Post by CTGull on Jul 11, 2018 18:59:37 GMT -5
Many times vintage Yamaha tuners are missing covers, or worn & sloppy, or some have already been replaced. Finding spare tuners for a 40 to 50 year old guitar is difficult. Typically you have to buy a second guitar for parts. Finding a direct replacement isn’t easy because the shafts on the old tuners are 6mm (.236”) vs. today’s standard of ¼” (.250”), and the chances of the mounting holes lining up is zero. The vintage Yamaha tuners have between 14:1 (early strip tuners), 15:1 (FG-150 & FG-180 tuners) and 16:1 (most closed back tuners) gear ratios.
For a cheap replacement I found Stew Mac has a set that looked to be a drop in fit by the dimensions on their web page. www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/economy-3-on-plate-tuners Item number 0934. Yea, they're cheap tuners, only $13.61 plus shipping. They are the same 14:1 gear ratio and 6mm (.236”) shafts as the old Yamaha strip tuners. I checked the fit to the 9 vintage Yamaha's I have that use that style tuner. The spacing between the shafts is perfect using the original Yamaha bushings. But, there seems to be some manufacturing variations in the mounting holes in the Yamaha tuners. They fit a couple of guitars perfectly, the other 7 had some degree of minor misalignment that would require plugging the holes with toothpicks, glue and redrill.
But I also found a better quality strip tuner. Stew Mac’s “Golden Age” restoration tuners. www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/golden-age-restoration-tuners-for-solid-peghead-guitar-with-bell-end/ Bright Nickel – item number 2513-N $71.78. Relic Nickel – item number 2513-RN $86.51. They are the same shape as the Yamaha tuners, the same ivory color tuner buttons, the same 6mm (.236”) shafts, but they have a slightly better 15:1 gear ratio. The mounting holes won’t line up, but that’s a minor problem.
This picture shows the comparison of the Stew Mac Golden Age with the original Yamaha tuners.
Another option is to replace the strip tuners with Stew Mac’s “Golden Age” open back 3 x 3 restoration tuners. . www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/golden-age-restoration-guitar-tuners-3and3/ Bright Nickel - item number 2516 $61.87. Relic Nickel - item number 2517 $85.57. They have the same 6mm (.236”) shafts as the original Yamaha tuners. And, of course, the mounting holes won’t line up. Because they are open back, they weigh the same as the strip tuners.
For a cheap replacement I found Stew Mac has a set that looked to be a drop in fit by the dimensions on their web page. www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/economy-3-on-plate-tuners Item number 0934. Yea, they're cheap tuners, only $13.61 plus shipping. They are the same 14:1 gear ratio and 6mm (.236”) shafts as the old Yamaha strip tuners. I checked the fit to the 9 vintage Yamaha's I have that use that style tuner. The spacing between the shafts is perfect using the original Yamaha bushings. But, there seems to be some manufacturing variations in the mounting holes in the Yamaha tuners. They fit a couple of guitars perfectly, the other 7 had some degree of minor misalignment that would require plugging the holes with toothpicks, glue and redrill.
But I also found a better quality strip tuner. Stew Mac’s “Golden Age” restoration tuners. www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/golden-age-restoration-tuners-for-solid-peghead-guitar-with-bell-end/ Bright Nickel – item number 2513-N $71.78. Relic Nickel – item number 2513-RN $86.51. They are the same shape as the Yamaha tuners, the same ivory color tuner buttons, the same 6mm (.236”) shafts, but they have a slightly better 15:1 gear ratio. The mounting holes won’t line up, but that’s a minor problem.
This picture shows the comparison of the Stew Mac Golden Age with the original Yamaha tuners.
Another option is to replace the strip tuners with Stew Mac’s “Golden Age” open back 3 x 3 restoration tuners. . www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/golden-age-restoration-guitar-tuners-3and3/ Bright Nickel - item number 2516 $61.87. Relic Nickel - item number 2517 $85.57. They have the same 6mm (.236”) shafts as the original Yamaha tuners. And, of course, the mounting holes won’t line up. Because they are open back, they weigh the same as the strip tuners.
