Winged tuners?

What ever happened to them, and why the switch?
I know some people complained about the strings "slipping", but that has never happened to me in 18+ years. (maybe I'm lucky) I use 10's and was wondering if they had a tendency to slip on smaller strings or what?

I love these tuners so much I would put them on all my guitars if it were not cost prohibitive for me.
I can break a string in a verse of a song and replace one by the chorus, they were/are just genius .... to me.

I know I must be in the minority about this, and many other things (HFS and rotary switching?, bolt-on necks, anyone?) but I am just curious about the how and why of this "evolution" of the Phase tuners.

At the end of my rainbow, there is a pot of gold winged tuners. :D

Thanks for any information.

The Phase IIs were just so much easier to change strings on. Plus no learning curve. And they are sleek looking.

All in all, they are just a better product. I liked them so much, I bought several aftermarket sets and replaced vintage tuners on my PRSi with them.

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Originally Posted by gag halfrunt

The Phase IIs were just so much easier to change strings on. Plus no learning curve. And they are sleek looking.

All in all, they are just a better product. I liked them so much, I bought several aftermarket sets and replaced vintage tuners on my PRSi with them.

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I like the winged tuners but the phase 2's are better IMO.

I'd like to put them on my McCarty, how did you do it when the McCarty has a thicker headstock? I didn't think they fit. Did you have to drill new screw holes?

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Originally Posted by AP515

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Originally Posted by gag halfrunt

The Phase IIs were just so much easier to change strings on. Plus no learning curve. And they are sleek looking.

All in all, they are just a better product. I liked them so much, I bought several aftermarket sets and replaced vintage tuners on my PRSi with them.

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I like the winged tuners but the phase 2's are better IMO.

I'd like to put them on my McCarty, how did you do it when the McCarty has a thicker headstock? I didn't think they fit. Did you have to drill new screw holes?

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I only play Singlecuts, so I don't know about the potential McCarty headstock thickness issue.

I did have to drill new holes for the vintage tuners. But the Phase IIs are a drop in replacement for the winged locking tuners.

Hey Sergio,
You could greatly help the 'winged tuners" cause by posting a video on how to change strings with it :D
I just got a beautiful CE22 and I'm terrorized of changing the strings after all I read about it.
You'll be my hero if you do it!

I love the winged tuners. Great design and very stable. They are my favorites.

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Originally Posted by NUCCIOPAL

Hey Sergio,
You could greatly help the 'winged tuners" cause by posting a video on how to change strings with it :D
I just got a beautiful CE22 and I'm terrorized of changing the strings after all I read about it.

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Not mine, but here you go!
[youtube:3e36y3ba]2i0UdP55g3A[/youtube:3e36y3ba]

He seems to have a little more trouble than I do, but you get the hang of it pretty quick, and no tools!
Man I can't figure the link thing here, just look up Prs winged tuners on Youtube. Good luck!

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Originally Posted by RickO

I love the winged tuners. Great design and very stable. They are my favorites.

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I'm beginning to think we are two old men yelling at clouds, and probably the inspiration for "throwback" models.

Darn kids, get off my lawn! :lol:

Respectfully, don't follow the instructions in that video There is a proper way to do it and that (while close) wasn't it.

When you're done, the wings should be almost equal in posture (see pic). Did you see how that guy's wing was pointing inward? Wrong...

This is how they should look.

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...l/IMG_0020.jpg

1) After you slide the each string (starting with the low E) through the cam slot, pull out all the slack, tighten the cam and bend the string (the end you're clipping off) the opposite direction of the turn. Leave about 1/4" of string when you clip it.

2) Tune the strings as you go (E, then A, then D, and so on)

3) By the time you get to the high three strings, the trem is already off the body (or nearly so). Pull the slack before you tighten the cam! Bend the strings the opposite direction, and clip them leaving about 1/4"

All of the wings will be lined up equally (or nearly so) and they shouldn't slip.

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Originally Posted by Hans

Respectfully, don't follow the instructions in that video There is a proper way to do it and that (while close) wasn't it.

When you're done, the wings should be almost equal in posture. Did you see how that guy's wing was pointing inward?

1) After you slide the each string (starting with the low E) through the cam slot, pull out all the slack, tighten the cam and bend the string (the end you're clipping off) the opposite direction of the turn. Leave about 1/4" of string when you clip it.

2) Tune the strings as you go (E, then A, then D, and so on)

3) By the time you get to the high three strings, the trem is already off the body (or nearly so). Pull the slack before you tighten the cam! Bend the strings the opposite direction, and clip them leaving about 1/4"

All of the wings will be lined up equally and the shouldn't slip.

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Yeah I had intended to post this one of the master Len doing Frankie's guitar, but screwed it up.
It seems when I am still working on learning the whole inter-web thing, I tried previewing my post and I must have done something wrong. So let me try again.
[youtube:260pgx2j]3xudcBwBAAQ[/youtube:260pgx2j]

Hope you don't mind, I fixed your link again.

I also hope Len was up to date on his Tetanus shots. :lol:

That was Casper; soul mate of PRS gunslinger Frankie Clarke.

just want to add my support for winged tuners! although I get by with the newer ones I'm still incompetent to this day with anything else...it's amazing that winged tuners are now pretty much vintage!

Thanks Hans! My little joke about this guy not quite getting "it" works a little better now. :oops:

I still love the winged tuners and have them on my PRS guitar.

But, there is no question that a higher ratio tuner - like the Phase II tuners - makes tuning faster and more precise. To me, more than any learning curve (I can change strings on my PRS guitars in well under 5 minutes total to tuned up and ready to go), the biggest advantages of the Phase II would be: a) weight; and b) a higher tuning ratio.

That said, I love the winged tuners bestest of PRS tuners and will never change them on my PRS guitar. :D

Had my first experience with these a couple of nights ago. Followed the instructions on the PRS site and once I got the hang of it, string changes were made pretty quickly. Not quite as fast as a Phase II or III change in my book but that's only because of the time it takes (me) to correctly line up the winged tuners before the string goes in. Phase IIIs are definitely my favourite though, they just feel so good!

I did have one small issue, and that was it was tough to get the low E string in the winged tuner slot, I do use a 52 though. I get the feeling this is at the heavier end of the scale and at the limits of what a winged tuner is designed to accommodate. Anyone else have this issue?

I had 'em on my CE24, and I hated 'em. They were too hard to line up properly when changing strings. Never had a problem with slipping, but they just didn't work for me.

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Originally Posted by justmund

Had my first experience with these a couple of nights ago. Followed the instructions on the PRS site and once I got the hang of it, string changes were made pretty quickly. Not quite as fast as a Phase II or III change in my book but that's only because of the time it takes (me) to correctly line up the winged tuners before the string goes in. Phase IIIs are definitely my favourite though, they just feel so good!

I did have one small issue, and that was it was tough to get the low E string in the winged tuner slot, I do use a 52 though. I get the feeling this is at the heavier end of the scale and at the limits of what a winged tuner is designed to accommodate. Anyone else have this issue?

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Those were my issues also. I couldn't change a string quick on a dark stage and had problems fitting over a 52. I pulled the tuners shortly after using it live. I needed something to be able to use a 56 or 60 on the low string.

I never bonded with them, and much prefer the IIs. WTs are heavy by comparison - small detail. Not at all an issue, just different

I've only had experience with the new Phase III tuners as far as PRS tuners are concerned, but I've never changed a string faster with the possible exception of the Sperzel locking tuners Carvin uses. I prefer the Phase III however, plus the open back with the visible gear looks great!

I have them on my '94 CU 24. I find them very easy to use, and I never have tuning issues.