Old Schaller M6 mini issues

[MakoML]

I have an old early 80's strat copy neck with old West Germany Schaller M6 Mini 90* tuners on it, and the last couple months the guitar is buzzing so bad I almost Pete Townsend'd it a few times. I've leveled and crowned it, lubed the saddles and brass nut, checked the tees, etc...... the only thing left was the tuners so I swapped them around and the really bad buzzing strings changed with the tuners to different strings.

So, I need to replace the tuners, which are really worn out anyway. Does anyone know if the Gotoh 90* mini are a drop in replacement for the Schaller Mini? Don't want to be plugging and re-drilling mounting holes if I don't have to. I would just get some new Schallers but I am hearing the quality is down since the old man died and I liked the Gotohs on another guitar I once had just fine.

[rgorke]

What kind of buzzing? Is it a high ping sound? Wondering because I have some guitars that periodically have an irritating buzz and all mine have old Shallers on them.

Did you try a different nut? Maybe a Tusq?

Do you have a clip of the buzz?

[MakoML]

Thanks for the reply, I have been too busy to check this thread for the last week or so.

Its hard to describe it, but its almost like a sitar sound, and a slight pinging mixed in. Its not so obvious playing clean until you hit it with some modulation, but any gain makes it sound horrible. For weeks I thought it was my MXR Analog Chorus or CC Delay dying and causing that sound. But I removed the pedals from the signal path and its there.

I can't make a clip of it until later in the week but I will try to get one done. I noticed its gotten really bad on the G now, and I recall there was once a string tee there that I stole for another guitar............ SO I need to put the tee back on and see if that helps at all. I think these Schallers are just worn out, the posts wiggle by hand pretty easily.

I am also thinking about swapping the brass nut out for a tusq but I have a custom slightly narrower string spacing on this 1-5/8" neck that I love and would have to have the new nut cut to match it.......... and I don't have time to mess with that right now due to work.

[rgorke]

My gut is that there is something going on in your nut. (Or that could go many ways..... )

either the slot is too big or the string is not seated well meaning that the string does not go down from the front of the nut...if that makes sense.

[MakoML]

So I finally replaced the Schaller Mini's with Gotohs, and nope, they are NOT a drop-in replacement, had to dowel and re-drill the screw holes. Anyway, for half a day it was perfect.................. I put both tees back on it, new Fender 3150R's, and played it for hours. The Schallers were totally shot, and the new keys definitely helped some.

Picked it up later that night and it was back to that annoying G-string sitar /buzzing on fretted notes only................ I am starting to despise vintage 6-screw terms now. I have half dozen old floyds sitting around here and one just might end up on this guitar yet. It sound like it is coming from the bridge area.

I also need to check the staggered poles on the signal coils under the 3-4 strings to make sure they aren't too high.............. the low and high E are right at the suggested spec...... but who's to say the stagger follows my finger board radius perfectly....?

I will try to dampen the term springs, and check the nut again before doing anything drastic. I have never had a guitar do this to me in 31 years of playing.

[rgorke]

So, getting back to this....I am pretty sure your answer is a string tree or using staggered tuners. The problem is that the string doesn't seat well in the nut. It needs a downward slope from the front of the nut to the back. That is what fixed my ping buzz.

[JimiJames]

For the rattling, try some clear nail polish and apply it to only that saddle assembly and let us know.
No licenced FR that I know of has better tone than Leo's. Sperzel's & Kluson locking tuners have less issues, but perhaps a smidge better, keeping in tune, with that locking nut. Change out those springs for a set of new steel ones, too.

[rgorke]

For the rattling, try some clear nail polish and apply it to only that saddle assembly and let us know.
No licenced FR that I know of has better tone than Leo's. Sperzel's & Kluson locking tuners have less issues, but perhaps a smidge better, keeping in tune, with that locking nut. Change out those springs for a set of new steel ones, too.

What if I only have pink??? Or Red with white and black stripes?

[JimiJames]

heh, See what the Mrs. has in her cosmetic's. Look for this shade;



I use 3150L's -

This is how Fender 3150R's sit in your guitar (with round shoulders). Other ball end types might get snagged up ?

How are those screws in relation to the knife edge ?

[MakoML]

Just another quick update, I am starting to think I just have a really bad case of Stratitis............. I think it all might be the neck Custom Shop Fat 50's magnets pulling the strings ............ Lowered the pickups down to start over and I believe it has disappeared again. Next string change I will try the nail polish trick on the saddles.

[rgorke]

Ok, another question...is the noise audible through an amp or just irritating unplugged? Mine is the latter.

[MakoML]

Its probably 99% terribly distracting unplugged, but sometimes it does sound out thru the amp. With any type of chorus or phaser running when it sounds out thru the amp it is absolutely horrid. I am going to mess with it this weekend and see what I come up with. Vintage style strats and I have only recently gotten acquainted and its been a rough start!

[rgorke]

Its probably 99% terribly distracting unplugged, but sometimes it does sound out thru the amp. With any type of chorus or phaser running when it sounds out thru the amp it is absolutely horrid. I am going to mess with it this weekend and see what I come up with. Vintage style strats and I have only recently gotten acquainted and its been a rough start!

Yeah, they are finicky but sound so organic when you get them right.

Can you take a picture of your nut (guitar nut....I know where your mind went) and post it? I would bet you need an additional string tree.