Official Luthiers Forum!

I have been waiting two months on a set of Stew Mac Golden Age Restoration Tuners for Slotted Peghead Guitar - Bell-end (part number 2514-RN). They are still back ordered and not expected until August. Would anyone here happen to have an extra set that they would be willing to sell me in relic nickle finish?



http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Slotted_Peghead_Guitar_Tuning_Machines/Golden_Age_Restoration_Tuners_for_Slotted_Peghead_Guitar_-_Bell-end.html

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Tim, I have used the SM Golden age tuners on several guitars and while they are nice and functional and have the vintage vib for some of the kinds of guitars that I build, frankly they are pretty mediocre in quality and performance. I question whether you would be satisfied with them on your guitars. The last couple of slotheads that I built used Waverlies - they are just so much better.

Thanks for the feedback Freeman. I've never seen them in person but that is what my customer requested and you know what they say ... that customers are always right. I did find a set and have them on the way and I will certainly compare the quality to Waverlies.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

I've found them to be pretty good actually. I mean they are not Waverlys but I've used them as a drop in replacement for vintage Waverly's that are ridiculously expensive. I think the tuner screw ferrules (or what ever they are called) are just epoxied in rather than peened and I did send a set back to Stew Mac because one of them didn't look like it was seated well enough. SO the quality control is probably a bit low on them. Otherwise at that price I think they are fair enough.

I think I may even have a set like that, I'll try and remember to check when I'm in the shop later today.

Yeah we like them too. My impression is that they are not intended to compete with any high-end tuner but instead a very well needed replacement for inexpensive vintage tuners such as what could be found on vintage Kalamazoo instruments. For this application they are great, made well enough, not overly expensive and they fit well too IME.

We end up installing them every coupe of months and so far we have been impressed with the price vs. function/looks proposition.

Hope you are doing well Tim!

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Ann Arbor Guitars

As I said, they are functional and look correct on certain period style guitars, and as far as I know, they are the only option for a slot head 12 string



I had a machinist friend make me a drilling jig for the 12 string tuners since getting even one of them off by a hair sort of messes up the whole she-bang. I just wasn't sure they were up to the standard of Tim's guitars

Tim, I used them quite a bit as most of my clients were either mandolin players or blues (guitar) and traditional at that. I would say that the majority of them were not as concerned as some folks are today about being in exact tune (not that they didn't know whacked out of tune), it was part of the music. Even Bill Monroe and Big Bill Broonzy played out of tune. At the time, something like those Stew-Macs were good tuners and they still are.
Every mandolin or 12 string player knows you have slack in the gears and therefor, it takes a little fiddling to get tuners to tune your strings. Not a big deal...
Now days, some of these people are drop dead nutz about having their guitars in ultimate tune. In bluegrass, it's all speed and perfection with as many notes as you can cram in and "finger$tyle" it's all playing like your head is inside the box, while rapping on the box and getting it to make various noises...
So, with Stew-Mac, you get that loose gear feel and you may have to back off a little and try again when tuning. Sure, you can go out and get the Waverlys for mandolin for $500. or guitar for a few hundred, but sometimes matching the instrument is more important than having the best. Many times they don't even fit the style...like mini closed single tuners on a 12 string...

Thanks guys for all of the kind and helpful replies. I use Gotohs for 99% of our guitars but ocassionally we build a vintage-esque piece so these tuners will fit the bill just fine.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

I just checked and the one set that I have here is the relic brass ones. The 2514-RB not the 2514-RN.

You can always get the bright nickel ones and relic them yourself. I think the relic restoration tuners look a little odd to my eye. If you put them in a small open tub and then put that tub in a closed tub with a little muriatic acid in the bottom you get relic tuners in about half an hour. They're cheaper too.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Tim, I've been using those tuners and really like them. This isn't the first time they've been back ordered so I'll use these when they are, the only difference is that they are a little more expensive and are engraved.
http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Slotted_Peghead_Guitar_Tuning_Machines/Golden_Age_Restoration_Tuners_for_Slotted_Peghead_Guitar_-_Engraved_Bell-end.html

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http://www.wideskyguitars.com
https://www.instagram.com/wide_sky_guitars/

http://g-gotoh.com/international/product/35g510c.html

Gotoh has nice stuff. You may have to order here: http://www.japarts.ca/Gotoh/Gotoh-Products-Featured.asp. Send them an email to see if he can get them.

Mike