Kluson tuners replacement for 2014 Traditional

[Leee]

Well, I would still say the most common culprit here is the nut.
The little trick I described is not necessarily a pass/fail test so much as a quick indicator of a really bad nut.
My point was, if that’s all it takes to get a string to hang up and stay sharp, you definitely know the nut needs some work - or a replacement.

 

[Leee]

…. you can get by just fine without locking tuners….

Sure you can.
But why?
If a drop-in fix is available, an improvement in every respect with no downside, why not step it up at the next string change?

If, for some reason, you decide later that you don’t like locking tuners (I cannot imagine why) they can always be removed at the NEXT string change.

…. and save a few bucks.

If I wanted to save money, I wouldn’t be spending it on guitars to begin with!

OK, seriously, I believe the tinkering and the learning is part of owning a guitar.
I started out not wanting to “waste” money on a silly guitar and I bought a lot of cheapo pound puppy guitars in my teens and early 20s.

Part of this is because everyone I knew who could actually play a guitar was dead broke. They hid behind their pride in making a cheapo guitar work for them, and they talked a lot of smack about people who could afford to buy fancy new guitars.
I also noticed that their junk-ass vehicles had a lot in common with their guitars. On the other hand, I had a Ford Mustang as old as me that was a good looking car. Mechanically sound, purred like a kitten, and pretty damn quick. I am simply not wired like those guys, and I refuse to live that way.

I am mechanically inclined, and the only investment required of me was buying SMALL tools for once. Like a good quality set of tiny screwdrivers for instance.
In addition to my current collection, I have bought and sold at least 40 other guitars over the years.
Over time, I figured out what I could tackle and what should best be left to the professionals.
I had a Floyd Rose on an Ibanez in the early 80s, and I never did figure out how in the hell that thing was supposed to actually work.

I decided there were some things I would take to a luthier, but I wanted to know how to do the simplest maintenance on my own - same as with my own vehicles.

But I must say this; I am fortunate indeed to know an excellent luthier who is honest and affordable.
Every guitar I buy goes through his hands for his professional opinion. As smart as I think I am, he still finds things that I miss.

In short, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I would never discourage someone from tinkering with their guitar.
Hell, you can spend more for a guitar strap than what a good set of locking Grovers or Schallers cost nowadays.

Just don’t do anything that cannot be undone.

 

[Overture]

The locking Kluson Revolutions on my R8 were totally worth the price. Much improved.

 

[Leee]

All of these years of extra holes in the back of the headstock from a Grover swap may finally be coming to an end!

The main reason I always went to Grovers is because the Klusons just felt so flimsy. I can’t even guess at how many old guitars I’ve seen over the years where the Klusons had split and spread apart.
I’m sure the newer ones are far more durable, especially with the slower ratio.
What do you think?

EDIT: After reading up on them a bit, I see that the Revolutions are a one-piece housing.
That’s got to be a good thing!
And you can get metal buttons?
Get away from the cheesy “vintage” plastic buttons?
Looks like a home run to me!

 

[Phillycheez402]

I like what I'm hearing about these however I do not like the fact that you can see the screw thru the tuning key and the top of the screw head....

 

[Overture]

I like what I'm hearing about these however I do not like the fact that you can see the screw thru the tuning key and the top of the screw head....

Small price to pay for being able to swap buttons easier than the vintage style machines. I personally hate those yellow plastic buttons.

For the record I find these revolutions better than the Grover Rotomatics. I have a set of Gotoh's on my Custom as well and those are probably my favorite tuner.

 

[Phillycheez402]

Will they drop right in as far as replacement?

 

[Phillycheez402]

Alright, read up on them, prolly get myself a set. Also need to get some nickel tulip keys to go along. That should look cool

 

[Overture]

Alright, read up on them, prolly get myself a set. Also need to get some nickel tulip keys to go along. That should look cool

Yep they should be a direct drop in replacement. Don't buy the "Non-collared" version, though. Those are for the smaller holes on reissues and older style guitars that have the press in bushings.

 

[Deek]

While I appreciate all the opinions and advice, finding the following is difficult:
Locking tuners AND vintage pegs AND no drilling AND chrome

My guitar's hardware is chrome. I can find all of the above except chrome. Nickel is kind of close, but why not match if I can.. So, if anyone knows of this kind of tuner in chrome, please post a link. If anyone knows for certain chrome is not offered by Gotoh or Kluson, that would be nice too.

Edit - which of these is the right one please:

Kluson 3+3 Locking Revolution Series G-Mount Non-Collared Tuners - StewMac

The Kluson Revolution is a 19:1 high ratio locking tuner made to directly retrofit vintage Gibson-style tuners with vintage-style posts.

www.stewmac.com

Kluson 3+3 Locking Revolution Series G-Mount Tuners - StewMac

The Kluson Revolution is a 19:1 high ratio tuner made to directly retrofit vintage Gibson-style tuners.

www.stewmac.com

 

[Latearrival]

Tuners don't cause tuning problems unless they are faulty or the guitar is incorrectly strung...

It is almost always down to the nut!

I have Klusions and Locking Grovers on my gibsons - I like the Grovers best aesthetically, and for slightly easier re-stringing. Tuning stability is identical with both.....

 

[1allspub]

Nut, nut, nut! It’s exceedingly rare for tuners to be bad. Oh, it can happen sure... but the Kluson tuners used on the 2014 Trads are high quality units and thus it makes all the sense in the world to focus on the nut first. No sense spending the time, effort, and money on new tuners if the nut is the culprit... which it likely is.

 

[Overture]

Like your fingertip is about to catch a rose

While I appreciate all the opinions and advice, finding the following is difficult:
Locking tuners AND vintage pegs AND no drilling AND chrome

My guitar's hardware is chrome. I can find all of the above except chrome. Nickel is kind of close, but why not match if I can.. So, if anyone knows of this kind of tuner in chrome, please post a link. If anyone knows for certain chrome is not offered by Gotoh or Kluson, that would be nice too.

Edit - which of these is the right one please:

Kluson 3+3 Locking Revolution Series G-Mount Non-Collared Tuners - StewMac

The Kluson Revolution is a 19:1 high ratio locking tuner made to directly retrofit vintage Gibson-style tuners with vintage-style posts.

www.stewmac.com

Kluson 3+3 Locking Revolution Series G-Mount Tuners - StewMac

The Kluson Revolution is a 19:1 high ratio tuner made to directly retrofit vintage Gibson-style tuners.

www.stewmac.com

For your traditional, I believe you'd need the ones in the second link. I'd need to see a picture of the headstock face to be sure but i'd be shocked if that guitar didn't have 10mm peg holes.

 

[Deek]

For your traditional, I believe you'd need the ones in the second link. I'd need to see a picture of the headstock face to be sure but i'd be shocked if that guitar didn't have 10mm peg holes.

Thank you, here is a shot of the headstock. What are you looking for?

 

[Overture]

Yep, the nut style bushing with the washer is a giveaway for the size of the peg hole.

 

[Skit]

Then you really need to buy a guitar tuner...
Sorry but I cannot believe that after 50 years of playing you NEVER had tuning issues or not even one guitar with crappy tuners.

I use a Peterson.

WOW...You can believe what you want. If you can't believe it that's your problem not mine. In all the time I have been playing I have changed out one set of tuners and that was for looks not a tuning problem. Maybe some of you don't know how to properly wrap a string and stretch them out.

 

[gball]

WOW...You can believe what you want. If you can't believe it that's your problem not mine. In all the time I have been playing I have changed out one set of tuners and that was for looks not a tuning problem.

Agreed. I'm in my 44th year of playing guitar, have owned probably 50 different instruments over those years, have never once had to replace a set of tuners because of tuning stability issues. Any time I have had a problem it was traced to setup/nut issues, not tuners. The only reason I have replaced tuners is for a higher ratio and/or more mass at the headstock.

 

[Deek]

Since you have a nut in the shown area, you need these https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-h...ing-revolution-series-g-mount-tuning-machines

Thanks to you and others.

For the rest of you, I have to tell you, I took the nut advice and a little filing fixed my sharp issue, but gosh darn it I still love locking tuners. I was going to say something, but I decided to sit back and let a few of you continue to pontificate, argue, and insult. So you see, it was all for nothing. Nothing was proved. Nothing was won. Nobody was vindicated. No minds were changed. In a few weeks it will drift off into the void of the internet and mean absolutely nothing at all. Just like every other time this happens on any other subject in any other forum.

 

[Latearrival]

The only way tuners can affect tuning is if they unwind whilst playing....Tuners in good condition just don't do this (unless they are cheap or faulty parts...). The gearing is such that string tension cannot unwind the tuner....

However, having too many wraps round the tuning peg can cause tuning difficulties as the wraps stretch and un-stretch whilst playing - which is why a good stringing technique is important, with a "locking" wrap, and minimum number of wraps....I will concede that locking tuners encourage the use of minimal numbers of wraps - but the same can be achieved with non-locking tuners and good stringing technique....