Description
Gotoh UPTL Gold & Black Planetary Ukulele Tuning Machines 1:4 Gear Ratio FULL SET of 4
* Gold Stems with Black Oval Buttons
** NOTE - This price is just for the tuners and DOES NOT include the installation charge.
PERFECT for the all KoAloha Concerts and Sopranos, including the longnecks.
This are the absolute best tuning machine heads on the market. These make a great upgrade to any friction tuners like the ones that come on the KoAloha Concert and Soprano ukuleles.
- Color: Gold Stems with Black Buttons
- UPTL: Long stem for headstocks with thickness of 11.5 mm or more.
- Button: UBB (Oval)
- Gear Ratio: 4 to 1
Are these geared tuners? Yes
Certain brands, like KoAloha use "friction" tuners on their concert and soprano sizes (both KCM-00, KSM-00 and also their Opio KCO-10 and KSO-10 and KCO-10S). Friction tuners use a screw that determines how hard or loose they are to tune. When the screw is too loose the tuners will not hold in tune and when they are too tight they are hard to turn. Also, friction tuners are not the easiest to get precise tuning as they tend to slip to far sharp or too far flat very easy.
The Gotoh Planetary 4 to 1 UPTL tuners offer a perfect and best solution to friction tuners. These are high quality made in Japan with precision and excellence.
UPT Tuner FAQ (from JAPARTS)
Regarding string post length: There is an optional longer string post (UPTL) for headstocks with a thickness of 11.5 mm or more. There is no difference in price. Please measure your ukulele carefully before ordering.
Will these fit my ukulele? If you are replacing friction pegs you will almost certainly need to have the peg holes re-bored. We can do that on ukuleles ordered from our webstie The diameter should be 9.7-10mm or just a bit wider than 3/8". With regard to headstock thickness (see above) you'll need to measure your headstock.
Do I need to tighten the screws like friction pegs? Yes and no. Let's start with the no: You probably won't need to make any kind of adjustment. But on the off-chance that you do (you'll know - the post would un-wind from string tension) it's easy to tighten to the right amount of tension. Which brings us to the yes: Technically, the planetary gear is engaged by the screw that holds the button in place. Unlike friction pegs, there is a very wide range of "works well".
Tuning a ukulele with UPT planetary tuners is a pleasant experience. It may take you some time to get used to that.Why are some buttons more expensive than others?There are two main types of plastic buttons: molded ABS and carved acrylic. The molded ABS buttons (UBB, UBN, UB4B, UB4N) are solid colors without any variation. The acrylic buttons (JP1, JP2, UB5B, UB7, UB8) are carved from blocks of patterned material so that they can have a natural look, eg. ivoroid, pearloid, tortoise shell. The appearance, process, and material of the acrylic buttons adds to their cost. (JAPARTS.CA)
