Does tuner peg length matter?

[Lionsblood79]

Bought some 3x4 GOTOH locking tuners to replace the broken factory ones in my Jackson JS22 7 string . Upon inspection it seems that everything but the peg length is identical. The GOTOH pegs are a good 1/4 inch shorter than the factory pegs. Not sure if this will make a difference or not. Kind of worried it will, but have seen a lot of other people do this upgrade to this particular guitar. Is this difference in peg length going to be a problem? Ive never seen the length of pegs specified in part descriptions for tuners, I was more worried about screw hole location and the 3x4 configuration, never thought to factor in the pegs? Am I screwed????

 

[owlexifry]

The GOTOH pegs are a good 1/4 inch shorter than the factory pegs.

doesn't matter. (unless you can't stand the sight of the difference)

Not sure if this will make a difference or not.

it wont.

Is this difference in peg length going to be a problem?

no.

Am I screwed????

you are good to go.


^^ this is all assuming you've already fitted them to the headstock and can at least install/wind the strings onto the pegs.

 

[Lionsblood79]

I just got them in the mail and everything is identical to the factory ones except the peg height. Haven't mounted them yet

 

[ChAoZ]

Gotoh tuners are available in different string post lengths

SG381 - G-GOTOH

Gear Ratio 1:16

g-gotoh.com

 

[Grindspine]

Locking tuners typically can have shorter pegs because the peg does not need to accommodate additional string winds. Those should be fine (assuming similar peg hole size and mounting screw location).

 

[Lionsblood79]

Do I need to order longer ones or will the shorter ones work? The previous reply said that they should be fine???

 

[owlexifry]

will the shorter ones work?

if you try and install them you might be able to find out..
(it’s pretty easy to just put them back in the box if you need to return them)

 

[tedtan]

Do I need to order longer ones or will the shorter ones work? The previous reply said that they should be fine???

As long as they create sufficient break angle over the nut, they’ll work. And being shorter, they’ll create the same or more break angle, so I don’t see an issue. In fact, going shorter is probably better when going from normal to locking tuners.

 

[gabito]

It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it.

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

I have 2 Ibanez SZs, one of their features is staggered tuners. But I don’t really get the advantage over the other normal guitars.
Staggered tuners apparently make the angle of each string the same between the nut and the tuners, eliminating the need for a string tree.
But this is a 3+3 headstock, not 6 in line, so it’s not the type of headstock where you would see a string tree anyway. I guess it looks nice and even? But I don’t understand the advantage aside from that.

 

[ArtDecade]

Does peg length matter? Mmmmhmmmm.

 

[Lionsblood79]

Does peg length matter? Mmmmhmmmm.

My wife says my peg length is just fine.....but that's another rabbit hole

 

[Crungy]

@gabito and @ArtDecade making me proud

 

[Matt08642]

Gotoh locking tuners need basically nothing but enough room for the string to get through:

 

[CM_X5]

I think longer would be worse since the strings could skip out of the nut at a certain point (exaggerated but y'know). I've upgraded tuners in my JS22-7 and same situation they were slightly shorter. Nothing to worry about.

 

[Sermo Lupi]

doesn't matter. (unless you can't stand the sight of the difference) this is assuming you've already fitted them to the headstock and can at least install/wind the strings onto the pegs.

As long as they create sufficient break angle over the nut, they’ll work. And being shorter, they’ll create the same or more break angle, so I don’t see an issue. In fact, going shorter is probably better when going from normal to locking tuners.

I was going to add what Tedtan already touched on. Tuner post length can matter, depending on headstock angle (or recess depth, if not angled). In certain cases, if the posts are too tall relative to the nut, you may not get sufficient break angle of the strings over the nut, which can lead to a variety of issues. It shouldn't be a problem with most guitars, and it won't be in OP's case where his pegs are shorter, but it's worth keeping it in mind.