Skip to main content
Guitar World Guitar World
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Subscribe
Guitar Magazine Subscriptions
Guitar Magazine Subscriptions
Why subscribe?
  • KEEP UNWRAPPING ALL YEAR ROUND!
  • Every issue delivered direct to your door
  • Or treat someone you love to the gift that keeps on giving!
From£23.99
View
  • News
  • Features
  • Lessons
  • Reviews
  • Buyer's guides
  • Store
  • Subscribe
  • Australian Guitar
Guitarist
Total Guitar
Guitar Techniques
Bass Player
Trending
  • How EVH was "fooled" by Power Rangers theme
  • "Game-changing" new nut replaces locking nut
  • Ace Frehley fires back at Stanley and Simmons
  • PRS' best-selling guitars of 2023 revealed

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. News
Supported

Keep your guitar in perfect pitch with Grover’s Rotomatic locking tuners

By Richard Bienstock
published 22 December 2020

Original and Roto-Grip offerings boast 18:1 gear ratios for precise tuning, and are available for 3x3 and six-in-line headstocks

Guitarists spend a lot of time acquiring the right gear – from instruments to amps to effect pedals – in order to obtain their ideal sound.

But it’s all worthless if your guitar won’t stay in tune.

And when it comes to tuning machines, there’s no brand more esteemed than Grover, which is known throughout the industry for its legendary and instantly recognizable products, found on some of the most popular guitars and basses.

Grover has a wide range of replacement tuners to choose from, so we had Guitar World Tech Editor Paul Riario focus in on four locking tuner designs to help get you familiar with the many options on hand, as well as demonstrate how easy they are to use.

Image 1 of 4
Paul Riario demoes Grover tuners
Original Locking Rotomatics in chrome(Image credit: Grover)
Paul Riario demoes Grover tuners
Mini Locking Rotomatics in black chrome(Image credit: Grover)
Paul Riario demoes Grover tuners
Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics in gold(Image credit: Grover)
Paul Riario demoes Grover tuners
Mini Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics in black chrome(Image credit: Grover)

First up is Grover’s Original Locking Rotomatics (the company's 106 Series), which are standard-size tuning machines that automatically lock once you begin tuning.

Some guitars utilize smaller-sized tuners, which, Paul explains, is where Grover’s Mini Locking Rotomatics (406 Series) – which feature the same design as the original Rotomatics but with smaller buttons for more space – come in.

The next to be introduced are Grover’s Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics (502 Series), which are standard-size and feature a thumbscrew wheel locking mechanism found on the back of the tuner.

Finally, we have Grover's Mini Roto-Grip Locking Rotomatics (505 Series), a smaller version of the regular Roto-Grips designed for six-in-line and smaller headstocks.

“All these tuners are an ideal replacement for most standard guitar tuning machines and all feature 18:1 gear ratios for precise tuning,” Paul says. What’s more, they come complete with all necessary mounting hardware.

The tuners are available in 3x3 configuration, while the Mini versions are also offered for six-in-line headstock guitars.

“Hopefully one of these will suit your locking tuner needs,” Paul says. "And keep in mind Grover makes a whole bunch of world-class tuning machines in a variety of modern and classic styles.” 

To check them all out, head to Grover.

GuitarWorld.com created this content as part of a paid partnership with Grover. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Guitar World.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

Already have an account ? Sign in here

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Already have an account ? Sign in here

Get The Pick Newsletter

All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Richard Bienstock
Richard Bienstock
Social Links Navigation

Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.

More about total guitar
Ron Bumblefoot Thal performs in a stormtrooper mask

“The iconic solo was about to come up and it's like, ‘Oh god. This is not gonna work out well’”: Bumblefoot says he received death threats after fumbling the Welcome to the Jungle solo – while he was stuck in a stormtrooper helmet

Electro-Harmonix Pico Platform

Electro-Harmonix Pico Platform Compressor/Limiter review – small, affordable and makes you sound better

Latest
Paul Stanley with Matt's Guitar Shop holding his Gibson Flying V

“This is unforgettable. This guitar will stay in my private collection”: Paul Stanley played this Gibson Flying V at the final Kiss concerts – now he’s gifted it to a high-profile vintage guitar dealer

See more latest ►
Most Popular
“Our first artist model for a female guitarist”: Kramer’s Lzzy Hale signature Voyager makes its debut – with a custom body shape and a blinding Holographic Sparkle finish to match

By Matt Parker5 December 2023

Step aside, Silver Sky: PRS’ best-selling guitar of 2023 wasn't John Mayer’s signature guitar – it was its all-new ‘Telecaster’-style NF 53 and Myles Kennedy models

By Matt Owen5 December 2023

“The last person to really play it like that was Ed”: Eddie Van Halen personally gifted this guitar to Jason Becker in 1996. Now Norm’s demo whiz Michael Lemmo puts the #69 Peavey Wolfgang through its paces in a killer EVH-style demo

By Matt Parker5 December 2023

“3 God-tier guitarists on one track”: Tim Henson, Scott LePage and Manuel Gardner Fernandes make late plays for solos of the year on fretboard-melting new collab

By Matt Owen4 December 2023

Quick! There are only 3 days left to take advantage of Sweetwater's unbelievable up to 80% off Cyber Week Sale

By Matt McCracken4 December 2023

Warren Haynes lends his epic solo chops to Dinosaur Jr. as he jams Neil Young and the Cure with J Mascis

By Jonathan Horsley4 December 2023

“He just could not be contained. That was what was so beautiful... If you’ve been tasked with the job of imitating him, it’s like, ‘Well, which moment?’” Joe Satriani says the biggest challenge in covering Eddie Van Halen is pinning him down

By Matt Parker4 December 2023

“The new Kiss era begins now”: Watch Kiss close out their 50-year live career with epic last-ever performance – before announcing plans for “digital immortality”

By Matt Owen4 December 2023

Myles Goodwyn, April Wine frontman and Canadian rock legend, dies aged 75

By Jonathan Horsley4 December 2023

“It’s called Roman because of the Roman numerals I etched into the back”: James Hetfield owns five ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard ’Bursts – and he’s carved a massive ‘12’ into one of them

By Matt Parker4 December 2023

“A never-before-seen price point for the company”: Manson ushers in a new era with its all-new Junior collection – its most affordable series yet, which sees the debut of a Strat-style Verona model

By Matt Owen1 December 2023

  1. Paul Stanley with Matt's Guitar Shop holding his Gibson Flying V
    1
    “This is unforgettable. This guitar will stay in my private collection”: Paul Stanley played this Gibson Flying V at the final Kiss concerts – now he’s gifted it to a high-profile vintage guitar dealer
  2. 2
    “The iconic solo was about to come up and it's like, ‘Oh god. This is not gonna work out well’”: Bumblefoot says he received death threats after fumbling the Welcome to the Jungle solo – while he was stuck in a stormtrooper helmet
  3. 3
    What’s the best guitar riff of 2023?
  4. 4
    “Jimmy sat there for the whole two hours then waited until after the show before he asked me, ‘How did you find out how to make my sound?’” Meet Mr. Jimmy, the Japanese kimono salesman who has dedicated his life to becoming Jimmy Page
  5. 5
    Electro-Harmonix Pico Platform Compressor/Limiter review – small, affordable and makes you sound better
Guitar Magazine Subscriptions
  • ●
Guitar Magazine Subscriptions
  • KEEP UNWRAPPING ALL YEAR ROUND!
From£23.99
View

Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.