Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Tools for the Task: 3x3 Replacement Tuning Machines

If you can’t blame a tuning issue on the other usual suspects, it might be time to consider swapping out your machines.

Tuning woes don’t always stem from cheap or worn-out tuning machines, but chances are that installing a quality set will pay dividends in maintaining string-tension, turning smoothness, and ease of string changes. There are loads of options out there for 3x3 headstock configurations, but the 10 sets we’ve rounded up here are a good place to start your search.

Grip-Lock Closed

Available in black, chrome, and gold with numerous button designs, the Grip-Lock pin and thumbwheel system of these 16:1 tuners clamps onto strings for extra security.

HIPSHOT
$80

502 Series Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics

These locking machine heads are available in black, chrome, and gold, and utilize the 18:1 Rotomatic design with a thumbscrew mechanism that locks strings into place.

GROVER
$89

SD510

These 15:1 Kluson-type tuners boast a vintage look and feature a torque balancer to ensure steady rotation of the tuner button for excellent sound performance and functionality.

GOTOH
$80

Revolution G-Mount

Designed to retrofit die-cast tuning machines that have a hex-head bushing and a traditional Kluson two-screw mounting pattern, the 19:1 gear ratio of these sealed tuners ensures smooth operation and tuning stability with no backlash.

KLUSON
$100

Trim-Lok

These tuners have graduated-height string posts, a 12:1 ratio, sealed lubrication, and a locking feature that holds strings tight and eliminates the need for multiple wraps.

SPERZEL
$75

Auto-Trim Locking Tuning Machines

These 18:1 ratio tuners feature a locking clamp to prevent slippage and hold strings in tune, as well as an onboard mechanism that trims excess string for quick and easy changes.

PLANET WAVES BY D’ADDARIO
$51

Da Vinci

Through design and new-material research, these eye-catching 18:1 machines allow for superior performance without grease or polymer lubrication. Available in eight different finishes.

SCHALLER
$95

Vintage Machine Heads

These solid-nickel machine heads feature period-correct vintage styling and traditional pearloid buttons, and offer precise tuning and a well-appointed, classic look.

GIBSON
$59

WJ309 Series

A great match for archtops or any other 3x3 headstock that would benefit from an art-deco dressing up, these sealed, imperial-style tuning machines are chrome-plated and have an 19:1 tuning ratio.

WILKINSON
$47

Ratio Standard

Available in a variety of styles and finishes, these tuners feature varying individual gear ratios to dramatically simplify the tuning process by providing quicker, more accurate tuning on every string.

GRAPH TECH
$109

See and hear Taylor’s Legacy Collection guitars played by his successor, Andy Powers.

Read MoreShow less

Detail of Ted’s 1997 National resonator tricone.

What instruments should you bring to an acoustic performance? These days, with sonic innovations and the shifting definition of just what an acoustic performance is, anything goes.

Read MoreShow less
- YouTube

Ernie Ball, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium guitar strings and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the all-new Earthwood Bell Bronze acoustic guitar strings. Developed in close collaboration with Grammy Award-winning guitarist JohnMayer, Bell Bronze strings are engineered to meet Mayer’s exacting performance standards, offering players a bold new voice for their acoustic guitars.Crafted using a proprietary alloy inspired by the metals traditionally found in bells and cymbals, Earthwood Bell Bronze strings deliver a uniquely rich, full-bodied tone with enhanced clarity, harmonic content, and projection—making them the most sonically complex acoustic strings in the Ernie Ball lineup to date.

Read MoreShow less

The Irish post-punk band’s three guitarists go for Fairlane, Fenders, and a fake on their spring American tour.

Read MoreShow less