Are you looking for the best replacement tuners for Squier Strat? We will help you make an informed buying decision.
Poor tuning stability is the most frustrating thing for a guitar player. Thankfully for a high-quality Stratocaster from Squier, upgrading tuning performance by dropping in the suitable tuners is simple. Fortunately, for Strat-style guitars, there are several choices of tuners available.
Superior quality tuners are designed for stabilizing tuning performance and making string changes less tedious and swifter. Tuners can help maintain guitar tune but wear and tear of tuners results in guitar falling out of tune. Moreover, changing weather conditions are also a matter of concern for tuners.
The 4 Best Tuners for Squier Strat
| Image | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wilkinson T380 Tuners (Top Pick) | Check Price |
 | Fender American Standard Tuners (Close Runner-Up) | Check Price |
 | KAISH K1008 Tuners | Check Price |
 | Grover 205C6 Tuners | Check Price |
Wilkinson T380 Tuners (Editor’s Choice)
Wilkinson T380 tuners fit only guitars with 10mm tuner holes and a fixing tag of 45 degrees. These are not locking tuners – they are Wilkinson special E-Z post tuners. Wilkinson T380 tuners are factory direct parts with a 19:1 tuning ratio. Installation picture is provided, or you can consult a local luthier for the correct installation of tuners.
These are non-staggered height posts and all the same height. They fit for 10mm tuner holes guitars and contemporary flat-sided mini button with 45 degrees fixing tag and sealed housing. The product includes bushings, screws, and washers. It tunes very well and turns very smoothly. You will feel solid, and you have to retain the string tree as keys in this set are not the staggering height keys.
The response is sensitive and open and remains intact under heavy loads. They open up guitar tone, making it a popular choice. These tuners eliminate tuning issues. As they are reasonably priced, it does not mean that they compromise on quality. Wilkinson is one of the best brands in the music industry.
Longevity and durability are not a matter of concern. On the contrary, these tuners hold a special place in the heart of guitar enthusiasts. Wilkinson tuners are a perfect solid upgrade with a pretty sleek design, and the build is solid.
Fender American Standard Tuners
Fender American Standard tuners are easy to install on contemporary Fender guitars. Staggered heights help in tone and tuning stability. On the back of Chrome housing, Fender Logo is embossed. This genuine Fender replacement tuner will impress you for sure. It is used on USA Fender guitars.
This standard guitar tuner comes in chrome finish and used by Tele and Strat owners for decades. The tuning ratio is 14:1, which is smooth and allows for precise tuning. Better tuning stability and performance are ensured by the staggered height between the two lowest strings. A screw and two guideposts offer easy and quick installation. These tuners are not recommended for vintage instruments.
Each package includes tuners, top mount washers, and screw in top-mount bushings.
Go with genuine and high-quality Fender American Standard tuners for your guitar and enjoy your musical journey without hassle. Over 50 years, Fender has been dedicatedly providing thousands of guitar accessories such as hardware, apparel, cases, strings, straps, and a lot more.
When you want to upgrade the feel or change the look of your guitar without spending a considerable amount of money, count on these replacement tubers by Fender. In addition, you can go with Fender for your guitar accessories to maximize the joy and feel. These tuners are versatile and work great for guitarists.
KAISH K1008 Tuners
Kaish K1008 tuners are excellent quality tuners with flawless finish and mirror, smooth finish on all angles. You do not need mounting screws, two-pin type, and 10mm tuner holes. Through the hole, you need to slip the string, tighten the thumbwheel and tune the string. However, the thumbwheel cannot be pulled entirely.
These tuners are made carefully and perfectly fit most American Standard Strat guitars. On the back of each tuner, there is a wheel. The locking mechanism perfectly holds strings in place while restringing or tuning.
These tuners have solid built and have a lot more substance. Its rock-solid quality is impressive, and it is unlikely to get another set of tuners like them. Not to mention, these tuners have been designed purposely to fit any vintage-style holes. So these are easy to install and have an excellent locking mechanism.
You can enjoy a vast tuning stability upgrade with these tuners. The design of these tuners helps overcome flaws and benefit tone and playability. Moreover, premature string breaking is also reduced.
These tuners have excellent intonation and stability. Vintage aesthetics and tuning stability is its main feature. Tuners allow maintaining an attractive look of guitar with high-end technology.
These tuners obtain enhanced performance and better tuning stability. When you need a perfect solution to get vintage vibes while maintaining the advantages of modern technology, you can go with Kaish K1008 tuners. These will impress you for sure.
Grover 205C6 Tuners
Grover 2015C6 is a world-famous guitar tuner. These tuners keep your guitar in tune without any modifications.
In addition, they come with a lifetime warranty. You will love these accurate and solid tuners. However, they are a little heavy than stock heads but have excellent stability and look fantastic.
With these tuners, it does not matter whether you play a modern or vintage instrument; they complement the look of every Tele and maintain tuning stability. When these are installed on acoustic guitar, then they offer unmatched tuning stability. In addition, these tuners have well-built appearance and feel.
They have offered optimal in-tune performance for many years. 2015C6 Tuners match well with most guitars. These are sensitive, open, and even under heavy loads, these remain genuinely intact. You will enjoy high-quality guitar tone with these tunes, and their excellent features make them a popular choice.
You will not experience any tuning issues with these tuners. Going for these, you do not have to break the bank. Instead, you will be mesmerized by their excellent results. They have a high reputation for providing great guitar tones. These tuners are among the quality upgrades among music enthusiasts, and they are winning the hearts of people all across the world.
Do Locking Tuners Affect Tone?
Locking tuners do not affect the guitar tone. However, a guitar player may feel the change in weight which may alter their playing style and the tonal difference due to a change in playing technique.
Locking tuners keep the strings in place and do not impact the tone, at least when correctly placed the strings. You will get a dull sound from the string if you do something wrong, which is highly unlikely.
Do Locking Tuners Help a Guitar to Stay in Tune?
One of the important reasons people are fond of locking tuners is that they are made to help your guitar stay in tune for a long time. During restringing, locking tuners clamp the string down when wrapped around the peg. This prevents string slippage as it holds string properly around the peg.
String slippage is uncommon with traditional tuners; however, it happens more with locking tuners. When string slips, it loses tension, which means the guitar goes out of tune and sounds flat. If you come across this situation, then locking tuners can help you out from this problem. Indeed, locking tuners do not entirely prevent strings from going out of tune.
They only prevent string slippage, which is one of the main reasons that make your guitar go out of tune. Several other factors also influence guitar tone, such as the guitar intonation, the way string sat in the nut, wear and tear of string, improper capo placement, temperature and humidity changes, and the tuning peg.
Locking tuners help only with the tuning peg. As explained earlier, it prevents string slippage but does not help the guitar stay in tune completely.
Are Locking Tuners Worth It?
Locking tuners are similar to regular tuners but with only one difference: a little clamp inside keeps guitar string in place. So the fundamental advantage of locking tuners is better tuning stability, at least in theory. However, there are no drawbacks even though tuners add little weight to the headstock, but that’s not too much.
Locking tuners cost similar to regular ones, and we can say locking tuners are worth at least for the players who are fond of locking tuners. Each player is unique and enjoys different things. Locking tuners do a great job as they avoid string slippage.
So, The Best Tuner Set to Pair With Squier Strat Is…
All the tuners mentioned above for Squier Strat are good products, and you cannot go wrong with them. However, your purchase decision will be based on different things such as easy installation, performance quality, looks, and cost.
If you are planning to replace tuners on your guitar, price is an essential factor when looking for the right option. We have listed superior quality budget-friendly guitar tuners that are a perfect upgrade over the stock tuners.
Our favorite from the list is Wilkinson T380 Tuners, as they hold tune well and the locking system is very secure.