I just got a used Fender Starcaster S1 to compliment my existing Behringer strat. Upon inspecting it, I noticed that it has different backs on it's tuning machines. What are the differences between these besides appearance?
2 Answers
Inside them both you have a cog and a worm gear, which works as per this gif from Wikipedia:
Worm gears have a very useful property - they can cope with high tension without slipping.
The casing differences are purely cosmetic.
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There are some easily noticeable differences:
- Tuners on Behringers are attached with screws on the back side, while the ones on Fenders have a nut on the front.
- There might be differences in the string attachment itself (not pictured here).
Some differences are not as easily spotted, but are a huge deciding factor:
- For example, differences in gear ratio. Generally, higher-end tuning machines have a high ratio for easy, minute adjustments in pitch.
- In addition, differences in build quality. Lower-end tuners are less likely to hold their pitch, and may be more susceptible to damage from use.