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Thread: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

  1. #1
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    Default New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    Hello I've been using the cafe for a couple of years now but this is my first post.
    I have an old Gibson A model mandolin (made in 1909 according to the mandolin archives). At the moment it has it's original tuners but I was just wondering if there are any replacements that look the same but might work a bit "smoother"?
    Also, if there is a replacement available is replacing the tunes something a player could do themselves or is it a job for a luthier?
    Thanks in advance for any help.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    Well welcome even though you have been here for a while!

    I think your best option is the StewMac Golden Age tuners.

    The resolution on the pic you posted is not too high but I kind of doubt the tuners on it now are the originals. Are you sure they might have been replaced by someone before you owned it? For sure the bridge was upgraded from the original. Looks like maybe your mandolin underwent some restoration at some point in time between 1909 and 2014?
    Bernie
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    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  3. #3
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    I'd second what Bernie says here re the Golden Age tuners. I fitted some to a similarly-aged Gibson some time ago for a friend who was having trouble getting it tuned. We reversed the tuners as a first try (you'll see in your picture that the tuning posts are nearer the fingerboard, as opposed to the usual modern posts which are nearer the nut) to get the gears meshing more tightly when the pull came on them from the strings. This was not very successful, so he bought a set of the StewMac tuners and we fitted them. The instrument now tunes as it should and he retained the originals for the time when he might move the mandolin on again.

  4. #4
    Confused... or?
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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    Since you inquired about roast beef, let me suggest a ham sandwich from the Cafe's Paul Hostetter...
    http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
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    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    Hey thanks for the replies! Sorry about the pic I'll try and attach a close up of the tuners with this.
    John did you have any trouble installing the StewMac tuners or is it do-able even if I'd be nervous about attempting it? Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #6
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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    Make sure you get the Golden Age "Restoration" tuners and not the straight Golden Age ones which have the wrong spacing for what you want. I'd second what John says about them, I fitted them to my '14 A and I've never looked back. If I could fit them, I'm sure you could! From memory, they just dropped right in but I think I may have needed to change the bushes and ream out the holes slightly.

    Wilst we're on the subject, can anyone say approximately what year the spacing changed? I have a, so called, '24 snakehead which, with thanks to Joe Span, has a FON from '23, a serial number from '24 and the , so called '25 tuners. I have yet to measure them precisely but they seem to have a narrower spacing than the '14 A. I'll probably start a new thread on this when I get back from holiday.

  7. #7

    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    The fact that your tuners are not working optimally is likely a matter of maintenance rather than that they are worn out.
    Your tuners are quite easily removed by unscrewing the several small screws holding the tuner to the wood of the headstock, Once the screws are removed the unit is simply pulled carefully out of he headstock. That will allow you to completely clean the entire tuner mechanism and that may be all that is needed. It likely has many years of oil and dirt and crud clogging the moving parts which can easily be removed with a solvent and a tooth brush. Even the holes in the wood can be cleaned out using pipe cleaners or a small round file. sometimes the wood on the headstock may have changed shape a bit and may require a slight widening of the hole a little bit. That will usually loosen up hard to turn tuners if simple cleaning doesn't work. frets.com has good information on tuner maintenance and lubrication if I recall.

    You can, of course replace your original tuners with new ones, but in my view, unless they are broken what is the point of replacing them? Replacing the tuners with new ones will generally lower the resale value of your formerly original mando.

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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    Quote Originally Posted by EdHanrahan View Post
    Since you inquired about roast beef, let me suggest a ham sandwich from the Cafe's Paul Hostetter...
    http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
    Thanks for the help! I have decided to try this maintenance the next time I'm changing the strings and hopefully it will keep these tuners tuning for another 105 years!

  10. #9
    Registered User CaskAle's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Tuners For an Old Gibson

    I second what Bart said. So does this guy, and he gives a bit more detail on cleaning and maintaining mando tuners..

    http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
    1956 Levin Palermo 'A' style
    2010 The Loar LM-600
    Eastwood electric mandolin
    Loads of guitars gathering dust

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