Grover replacement buttons for Derrington designed machines

[jd.panko]

I can't find these anywhere. Does anyone have any or know where to get them? Stew-mac, all-parts, wd-music and Gibson and a few other shops and repair folks have been unable to help me. They are Derrington designed Grover tuners from an '04 Gibson Sam bush.

[MikeEdgerton]

Those are Gibson Grover tuners. They were built for Gibson by Grover. The last ones were manufactured more than 10 years ago. Gibson doesn't have the parts. Grover doesn't have the parts. We go though this quite often. The gold tuner buttons were capped with MOP, the silver tuner buttons were pearloid (plastic). Your only chance for finding buttons that fit will be to find someone that has a set they are cannibalizing or perhaps someone that has found a way to modify the tuners or the buttons in some way to work. There isn't really any place we can send you.

[jd.panko]

Those are Gibson Grover tuners. They were built for Gibson by Grover. The last ones were manufactured more than 10 years ago. Gibson doesn't have the parts. Grover doesn't have the parts. We go though this quite often. The gold tuner buttons were capped with MOP, the silver tuner buttons were pearloid (plastic). Your only chance for finding buttons that fit will be to find someone that has a set they are cannibalizing or perhaps someone that has found a way to modify the tuners or the buttons in some way to work. There isn't really any place we can send you.

Thanks for the help, Mike. I'll keep looking.

[MikeEdgerton]

Do me a favor and pull a button and post a picture of the button, the hole and the stem on the tuner. I want to see if it's the same as the silver Gibson Grover tuners are. A while back Grover dumped their last remaining A style tuners on eBay. I think the buttons are slightly differently shaped than the gold ones are I have both an F set and an A set to compare it to. I'd like to figure out a way to get folks the buttons that are starting to break. I actually talked to the folks at Grover about these hoping there would be a source.

[Mike Snyder]

And that’s been a while ago, right Mike? This is of some interest for those of us using these Grover’s.

[MikeEdgerton]

It was a while back. I've been sending replacement button screws that aren't exact to folks but they fit. I'd love to find a source for the buttons.

[Mike Snyder]

Someone sent me screws years ago, don’t think it was Mr Edgerton. Lost track, but really appreciated that. It’s a real problem if you own and use these tuners.

[MikeEdgerton]

I lost one back in 2005 and Danny Roberts sent me some originals. I passed those out for years. The ones I have now don't have the built in shoulder washer. These are great tuners.

[pops1]

A little fingernail polish on the threads of the screws will stop them from moving and falling out. It's like loctite, but not so hard to undo. Color of your choice.

[Mike Snyder]

I prefer to keep them tight, but that requires diligence and I seem to be running out of that also.

[dhergert]

Mike (Edgerton), will the buttons from the Michael Kelly Grovers fit on the older Gibson grovers?

[MikeEdgerton]

No, the new Grover's (and the old Grover's) were not the same as the Gibson Grover tuners. That would be much too easy.

[William Smith]

All about as fun as trying to find original gold plated Waverly worm over the gear pearl button 30's tuners! I think Golden Age should start making those and make us late 20's and 30's Gibson F-5 freaks happier people! The arrowhead Loar style they make are real nice!

[mandroid]

Can't you modify Waverly, currently available, buttons to fit? what is the shaft interface shape?
square or what?

[MikeEdgerton]

The silver tuners are not square. 2 flats.

[mandroid]

OK, the Kluson were like that , had an old A40 the plastic rotted , were any button available 30 years ago, the replacement ,

.... modified, then , to fit would have been nice , not plug and play,

but a few bits like Dremel tools offer, would modify the hole, then Epoxy

to fill the rest of hole would make it solid..





...Just saying in Washington, plenty of oyster shells in Oysterville, to get an MOP button,
the Old fashioned Way..




.....

[jd.panko]

The good folks at Gibson have come through! I can't say what their junk bin looks like, but they were exceedingly helpful in finding a couple of replacement buttons. I'm imagining an old box, probably went through the flood, marked misc. Lucky me! Kudos to Gibson!!!

[jd.panko]

Not a great pic, but this is what the post looks like. I'll take some better pics this evening.

[MikeEdgerton]

That looks like it's square.

[dhmando]

I'm so glad we could help out Jeff!

[MikeEdgerton]

Dave, were the gold posts different than the silver?

[dhmando]

Mike,
The gold Grover's are square, the nickel are flat on two sides and rounded on the other two.

[MikeEdgerton]

That's actually good, do you have the dimensions of the square?

[dhmando]

That's actually good, do you have the dimensions of the square?

The square shafts are 1/8", 3.175 mm or 0.125", they do vary slightly. The square shafts in the button are 0.132 strong the other end, the screw opening, is a round opening 0.115".

I hope this helps.

Happy picking!

[MikeEdgerton]

It does, thank you. The search is on