I’m a big fan of locking tuners and try to have them on all of my guitars where possible, so when I recently received my new Gaskell AllRounder the very first thing I did was to upgrade the standard stock tuners. D’Addario were kind enough to send out a set of their Planet Waves Auto-Trim Tuning Machines, and I was only too glad to give them a test drive!
These tuners are a little different to most in that they negate the need for string cutters by incorporating a trimming mechanism directly into the tuners themselves. The design is so simple and innovative that they really don’t look any different to any other locking tuner on the market. They come in either a 6 in-line set or a 3+3 set in a variety of different finishes. Read on to find out how the magic happens…
What’s In The Box?
Inside the beautifully designed packaging, the tuners are artfully displayed in their cardboard mount. Underneath you will find six screws, and your nuts and washers, as well as a brief information pamphlet which details how the tuners function.

The packaging is a very elegant affair, clearly Planet Waves has also put a lot of thought into the smaller details such as this. The tuners themselves are incredibly solid and feel very well made – they also look fantastic!
Locking Tuners? What Are They?
For those of you who are new to guitar and perhaps haven’t come across locking tuners yet, let me tell you that they are a godsend! A large screw on the bottom of the tuner controls the height of a clamping pin inside the post where you thread your string through. So the idea is that you thread the string through, pull it tight, and then tighten the screw to clamp the string firmly in place.







