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Thread: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

  1. #1
    Registered User Bron S's Avatar
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    Default Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    Hi. I've just broken a D string tuning knob on my German arch back mandolin. That tuner has been very stiff since I bought it 18 mths ago and has never been able to be freed up. The knob has finally snapped. The whole 8 probably need replacing but Australia isn't somewhere where they available off the shelf. According to Dave Hynds page (where I bought it) most modern replacements don't fit German mandos. I've emailed him for any availability info. Does anyone else have any info re availability and cost of a set that will fit, that I can pass onto to my local Luthier to fit?
    Bron

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    Pictures of the tuners and measurements of the post spacing and diameter would help.

  3. #3
    Registered User Bron S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    Hi. With a bit of luck I may have found what I need.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    This seller in Poland had some brand new 1930s German tuner units- they have now been sold. He has this one strip for a 12 string mandolin now. If you have what you want- that's great but German tuners do turn up on eBay quite a lot in Europe and also the USA.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/12469576791...cAAOSwypJghIfm

  5. #5
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Bron S View Post
    Hi. With a bit of luck I may have found what I need.
    Have a qualified Luthier look at it when you find the tuners. In many cases the tuners aren't as much an issue as poorly drilled holes are. Good luck with it.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  6. The following members say thank you to MikeEdgerton for this post:

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  7. #6
    Registered User Bron S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    Mike, Dave Hynds thinks he has a matching set... which would be great (I bought my mandolin from Dave so he will be able to reference the correct measurements ) . I will definitely be taking it to a qualified local Luthier to fit.

  8. #7
    Registered User Bron S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuners for my German arch back mandolin

    Mike Edgerton... You are very correct. I ended up buying a set of Rubner tuners and had a local Luthier fit them... Disaster. It was totally unplayable as the tuners were jammed tight so I took it elsewhere. That place had a quick look and said... It needs a different set which will cost double.... So, I took it to another place. He took one look and said... It's not the tuners, they're very good... It's worn, oversized holes. He fitted sleeves into the holes, refitted the tuners and voila... It now tunes up easily stays in tune for ages and is so much better go play. I now have two new problems... A section of the marquetry at the back is starting to open up and sadly it looks like the good Luthier may have retired in the last week or so... Back to square one!

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