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Thread: Monroe Tuners

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    Default Monroe Tuners

    I bought a Monroe MMS-3 and the tuner buttons broke immediately. Can't find replacements or new tuners that will fit. All are close but always a shortfall in one of the dimensions. Does anybody know what tuners they use on the new style Monroes or a fit for the old ones. New work on the headstock is not on option. I tried to contact Monroe but they are real shy. In fact, I don't think they back their product. The way they built the headstock you need longer shafts on the top screw. In fact most are 13mm shaft screw end to knob and mine are 18.6mm. Any ideas?
    I don't want to put too much money into this mando cause a new upper end Kentucky is calling my name but it would be nice to have this one work right. I would like schallers but with the non-reverse way the worm is, its hard to find breakdowns of the tuners and all others are way off. It looks to me like the grand tune schallers are best for the money.
    I did buy buttons but all were too big.
    This has to be an old problem guys, Way too many Monroes out there to not have seen this before ????

  2. #2
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    Could you post a picture of the back of the headstock? That way we can ID the tuners (hopefully). Have you contacted Morgan Monroe? If it was new I would think they might be willing to replace the tuners. As far as being an old problem, this company has changed their instruments many many times over the years. If it was common we would have a ton of messages about them and honestly they have been rarely discussed here in the last few years.

    https://www.morganmonroe.net/
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  3. #3
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    The MMS-3 mandolins I'm seeing on the web have worm over tuners. That will limit what you can buy although there are still some choices available to you. Post a picture.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    Could you post a picture of the back of the headstock? That way we can ID the tuners (hopefully). Have you contacted Morgan Monroe? If it was new I would think they might be willing to replace the tuners. As far as being an old problem, this company has changed their instruments many many times over the years. If it was common we would have a ton of messages about them and honestly they have been rarely discussed here in the last few years.

    https://www.morganmonroe.net/
    Well to tell the truth I'm a little embarrassed to show it, I didn't do my due diligence when I bought it and see all the things wrong, but here they are. Sorry I thought I saw other party's on this forum with similar problems. I've been to a lot of blogs looking for answers. This little jewel of a spot seems to be the best.
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Randell View Post
    Well to tell the truth I'm a little embarrassed to show it, I didn't do my due diligence when I bought it and see all the things wrong, but here they are. Sorry I thought I saw other party's on this forum with similar problems. I've been to a lot of blogs looking for answers. This little jewel of a spot seems to be the best.
    Also I have contacted them two times with no answer. It's a little frustrating.

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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners


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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    I wish they would work. The price is right but the measurements mean alot of work and the cost is ineffective against the price of the mandolin, but I sure thank you for looking and trying.

  8. #8
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    These tuners are Korean made, kind of look like Schallers but are not. I have a set that came off a Korean built mandola. You won't find buttons for them. At one time All Parts was selling them but I didn't see them when I just went over there. The Grovers suggested will turn backwards. They simply used the same worm gears as they do in the worm under. The post spacing should be standard modern spacing but you will need real worm over tuners. You'll also find that the bushings used on these tuners are plastic and not metal. If you're looking for a set of tuners that will actually work you might want to try a set of these Gotoh's. NFI.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/39313172987...wAAOSwwTphxjW2
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    These tuners are Korean made, kind of look like Schallers but are not. I have a set that came off a Korean built mandola. You won't find buttons for them. At one time All Parts was selling them but I didn't see them when I just went over there. The Grovers suggested will turn backwards. They simply used the same worm gears as they do in the worm under. The post spacing should be standard modern spacing but you will need real worm over tuners. You'll also find that the bushings used on these tuners are plastic and not metal. If you're looking for a set of tuners that will actually work you might want to try a set of these Gotoh's. NFI.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/39313172987...wAAOSwwTphxjW2
    It always seems that the length of the top screw is short on all of the styles I can get locally. The only style that comes close is the Schaller Grand tune but they might be shy also. It'll be a shame to stop playing it. I'm afraid if I plug the holes and redrill, it will look like I plugged the holes etc.,,,,,

  10. #10

    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    All things considered, you’d do just fine with any buttons and some superglue. There’s nothing wonderful about screw-attached buttons, other than they’re found on some fancier tuners. Choices in finish are limited - almost nothing on E-bay and a few choices on Stew-Mac. If you have to enlarge a couple of holes, also easy.
    For one of my antiques, needing an ivory color (not replacing all 8, just because), I ordered a reasonably close color in plastic rod and shaped a couple - granted this takes tools, but isn’t high in the skill department. For another, because appearance wasn’t an issue, the expedient repair was set-screw attached cylindrical electronic panel knobs with 1/8 bore - fairly common. These actually work very well with fingertips - it was surprising.
    Of course, those who have important, collectible or just expensiive instruments would prefer perfect-looking hardware, but they also don’t typically like to throw away original parts either.

  11. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Randell View Post
    It always seems that the length of the top screw is short on all of the styles I can get locally. The only style that comes close is the Schaller Grand tune but they might be shy also. It'll be a shame to stop playing it. I'm afraid if I plug the holes and redrill, it will look like I plugged the holes etc.,,,,,
    The Grand tunes only come in worm under configuration as far as I know and simply buying any button isn't going to resolve your issues no matter what one might think. I'm surprised the Gotoh's aren't getting out far enough. That's what I originally changed my set out for. I then changed to some Waverly worm over tuners that were close.

    There are a few other worm over tuners but the price goes up accordingly.

    You may be missing one of the tubes on the button posts as well.

    By the way, the top button on the Gotoh's looks plenty long.
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    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Feb-10-2022 at 10:19am.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

  12. #12
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    These are the Gotoh dimensions.
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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

  13. #13

    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    The dimensions on the print Mike attached show two options. One is for mother of pearl buttons (MP) and are 17.5 mm. The other two plastic button options (MB and MM) are 19mm. I was confused by it at first look also.

  14. #14
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    Quote Originally Posted by CarlM View Post
    The dimensions on the print Mike attached show two options. One is for mother of pearl buttons (MP) and are 17.5 mm. The other two plastic button options (MB and MM) are 19mm. I was confused by it at first look also.
    I've never seen a set of the short ones. I think Roger Siminoff used to sell them as F2-F4 tuners. All I've ever seen were the longer ones.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

  15. #15
    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
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    Default Re: Monroe Tuners

    One of the pearloid buttons broke on my first mandolin, a Chinese built Ibanez. I epoxied it back together and it worked fine for the next several years. I sold it a while ago but AFAIK is still working.

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