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Post new topic Sperzels tunning keys or Schaler
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Author Topic:  Sperzels tunning keys or Schaler
Steven Black

 

From:
Gahanna, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 5:27 am    
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I am working on my steel and was wondering what tunning keys have the smoothest feel, and which are the best to buy the Schaler or the Sperzels or the Grotohs or Grovers, looking for any thoughts, I had a carter that had Sperzels on it and they were great but are their other brands out there? and if the majority is Sperzels where can you order them?
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 7:00 am    
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Depending on how your steel's key head (what tuners it has now) may determine what you can use. e.g. my Franklin has Sperzel's and the have a locating pin and a hole for the pin to fit in. Schaller's have a pin but it's in a different location than Sperzel. Grover's have a tab for a screw. I don't know about Gotoh but it looks like they make copies of some of the others.

I have a couple of marginal tuners on my (over) 24 year old Franklin and I'm pretty well locked into the Sperzel's unless I want to redrill locating holes for Schaller's (and then I don't know about the shaft length and mounting). I don't think Grovers will fit. Paul (Franklin, Sr) doesn't have any replacement Sperzel's so I'm on a "hunting trip" myself for some replacements.
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Steven Black

 

From:
Gahanna, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 9:04 am    
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Hello Jack, I have key heads that are made by emmons guitar, but I do not know if the keys will work with that type of key heads, can you help me do some research to find out if Sperzels would work? I do like the way they work.steveb.
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Bill Mayville

 

From:
Las Vegas Nevada * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 9:06 am    
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My new Emmons came in this year with Grovers.
Every day for a little over one month they went terribly flat.Never had that problem with the older Emmons.
They seem to be Ok at the time, but if that happens again, I'll change, and give those back to Grover.
Bill Mayville
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 10:11 am    
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The key heads are interchangeable on Sperzel's with other Sperzel Keyhead Buttons. I doubt that they will be interchangeable with a different brand of Key.

I did get one used Sperzel key from Franklin and it was a different button than what I had. I could have switched buttons if I wanted to use the used key he sent but it didn't feel right (probably why it was used).
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Larry Bell


From:
Englewood, Florida
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 10:20 am    
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What kind of guitar?

I don't believe Emmons has ever mfgd their own machines. Many push pulls used the old Kluson keys and the newer LeGrande guitars used Grovers and perhaps other brands.

Your keyhead has been drilled for the shaft and mounting screws for a particular tuning machine. I'd recommend going with original equipment or a replacement designed to fit the same as the originals. It can be a real headache to try to retrofit the 'wrong' tuning machines into a keyhead drilled for a particular brand/model of tuner.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps


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Allan Thompson

 

From:
Scotland.
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2006 1:59 pm    
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My 1982 Emmons Push Pull came with Sperzel tuning keys.
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