The Steel Guitar Forum

This is the first and the last time I will ever use the series S #210 Grover tuners.The little ones with the pin like Emmons uses. I just finished building another guitar and while stringing it up, two of these tuners just crapped out. When the string starts to get a little tension on it the tuners just get tighter and tighter until they wont turn at all. Cant even tune the string. Yes, I have tried adjusting the screw that holds the knob on, and made sure the 10mm nut is not to tight. Must have been made in Borneo or somewhere. Any one else have problems with these junkers????? I have always had good luck with the larger Rotomatics. Martin.

Martin,

I have had a similar experience with some of these grovers. There is an improved version of them. Do you have the newer or the older design? The new design has the Grover name on the front cover. The older ones are plain with the name in very tiny letters on the back of rhe housing. They are guaranteed for life, and they WILL honor it, trust me because I have sent broken ones in for free replacement! I have some contact information there if you need it. Just email me and I'll provide it to you.

Regards,

Lynn

Martin,
When I had a LeGrande II, I went through 2 complete sets before I got some to hold up under tension. Thats (20) keys. My Carter has Sperzels
on it and I love them.



Eddie

They're actually made by Ping in Taiwan or mainland China.

I received a new Mullen HWP in February of 2007 and since then Mullen has sent me about 14 replacements tuners...and I am about to send for another replacement. These are the same keys as described in the opening post. These tuners slip, bind and flat out break.

My hats off to Dale and Mike at Mullen. They have been very cooperative in promptly replacing these defective tuners and the problem is certainbly not their fault.

I used to have great respect for Grovers...not any more.

Even when they don't fail, those small Grovers are just hard to get your fingers on and turn anyway in my opinion. I love those big old '70s Grovers though.

So what's a good machine head for a steel? A few of the old Grovers on my Sho~Bud are getting towards their last legs...

The problem acording to the Grover main office (I called them) is that 8 years ago they had so much trouble with these that they completely changed the inside design . The new design is supposed to work real well (we'll see). The old design has grover stamped on the inside side of the houseing and the new ones have it written on the gear cap (outside so you can read it)Martin.

Eddie B. You will have to bring that little Doxie over and introduce her/him ?? to my Doxie "Gizmo".

Martin, so is it the 210 C that is supposed to be the 'new and improved', here?
http://www.grotro.com/Mainbass%26pedal.html

From what I understand, it has a pin on the back that goes into a drilled hole in your keyhead..correct?

Martin, I have a Williams 600 Series with Grover tuning keys...they have the Grover name written on the outside of each tuning key...Which one are these..old or New models? TIA

So what's a good machine head for a steel?

Well, everybody has their favorites - I'm fine with Schallers and most Grovers and Gotohs, as long as they fit properly. But I think I'm getting to the point where I prefer Sperzels over anything, as long as they will fit on the guitar without having to drill holes.

Thanks Dave.

It looks like the Grovers that are on my Bud have shaved posts on the low G# and high b strings. I'd love to not have to do that if I replace these!

Brad M., yes the name written on the outside on the round gear cover are the new style. Bent R. Those 210C tuners on the Grover website are the new ones. They are supposed to be for pedal steel with a shorter shaft. The " C " is for "chrome" as thats all they make them in. Martin.

I hate it when great old American companies do this - trade on their good name for a quick buck, so now I'll never buy new Grovers again. I've had to send two back off of a six-string recently, sure they'll still give you a free one but you've got a five-tuner guitar in the interim... so for their quick buck they've lost another customer, and when they go under they'll never figure out why - "But we were cutting enough costs...."

You certainly can't blame "offshoreness" either, Ibanez puts better tuners on their $200 guitars than the Klusons on a $4000 Gibson "classic" reissue, and Gotoh equipment is top of the line. In the interest of consumer relations, it sure would be nice if a company would just tell you when they've started making crap just to get rich quick, so you could switch right away, they could declare bankruptcy right away, and we'd all be spared the bother... capitalism as envisioned and operated by sociopaths isn't working out so hot, IMO.