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Topic: Replacing tuning machines with unusual dimensions |
Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 7 May 2022 6:33 am |
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Recently, I bought a Recording King Phil Leadbetter square neck reso just for fun. It seems well built, sounds good and is very nicely finished. But the tuning machines are sloppy and imprecise. I would like to replace them, which would normally be an easy upgrade – but the spacing between the mounting screw holes is weird!
They look just like Grover Sta-Tites and many other open-back vintage style tuners, but the screwholes are 27 mm apart (1 1/16ths inch c/c). Every single tuner of a similar type that I have been able to find seems to be 15/16ths (23.8 mm).
Of course plugging the holes and drilling new ones is doable, but I would prefer not to for the sake of originality – and it might not be totally invisible.
Does anyone know of a tuner brand that would fit? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 7 May 2022 6:53 am
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I would go on www.stewmac.com
They give some good dimensions on their tuners.
Erv |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 7 May 2022 7:26 am
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| StewMac has been my main parts source since the nineties, Erv. They have nothing that fits, neither do Allparts, LMI, Guitar Fetish, Axes'r us or any of the others. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 8 May 2022 4:05 am
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Have you contacted Recording King for suggestions?
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 8 May 2022 4:18 am
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| I've tried e-mailing them, but no reply yet. |
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Tony Oresteen
From:
Georgia, USA
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 10 May 2022 6:43 am
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I put new tuners on a ZB and I had to get them through a company in Germany.
They were some sort of different tuners.
Erv |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 10 May 2022 8:11 am
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| I've already tried Gotoh (always first place to search for tuners), no luck there. Schaller, Grover, Kluson, Sperzel – same. Recording KIng had no help to offer, so I guess I will have to take the fill-and-redrill route after all... |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 10 May 2022 10:05 am
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So what you have and what you can buy is a difference of 1/8" c/c? Are these individual tuners or are they in a strip? Could the tuner plates be milled 1/16" each way to give you the c/c you need? It would now be a slot not a hole, but a small washer could be used under the head of the screw. It would have to be done on a mill with a small end mill. Just a thought.
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 10 May 2022 10:47 am
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| As stated in my original post, they are singles that look like Sta-Tites, but with different dimensions. The slot method could work, but not worth the hassle – and it would hardly be invisible. Filling and redrilling the holes in the headstock would be a lot easier. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 10 May 2022 11:28 am
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Like I said, it was just a thought. I'm a machinist so I tend to think metal first before wood. I'm sure you are up to the task of filling the re drilling.
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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