easy to install. Just make sure you have tape to mask any unwanted sights, a drill 1.5mm, PH1 screwdriver, set square, and a 10mm spanner. You should also change your strings if you are trying out a new set of tuners, and choose if you want your locking tuner standard, vintage, for right-handed or left-handed usage.
Stability & Functionality
Locking tuners work very similarly to traditional tuners, and if you want truly accurate tuning, pitch, and stability, choose an 18:1 gear ration tuner configuration. The 18:1 gear ratio is the most popular out there. However, you also have a 16:1 tuning ratio and others variants.
Depending on your needs, choose the machine heads with the gear ratio best suited for you and your guitar. Tuning will be made easier nonetheless with these tuning machines. If you want to make your tuning even easier, check out grip lock locking tuners.
Durability
When it comes to durability, even these tuning machines wear off at some time. It all comes down to how well you take care of your guitars, tuning, and if the tuners are of great quality. How you handle these tuners will affect the outcome of how long they last, and before choosing them, take into consideration how often do you play.
Top 6 Best Locking Tuners
Tuning is made easier with the right machine heads. They should fit well with your guitar, if not even coming from the same brand. However, let us present to you some of the best locking tuners for electric guitar, acoustic guitars and what they're all about! Let's dig into the top 6 picks.
1. Fender Locking Tuners - Polished Chrome
Probably the best locking tuner overall comes from Fender. You can choose your style from either vintage or standard and go through four types to fit your guitar. They are polished chrome, black, gold, and brushed chrome. This locking tuner comes for both right-handed and left-handed users.
Having a good-quality 18: 1 gear ratio for greater tuning pitch and accuracy, the Fender locking tuner comes with mounting hardware, bushing and washers included if you want to install it yourself. The machine heads come in 3x3 pairs, and it weighs only 10.4 ounces.
These guitar locking tuners from Fender are great for metal, rock, blues, and even country players, adding tuning stability, durability, ease of installation, and made out of high-quality materials. They are staggered height tuners, 3 of them being short and 3 tall.
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The Hipshot 6GLO Grop locking machine heads come in a 3/3 configuration, and with their 18:1 gear ratio and grip-lock features, it brings guitar tuning on a whole new level of accuracy and stability. The product comes with an installation guide, and it is available in three variants: chrome, gold, and black.
Weighing only 9.1 ounces, these Hipshot guitar string tuners won't make your headstock feel heavy, and also come with a universal mount plate. Great rock hard rock guitar players and compatible with many types of guitars, these are some of the best tuners currently on the market.
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The Musiclily Pro 6 inline guitar locking tuners are perfect for Fender Stratocaster, Telecaster guitars and are among the best locking tuners for acoustic guitar. These tuners fit perfectly in 13/32" - 10mm peg holes, and they come in three colors: black, chrome, and gold.
Their gear ratio is 15:1 for accurate tuning, and they are made out of high-quality metal alloy. The product comes with screws included, nut, and ferrule. These 6pcs machine heads weigh only 9.1 ounces and work on multiple types of guitars and are best suited for genres such as rock, county, or blues. However, for metal, you can choose the Musiclily Pro 6 full metal guitar locking tuners.
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The D'Addario Auto-Trim Tuning Machines 3+3 Setup tuners are some of the best out there due to their precision and their fun auto-cut excess string feature. Coming in the 3/3 format, these tuners are available in black, gold, and chrome colors.
Resistant even for demanding applications such as tremolo, these tuners weigh only 8 ounces. The string clamps eliminate the need for multiple wraps around the tuning post, and their gear ratio is 18:1. Blacklash and slippage are avoided due to their design, and they are good even for acoustic guitars and suited for most genres of music.
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The Grover 406C Rotomatic comes with a lifetime warranty and auto-lock features. These tuners have an 18:1 gear ratio for accurate tuning and weigh only 3.2 ounces. These tuners, with their Rotomatic feature, helps guitar players get in tune very fast and assure fast restringing.
Suitable for most genres of music, the Grover 406C might have some small keys, but you can order bigger ones separately. They are easy to install and can be used on many guitar brands without any further adjustments, working perfectly on most 3/3 small headstocks.
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Another great choice from Grover is the Grover Vintage 135N. These tuners weigh only 3.52 ounces, perfectly doing their job without adding too much weight to your guitar headstock. They are nickel-plated machine heads 3/3 and suited for many musical styles, especially rock.
Their vintage style makes them highly desirable; however, these tuners are smooth and very durable as well. They fit on most guitars, but you might need to take your instrument to the luthier if you want the perfect adjustments.
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FAQ
Are locking tuners better?
Locking tuners are better than traditional ones due to their fast restrings capabilities and staying in tune, and they are above even locking nuts. They are relatively cheap, durable, and most of the time, their only and biggest disadvantage is the need to adjust them properly if they don't fit with your guitar. This can be done professionally by taking your instrument to the luthier, or you can completely avoid this by checking their specifications and with what brand of guitar they fit.
Are Fender locking tuners staggered?
Not all Fenders are staggered; however, you should always check their exact specifications and call customer service for more details. If staggered locking tuners by Fender are what you are looking for, then there are some high-quality ones available on the market, such as this Fender Locking Tuners.
Do You Need String Trees With Locking Tuners?
If you have staggered locking tuners, you won't need string trees, but it still depends on your headstock. The only way to know for sure is to try them out. However, as a rule of thumb, staggered tuners will usually eliminate string trees.
How to Install Fender Locking Tuners?
Fender locking tuners are easy to install since most have pre-drilled holes on the back. Drop the tuners in the pre-drilled holes in the back of the guitar, and ensure they are seated correctly. Turn your guitar around while holding the tuner in, and place the washer and the nut. Use a small nut driver and tighten it.
Are Locking Tuners Worth it?
Locking tuners are an innovation, and for those who consider the process of restringing a hassle, these types of tuners will make their life much easier due to their restringing capabilities and agility. High-quality locking tuners ensure that guitar players will stay in tune and won't worry about their strings loosening.
Conclusion
Locking tuners are undoubtedly an innovation when it comes to tuning, restringing, and they ultimately save you a lot of time and hassle, making guitar playing even more enjoyable. The hardest part is choosing the right one for your guitar. On our list, we have provided the best tuners currently on the market, and one of them will certainly do the job.
The best locking tuner on our list is definitely the Fender due to its high-quality build, accuracy, and versatility; however, it might not suit your 6/6 line guitar, for example. As such, the best tuner with that compatibility on our list would be the Musiclily Pro 6 inline, which is suited for most genres. If you want something particularly for heavier genres, the Musiclily full metal guitar locking tuners will definitely do the job!
