Gibson/Kluson Machinehead Issue

[jonreedsoula1]

I'm in the process of trying to give my reissue Gibson melody maker a makeover. I thought I would replace the Gibson deluxe machine heads with something with a bigger tuning key, the ones on the melody maker are small, white plastic and I think make it feel a bit toy like. I ordered some Kluson deluxe vintage tuners with a pearl tulip key, I was sure to measure the bush size and I ordered 10mm, the eBay stoer sent me 8mm bushes with some kind of adaptor, these machine head do not fit and are the pole length is too short to tune the wound string onto properly. The Gibson tuners are nearly 1cm longer. I simply cannot envision any Gibson guitar that these machine heads would fit onto properly - yet they are sold for use with Gibson guitars. They will be going straight back to the store.

 

So I am thinking of just replacing the small white plastickeys on the original Gibson deluxe tuners with chrome tulip keys - The question is how the hell do you get the keys off the machine head without breaking the whole thing? I've tried pulling as hard as I dare but don't want to break the machine head. The only way I can think is to crush it with pliers or something but I imagine there is a better way than this...

 

Has anyone any experience with swapping out keys on a machine head? If so how??

 

Many thanks in advance for any advice!

[Grant Harding]

Here you go:

 

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Hardware_Installation/Replacing_damaged_tuner_knobs.html

[Freeman Keller]

Grant's link will work just fine but I think its a heck of a lot of work. It is also designed for replacing plastic knobs with plastic - you heat the shaft and press the new knob on. I don't think that will work with metal knobs (they often have a set screw in the end).

 

You should be able to buy replacement tuners that will not only fit but will have almost any kind of knob you want. Don't trust some on line store to select them for you - carefully measure everything and compare with the manufacturer's specifications - either at their web site or at a distributor's. For example, StewMac has the dimensions of every tuner they sell.

 

Yes, sometimes its necessary to use adapter bushings (usually when fitting modern tuners to vintage guitars) and often you will need to fill and redrill mounting screws. You'll often have a pattern from the old tuner in the finish on the back of the headstock. FWIW, most Gibson headstocks are 9/16 (0.5625) thick and press in bushings vary in size from one manufacture to another. Screw in bushings are almost always 10 mm but that can vary too.

 

Its too bad these things aren't standardized - I own three expensive reamers just to fit different sized bushings.

[Grant Harding]

I thought the replacements were the plastic kluson ones, not metal, sorry.

[WRGKMC]

You can buy those Gibson strip tuners like these. https://reverb.com/item/1497169-new-gotoh-3x3-white-button-strip-tuners-vintage-gibson-style?gclid=CMyOlbeVkdUCFY22wAodTOINRg&pla=1

 

Gotoh make some of the best replacement tuners.

 

I had issues with the tuners on my Les Paul. Went through two sets just falling apart in pieces. They are half Kluson and hale modern made in Germany. They used threaded bushings but the back has a Klusin shape with the Pearldoid buttons. The Tuner covers are riveted together with cheap white/potted metal. One shot to the tuner and the rivets break off and the tuner falls apart.

 

So far the Gotah have lasted 5 years with no issues. They seem to be holding up much better then the two sets of original Gibson's I've tried. I've used several other sets of Gotah's like the regular Kluson set on my Rickenbacker and a set on a Strat. Both sets are my oldest sets 25+ years and both still work like new.