Updating a National d8 style tuning machine

[John Bruce]

I was just wondering if anyone has replaced an original National D8 style tuning machine with anything modern. I was looking at the Grover 18:1 Sta Tite. Almost everything is the dimensions except the space between the screw holes, which might be a little different. Has anyone used these or any other replacements ?
Thanks,
John

[Frank James Pracher]

I had a National D8 and I replaced the tuners with Klusons and they dropped right in. The screw holes lined up, no drilling required. I can't remember the part #

[John Bruce]

Thanks, Frank. I'll start researching Klusons.

[Frank James Pracher]

I got mine off of Ebay. Individual (not on a strip) 3x3 I had to get 3 sets to make it work of course. If you search Kluson 3x3 you should be able to find some.
My National D8 was great. One of the few I regret letting slip away.

[John Bruce]

I sent Kluson an email referencing the part number stamped on the inside. The ones I'm taking off are actually Klusons. Hopefully they are able to cross reference and suggest a replacement.

[Paul Honeycutt]

Stewart MacDonald has Gotah Kluson-style tuners that get good reviews. A lot of people like them better then the current Kluson or Grover vintage style tuners. They go for $28.35 a set if you buy three sets (enough for a D-8 +2). These are the metal button tuners which I'm going to put on my D-8 as I don't want anyone in the future having to deal with disintigrating plastic buttons.

No affiliation with Stew-Mac, just wanted to share the results of my research.

[Tom Pettingill]

If the originals are Klusons, then Pauls suggestion for the Gotoh would be a good choice and should be a strait drop in. Those Grovers are a good tuner too, but more of a Waverly footprint. Measure what you have to make sure and double check with Stewmac's schematic.

[Paul Honeycutt]

When I was looking for tuners, I discovered that the Grover branded "Kluson" style tuners were not direct replacements, which is one of the reasons I decided to go with the Gotah's. Make sure you have your measurements.

[John Bruce]

Thanks for the info, Paul. Kluson didn't have an exact match. I spoke with a friend here in Fresno, who is a National expert. He mentioned the Gotohs as well. The footprint is the same; in fact everything is the same except the post is for peg head. The diameter of the end of the post is the same as the base of the post, so it looks like it will work fine.
At Stew Mac it's part number 0933.
Thanks everyone!
John

[Marino Galli]

Hi John,
do you mean this tuners :-

Gotoh Vintage-style Oval Knob 3+3 Tuners ( x3) ?

Let me know if they are working fine; I want to do the same with my 1949 D-8 National

Thanks In Advance

Best Regards

Cat Marino Galli

[John Bruce]

Hi Marino,
That's the description for them. I'll be ordering them in a couple of weeks; I'll post on this thread when it's completed.

[John Bruce]

The replacement tuner drops right in. All the dimensions are the same, except the shaft is tapered and the string hole is closer to the side. The replacement is as good as the original.
John

[Ed Mikenas]

Now that I'm retired, I've been restoring a D-8
that I bought from Duane Allman's roadie about 30 years ago. The instrument had clearly fallen off a table or something and several of the outside neck tuners were either bent, or the tunings knobs broken off. At the time I could only tune it with a set of vice-grips so it stayed under my bed for all that time. I located the makers of Klusons online and I called them directly, described what I needed. I was sent one right and one left tuner to make sure they were the correct fit and they were. Great service from the WD/Kluson folks. Now my D-8 purrs like a kitten.

[Fred Layman]

Glad I ran across this discussion. I'm just starting to restore a National triple-neck and all of the tuners need replacing, so I will follow up on info you folks have here. An additional problem though is that three of the six original tuner covers were already lost when I bought the guitar. The only partial solution I have come up with is to put the three covers I have on the front side of each key head and then mill out a solid piece of copper or brass in the same dimensions as the original covers and install them on the back side of each key head. In that way, from the front side all of the tuner covers will look the same and from the back side all of the tuner covers will also look the same.

[Paul Honeycutt]

If you can, post a picture of what you did with the National triple.

[Fred Layman]

Thanks for your interest. I have several projects going before I can get to the National project, but will post a photo when I have completed the National project. I will be stripping the paint off and everything else down to the bare wood and start over from there. FDL

[Fred Layman]

When you replace the original tuning keys with these tuning keys (Gotos, etc.) are you also able to cover them with the original National metal tuning key covers?

[Ed Mikenas]

Plus one using Kluson. Dead-on replacement.

[L. Bogue Sandberg]

I started working on my old National D8 this afternoon. I'm going to try replacing the buttons on the original tuners. The old ones were like peanut brittle and cracked off easily. One thing I noticed was apparent clear fibers on them. Can't be sure, but it almost looks like the old buttons were fiber filled or reinforced. And what might that be, given late '40's to mid '50's vintage? I'm wondering if it is asbestos. Anyone have any idea? I'm too old and did too many other stupid things for it to matter. But if it is asbestos, a person might want to take some basic precautions.