Tuning pans

[Ron Landis]

I just keep wondering if there would be any interest if a guy were to tool up his coining press to manufacture tuning pans. This used to be the standard way of mounting tuners on steel guitars, and still seems like a good, economical way of doing it.

Of course, nobody makes them anymore. So if wanted to make a steel, I would have to do it like everyone else these days, or some variation of that. Also, if I were restoring an old Stringmaster, I may have to shell out up to $149 for a used pan without tuners on eBay. At those kind of prices make me wonder if it would be worthwhile to make a high quality version out of solid cupro-nickel that could be polished, engraved, and would never rust.

I have the technology and experience to do it, but a big part of the challenge would be to get Kluson to make 4-inline tuners again for the eight stringers. The only other option around that is to make a 4-in line plate and re assemble them from the 3 to-a-plate slot head tuners they still make. The result would be classic looking and very functional tuner arrangement without having to mill out those aluminum steps which would seem very time consuming.

Anyway, this keeps popping up in my head, so I thought I would try to get some input from the experts... (that's you guys)

[Ron Simpson]

Four on a plate Kluson mandolin tuners, and six on a plate 12 string guitar tuner show up on Ebay quite regularly. The old Kluson A style mandolin tuners are a perfect fit for old 8 string Rickenbacer bakelites.

[Dave Bader]

Waverlys scan be adapted to fit the fender style tunning pan.

[Jeff Mead]

The newer Stringmaster style tuner pans (i.e. not the ones that take lolipop tuners) work fine with individual regular Kluson guitar tuners - you don't need a strip. You just need to drill a hole through the shaft of the tuner for the string to go through.

[Stephen Cowell]

The newer Stringmaster style tuner pans (i.e. not the ones that take lolipop tuners) work fine with individual regular Kluson guitar tuners - you don't need a strip. You just need to drill a hole through the shaft of the tuner for the string to go through.

The tuners need to have the long, blank shafts so that they protrude through both holes... the design depends on both ends of the shaft being supported.

[Jeff Mead]

The newer Stringmaster style tuner pans (i.e. not the ones that take lolipop tuners) work fine with individual regular Kluson guitar tuners - you don't need a strip. You just need to drill a hole through the shaft of the tuner for the string to go through.

The tuners need to have the long, blank shafts so that they protrude through both holes... the design depends on both ends of the shaft being supported.

I fixed a Stringmaster using this method a few years back and the tuner shaft was actually just long enough - you could a bit of the slot for the regular guitar string but it worked fine and was much better than the other option I had at the time (leave it broken).

[Ron Landis]

Well, in any case, the notion of using a tuner without the plate is an option I hadn't thought of. I wonder if I just add a single tuner to a three to a plate arrangement, this may get me there the easiest way. I could actually cut the plate of the single tuner to use as a spacer if needed. But this way I wouldn't also have to drill a hole through a chrome plated post which could be tricky.

I'll get a few sets to play with. One cool thing about these trays I want to make is that they could be customized with hand engraving or custom logo 'medallion' die-struck into the upper or middle section. This could be made available for other makers so they could have their own distinctive design, along with replica replacements for restoration work.

I figure as long as I'm tooling up, it's almost as easy to make 100 as it is to make one once the tooling is set up right. I want to be able to keep the cost down and the quality high.

[Tim Whitlock]

Are you making only the Stringmaster pans? I guess you have to start somewhere. I need an old style lollipop tuning pan for my '51 Custom T8. With only three legs those things were prone to fall over and bust the tuning keys off the front neck.

[Ron Landis]

Tim,
These are just in the conceptual stage at this point. But I will most likely start with the later style of pan. If there is enough interest I may be able to make some of the earlier style, but it's not a big priority at this point. It may take a few months just to get the first prototype.

[Dave Bader]

I'd be interested in buying a handful if you do make them.

[Joe Snow]

I've got a Stringmaster (60's) and so far so good. I really like the design of the pans and think they would be a good product for steel builders.

[Erv Niehaus]

Wasn't there someone on the Forum making these a few years ago. I think he made up a bunch and then had a hard time getting rid of them.

[Pascal Guimbard]

Hi
I wonder if Michael Stevens has any for sale as he is the one making the guitsteel. The tuning pans look like Fenders to me.
Pascal
http://www.stevensguitars.com/gallery/guit-steel/

I just keep wondering if there would be any interest if a guy were to tool up his coining press to manufacture tuning pans. This used to be the standard way of mounting tuners on steel guitars, and still seems like a good, economical way of doing it.

Of course, nobody makes them anymore. So if wanted to make a steel, I would have to do it like everyone else these days, or some variation of that. Also, if I were restoring an old Stringmaster, I may have to shell out up to $149 for a used pan without tuners on eBay. At those kind of prices make me wonder if it would be worthwhile to make a high quality version out of solid cupro-nickel that could be polished, engraved, and would never rust.

I have the technology and experience to do it, but a big part of the challenge would be to get Kluson to make 4-inline tuners again for the eight stringers. The only other option around that is to make a 4-in line plate and re assemble them from the 3 to-a-plate slot head tuners they still make. The result would be classic looking and very functional tuner arrangement without having to mill out those aluminum steps which would seem very time consuming.

Anyway, this keeps popping up in my head, so I thought I would try to get some input from the experts... (that's you guys)

[Stephen Cowell]

Hi
I wonder if Michael Stevens has any for sale as he is the one making the guitsteel. The tuning pans look like Fenders to me.

Mike gets his from Fender Japan... of course, he's on first name basis with the folks over there, that's where all the Stringmaster tooling went. When I asked he didn't act like it was going to be easy to talk him out of one... he did offer to hot-rod my Deluxe 8 with his through-body string retainer.