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Author Topic:  Can this tuner gear be fixed?
Steven Welborn

 

From:
Ojai,CA USA
Post  Posted 21 Sep 2018 11:24 am    
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These are two tuners (original Grovers)on my '36 Epiphone Electar lap steel. One is engaged or enmeshed as it should. The other (worm gear) is about to slip over the teeth of the other gear. Which happens the tighter the tension gets when tuning up the string. Too much play in this gear when backed off. Naturally, of course, it slips out just a hair below the pitch the string needs to be.
Anybody familiar with these? Fixable or need to be replaced? Thanks


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Steven Welborn

 

From:
Ojai,CA USA
Post  Posted 21 Sep 2018 1:04 pm    
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I removed the tuner and positioned it on a small anvil in a few different ways, and with small hammer carefully tapped the ear mounts on either side of the worm gear in a couple ways to snug the gears in more to one another. Most of the slop is reduced but now it difficult to turn in general. Guess I'll leave it at that and hopefully it'll free up a little in time. At least I can tune it up now.
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Raymond Jones

 

From:
British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 22 Sep 2018 7:08 am     tuning gear problem -
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Steven - Could an answer be that the tuner post is pulling away from the gear instead of pulling towards the gear as you tighten the string? Reverse the tuners. - Ray
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David M Brown


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 22 Sep 2018 7:41 am    
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Another option would be to replace the tuner, keeping the original of course. There are a number of modern machine tuners that would be good options.

https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Solid_Peghead_Guitar_Tuning_Machines/Grover_181_Sta-Tite_97-18_Series_3and3_Tuners.html

https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Solid_Peghead_Guitar_Tuning_Machines/Waverly_Guitar_Tuners_with_Vintage_Oval_Knobs_for_Solid_Pegheads.html

https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Solid_Peghead_Guitar_Tuning_Machines/Schertler_Guitar_Tuning_Keys_for_3and3_Solid_Pegheads_Metal_Knobs.html

just some ideas
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Steven Welborn

 

From:
Ojai,CA USA
Post  Posted 22 Sep 2018 8:10 am    
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Ray, no. The posts are being pulled in the right direction that would bring the gear closer to the other if that were a factor.

David, Thanks for the links. Kinda pricey to say the least. Especially the correct oval shaped ones. For the price of a whole set of those you could buy a vintage stringmaster , almost. But good to know that options there in case I need to replace one.
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Steven Welborn

 

From:
Ojai,CA USA
Post  Posted 22 Sep 2018 8:28 am    
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Just snatched this on Ebay. It's the exact tuner on the correct treble side too. Smile
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Grover-Sta-Tite-Tuner-Tuning-Machine-Key-Peg-Head-Treble-Side-Guild/192578402195
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