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Thread: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

  1. #1
    Jo Dusepo, luthier Dusepo's Avatar
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    Default Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    Does anyone know a good source for leque tuners, as used on Portuguese guitar, waldzither, English guitar, and Portuguese mandolins and cavaquinhos? I'm looking for the 4 string ones, like on cavaquinho. The cheapest I've found is about €30, which isn't too much more than a good set of guitar or mandolin machine heads but much more than the average uke ones. But then there's the extra cost of getting them from Portugal.



    Or alternatively, is it possible to make them?

    I'm currently building an Iranian setar (not to be confused with the Indian sitar!), which looks like this:

    The traditional peghead design is quite simple with wooden pegs, and is much like a Turkish saz/baglama:

    Some makers now make more of a pegbox design:

    However, I also came across this design which I think would work great, because whilst the setar has low-tension strings, they are steel and so wooden pegs are not ideal. So this seems like a perfect (and very elegant) solution to not have too much weight on the head and still easy tuning:


    And for completeness, here's the body for the setar I'm building which I've already completed (currently working on the neck):
    I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.

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  3. #2

    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    Really nice idea! No idea about commercial sources of these or anything in the hardware bin that would easily adapt, but am pretty sure that, although any small machine shop could make either cast or CNC versions, the cost for a handful of them would be prohibitive.
    Looking at the complete one you show, however, leads me to believe that you could use a headstock itself as a body with only a little woodwork (slots) and off the shelf screws, knurls and possibly the string hooks. It could weigh very little. I would stagger the knob lengths in any case.

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  5. #3
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    Hopefully your browser can translate the results. By searching in Portugese for Leque tuners you get this.
    "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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  7. #4

    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    That mechanism of those keys looks exactly like the chain tensioner on my chainsaws.
    You know someone could make a set for you but for as simple as that is I expect it would be expensive.

  8. #5

    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    Bow screws and eyelets are my first thought

  9. #6
    Jo Dusepo, luthier Dusepo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    Quote Originally Posted by Richard500 View Post
    Really nice idea! No idea about commercial sources of these or anything in the hardware bin that would easily adapt, but am pretty sure that, although any small machine shop could make either cast or CNC versions, the cost for a handful of them would be prohibitive.
    Looking at the complete one you show, however, leads me to believe that you could use a headstock itself as a body with only a little woodwork (slots) and off the shelf screws, knurls and possibly the string hooks. It could weigh very little. I would stagger the knob lengths in any case.
    Interesting idea. I wonder if I (or anyone else) can figure out how they've done it on the setar with these tuners. You're right in that seems like they've recessed the wood of the head to hold the tuning screws. Given the restrictions on imports to Iran, I wonder if it's their own design put together, and if so, should be something we could do ourselves easily.

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    Hopefully your browser can translate the results. By searching in Portugese for Leque tuners you get this.
    I'd already done a search with a different search engine but this found me one €10 cheaper! Muito obrigada!
    I am a luthier specialising in historical and world stringed instruments. You can see more info at my website.

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  11. #7
    Registered User Greg Mirken's Avatar
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    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    Jo, possibly my friend Ron Fernandez can help you.

    http://www.fernandezmusic.com/

    Greg Mirken
    Shade Tree Fretted Instrument Repair, retired
    Nevada City, California

  12. #8
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Source for 'leques' (fan tuners)?

    I don't know of this helps but in the English-speaking world they are also called Preston tuners. The problem might be finding them for 4-string configuration.
    Jim

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