Left-handed tuners?

General Rickenbacker discussion

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

User avatar
doctorwho
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 12652
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2002 3:28 pm

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by doctorwho »

Thanks, John!
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
User avatar
whojamfan
RRF Consultant
Posts: 2552
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:50 am
Contact:

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by whojamfan »

I think I remember reading something about the guitar was designed by a lefty to be played left handed. I had the article here somewhere, I just forgot where I left it :D
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by jingle_jangle »

Left-handed tuners for a 3/3 would have to have the worm gears cut in the opposite direction from right-handed tuners in order to give the opposite rotation direction as right handed tuners for each set of strings on the top/bottom of the headstock.

The question is, why, for such an arbitrary gain?
User avatar
doctorwho
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 12652
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2002 3:28 pm

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by doctorwho »

jingle_jangle wrote:Left-handed tuners for a 3/3 would have to have the worm gears cut in the opposite direction from right-handed tuners in order to give the opposite rotation direction as right handed tuners for each set of strings on the top/bottom of the headstock.

The question is, why, for such an arbitrary gain?
For symmetry, of course! :lol:

Remember, I'm an organic chemist, and chirality (handedness) is second nature to me.

I my zaniness, I thought about buying a six-in-line LH set and use the 'correct' half of them on the correct side, but use RH on the other side ... then I came to my senses that the arrangement would be so confusing!
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
User avatar
jdogric12
Rick-a-holic
Posts: 10925
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:00 am

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by jdogric12 »

Can you open up a regular set and flip flop the gears?
User avatar
doctorwho
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 12652
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2002 3:28 pm

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by doctorwho »

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Can you open up a regular set and flip flop the gears?
No, the spiral of the worm gear (I think that's what it would be called) is what determines the direction of rotation, and any spiral (helix) is chiral, i.e. it's either 'to the left' or 'to the right' ... an example can be seen in snail shells:

http://pharyngula.org/index/weblog/comm ... n_euhadra/
chiralityinsnails.jpg
That's what Paul was saying, a different (opposite chirality) worm gear would need to be manufactured for use in the left-handed tuners, and as he said, why go to the bother?
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by jingle_jangle »

Chirality, hey, Doc?

Man, I learned something new today. But now I wonder what my brain had to throw out in order to be able to store this... :?
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37497
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by jps »

jingle_jangle wrote:Chirality, hey, Doc?

Man, I learned something new today. But now I wonder what my brain had to throw out in order to be able to store this... :?
HD full, Paul? :lol:
houblues
Junior Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:37 pm

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by houblues »

Personal preference - IMO the Gotoh tuners (same footprint, as noted above) are much superior to the Klusons. All you lose is the stamp "RIC DELUXE".
User avatar
doctorwho
Veteran RRF member
Posts: 12652
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2002 3:28 pm

Re: Left-handed tuners?

Post by doctorwho »

houblues wrote:Personal preference - IMO the Gotoh tuners (same footprint, as noted above) are much superior to the Klusons. All you lose is the stamp "RIC DELUXE".
Thanks for the input, Patrick! :D
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker General: by Howard Bishop”