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Thread: Fender 5 string electric mando

  1. #1

    Exclamation Fender 5 string electric mando

    I Recently purchased a fender five string electric mandolin vintage late 90s. One of the tuners, the fifth string, was replaced with a Grover style guitar tuner ( ugh) which is very unsightly. I would like to replace with an original Kluson style tuner But cannot find anything on the net. Please Help!

  2. #2
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Stewart MacDonald is probably you're best bet. Does your mandolin have the brownish buttons on the tuners? You probably won't find them anywhere, but maybe if you use a black button it won't be so noticeable.
    I'd post a link, but their website seems to have a problem at the moment.
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  3. #3

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Quote Originally Posted by John Rosett View Post
    Stewart MacDonald is probably you're best bet. Does your mandolin have the brownish buttons on the tuners? You probably won't find them anywhere, but maybe if you use a black button it won't be so noticeable.
    I'd post a link, but their website seems to have a problem at the moment.
    Yes I tried Stew Mac and everyone including E Mando sent me packing.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    How about a picture of what you are looking for?

  5. #5
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    It's like this one, Right? Seeing a picture of the back of the peghead would be a big help. Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #6
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    "sent [you] packing"? Jeepers, these are 20-year-old instruments with very distinctive custom tuner buttons, and I'm just a li'l ol' emando-flipper.

    The people to ask would be luthiers who do a lot of repair/restoration work and might have odd tuners sitting around. You say to such a person, "Might you have anything in your parts drawer that would match this?"

    You can buy mini-Klusons on eBay, etc., but you typically have to buy a whole set.

    Here is what they look like from the back. I've seen a few of these instruments where a button failed, or a whole tuner had a problem, and got replaced with something else.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

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  7. #7

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    "sent [you] packing"? Jeepers, these are 20-year-old instruments with very distinctive custom tuner buttons, and I'm just a li'l ol' emando-flipper.

    The people to ask would be luthiers who do a lot of repair/restoration work and might have odd tuners sitting around. You say to such a person, "Might you have anything in your parts drawer that would match this?"

    You can buy mini-Klusons on eBay, etc., but you typically have to buy a whole set.

    Here is what they look like from the back. I've seen a few of these instruments where a button failed, or a whole tuner had a problem, and got replaced with something else.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    That is what the back of the headstock looks like and that is exactly the color of the buttons. There are a couple of music shops that I need to visit to see if they have anything in their miscellaneous parts drawers.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Yes that is exactly the set that I am talking about. The weird part is the top one connects to the bottom one etc. etc.

  9. #9
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Quote Originally Posted by vjg3571@comcast.net View Post
    Yes that is exactly the set that I am talking about. The weird part is the top one connects to the bottom one etc. etc.
    They're not really "connected", they're just right next to each other, and share a common screw in the middle. You can take one off and replace it with a standard Kluson tuner from a "six on a side" set. Like Martin said above, you may be able to find a single somewhere. You can grind down the flange to fit if you can't find one that does. I recently put a set of Kluson knock-offs from a Fender MandoStrat on my custom 4 string, and had to grind off a little bit of the flanges so that they'd fit. As far as finding a matching button, that will probably be next to impossible.Click image for larger version. 

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  10. #10
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Here's what a single looks like. You're going to have to find one for the low E string, because you need the full flange on the back end.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  11. #11

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Quote Originally Posted by John Rosett View Post
    Here's what a single looks like. You're going to have to find one for the low E string, because you need the full flange on the back end.
    Thanks, this has been really helpful, much appreciated!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thanks, this has been really helpful, much appreciated!

  12. #12

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    I have one of those mandolins. They are very finicky to get stable tuning and the junky stock tuners are a big part of the problem. Aside from those machines slipping and the buttons falling off, they are very poorly geared for mandolin. I replaced mine with Gotoh locking machines with 15:1 gearing:

    https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and...ne_Tuners.html

    Replace the string tree with a roller while you're at it:

    https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and..._Set_of_2.html

    Here's what I did to mine: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ktop-make-over

    Click image for larger version. 

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  13. #13
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    so Verne, what did you do with the tuners you took off?
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

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  14. #14

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    so Verne, what did you do with the tuners you took off?
    After I posted I thought someone would ask that LOL!

    They're in my parts box.

    But before you get excited, mine came with chrome buttons, not the plastic that are most commonly associated with this model.

    I think the previous owner (I got it from Guitar Center's used site) changed the machines (to different junky ones) and added a bone nut before selling it. I found they couldn't hold tune and were geared so it was tough getting in tune, plus the string trees causes a lot of string binding issues the way they come stock.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  15. #15
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Ah well, the search continues ...
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  16. #16

    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    Order a red celluloid pen blank and fabricate your own.

  17. #17
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender 5 string electric mando

    I think that a good solution would be to buy a set of Kluson 6 in line guitar tuners and use those, minus one.
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

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