Kidney Bean to Keystone Grover Buttons Swapout Question

[sibyrpunk]

Went from keystones to kidneys fit perfect.

 

[ShoalsRanger]

Thanks for the heads up. Been meaning to order some from Allparts. Though I kinda like the kidney beans since everyone else hates them.

Cool.

I don't really hate kidney beans...they look good when they are on the right guitar. I just don't think Specials and kidney beans go together. White round buttons or vintage/chrome keystones look more appropriate IMO. Hmm, wonder if I can find some of the white round ones.

Edit: Geez, I need to chill on the tuning keys. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Hip...580228?hash=item46338cdc84:g:9E4AAOSwd4tTwudO

 

[DesolationBlvd]

Count me among the mostly satisfied users of the Hipshot pearloid keystone buttons. Actually saved a little weight at the headstock vs. the chrome keystones that came stock. Getting them on required a bit of elbow grease, though.

Much better than losing the functionality of locking tuners and drilling new holes into the headstock just to get the look.

 

[rlefty]

I think a general rule of thumb is to release the tension on the tuner (slack the string) before unscrewing the button, to avoid potentially stripping the gear. I've done this several times without issue.

Incidentally, I recently did replace Grovers for Gibson Deluxe tuners -- the entire machines, not just the buttons. It required drilling new holes for the top of each machine (the bottoms were drop in replacements), but it was very easy to do.

 

[ShoalsRanger]

Thanks to all of you guys for answering this simple question and putting my mind at ease.

Got my Keystones today and put them on...easy peezy. It was a direct fit. Took me just a couple of minutes.

 

[Paul46]

Nicely done!

 

[Hedcrash]

Oh, for those who are interested, the chrome keystone Grover buttons are back in stock at Allparts. Every online dealer had been out of stock on these for quite a while until a couple of days ago.

Just wanted to say "thanks" for this. I have never liked the kidney bean tuner buttons on any guitar I've owned, and this thread was my impetus for doing something about it. I've got a Studio with Grover locking tuners on it that have the kidney beans that will soon be converted to keystones. They're supposed to arrive today.

Been meaning to do it for a long time, but you pushed me over the edge.

 

[ShoalsRanger]

Nice to hear that I could help.

When I bought my Ford Ranger back in 2006 I had no idea how to work on trucks, but I joined a forum specific to Ford Rangers (pretty much a ghost town nowdays) and now I do all the repairs myself thanks to the good people there.

Same thing has happened here. The guys here at MLP.com are great and have inspired me to take control and do repairs and mods myself. Now, it will be a long, long time before I start refretting my own guitars, but at least I can do simple things like changing knobs, tuners, and even pickups thanks to this forum. If you listen and read instead of running your mouth you can learn a lot.

 

[rlefty]

Nice to hear that I could help.

When I bought my Ford Ranger back in 2006 I had no idea how to work on trucks, but I joined a forum specific to Ford Rangers (pretty much a ghost town nowdays) and now I do all the repairs myself thanks to the good people there.

Same thing has happened here. The guys here at MLP.com are great and have inspired me to take control and do repairs and mods myself. Now, it will be a long, long time before I start regretting my own guitars, but at least for now I can do simple things like changing knobs, tuners, and even pickups thanks to this forum. If you listen and read instead of running your mouth you can learn a lot.

Just wait until you hear about toothpicks! They solve all KINDS of problems.

 

[ShoalsRanger]

Just wait until you hear about toothpicks! They solve all KINDS of problems.

 

[madmusicltd]

There is no hole for the screw in the center that connects/holds the button onto the tuner shaft.

Like this,

that's my heaadstock

 

[madmusicltd]

There is no hole for the screw in the center that connects/holds the button onto the tuner shaft.

Like this,

Had to re-install the metal tulips as one of these has cracked within six months.
It would be hard for me to recommend these, as they will fail~

 

[BrianB]

Nice to hear that I could help.

When I bought my Ford Ranger back in 2006 I had no idea how to work on trucks, but I joined a forum specific to Ford Rangers (pretty much a ghost town nowdays) and now I do all the repairs myself thanks to the good people there.

Same thing has happened here. The guys here at MLP.com are great and have inspired me to take control and do repairs and mods myself. Now, it will be a long, long time before I start refretting my own guitars, but at least I can do simple things like changing knobs, tuners, and even pickups thanks to this forum. If you listen and read instead of running your mouth you can learn a lot.

Cool...now I know who to hit up when I have problems with my '01 Ranger XLT....

KIDDING! I spun a wrench from around 1990 until I blew out a shoulder in 2004...been fixing my own vehicles forever..

I do, however, know (and am a member) of what is probably the same Ranger forum. Yeah..it's pretty deserted. But then, they haven't made a Ford Ranger in years. I did see something last year that Ford is considering reintroducing the model for 2018.

Glad you got the Hipshot buttons and the worked out for you.

 

[Dineley]

Wish i could do that with my g force would love nickel instead of green keys but too broke for full replacement atm

 

[Bemis]

Geez, I just found these by Hipshot on Ebay. They are supposed to fit Grover shafts. I found a couple of older threads on here about them. I think these are less "bright and yellow" in person than in the pics. I'm going to order them and see which ones I like best and the loser gets to go on one of my acoustics. For $10 and free shipping it's worth a shot.

FML.

This thread caused me to order a set as well.

 

[RayTorvalds]

This thread caused me to order a set as well.

I say every store/website/manufacturer should give MLP a percentage of their profit in the form of a donation when someone buys something because of an MLP thread

 

[ShoalsRanger]

I say every store/website/manufacturer should give MLP a percentage of their profit in the form of a donation when someone buys something because of an MLP thread

Haha, that would be great. Though Creamtone would have to go into debt to pay Satchmo all of those fees they would owe him.

 

[RayTorvalds]

I did mean the profit split would go to the MLP forum itself. But that was funny.

 

[ShoalsRanger]

BTW,, I decided to keep the Keystone tuners on my LP instead of the Hipshots. I received the Hipshots and installed them but I put the Keystones back on. I just thought they looked better on my Special...plus I'm a big fan of chrome on my LP's.

And yea, like I stated in a previous post, its an easy swapout that anyone can do in a matter of a couple of minutes.

 

[ShoalsRanger]

Had to re-install the metal tulips as one of these has cracked within six months.
It would be hard for me to recommend these, as they will fail~

Wow, that really sucks.