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Vintage Kluson tuners

MSN001

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May 26, 2019
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Are Kluson the original manufacturer of Gibson Deluxe tuning machines? I’ve made the assumption Gibson Deluxe machines are the OEM equivalent of Kluson Deluxe machines? Kluson type tuners seems to be used as a generic term for describing tulip button designs. Seems to be a trend of people wanting Kluson type machines or Grover Rotos.

I want to make a ‘64 style 335 and can’t decide if I should get a set of Kluson type machines from Gotoh, Kluson, Grover or Gibson OEM. I’m biased toward Kluson if that’s the original machine Gibson chose?
 

MSN001

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May 26, 2019
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Thanks Scott, that’s an excellent article on the subject. I’ve just realised I have Kluson branded Deluxe single line single ring machines on my 2017 R8 so Gibson must still be using these. I have emailed WD music who now own the company to ask where they are made. I’ll post back if I can add more up to date details. I’m going to purchase a set of Kluson Deluxe Double line double ring locking tuners that they currently produce, I think they are made in the USA.
 

maxwedge

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Apr 6, 2010
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674
I think that the new Klusons are awesome. I've bought several different types and they all work and look great. You can also buy pre-aged sets from other retailers.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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The new ones are great! The old, original ones had a lot of play in them. I have a few old Fifites sets and I wouldn’t put them on a guitar I was going to gig with.
 

MSN001

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May 26, 2019
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I’m happy with the Kluson Deluxe on my R8 Standard Historic, I haven’t had any problems. Update# I contacted WD Music and they said the tuners are made in Korea and supplied to Gibson Custom shop by WD USA. There are USA made Kluson parts where specified on the WD website but I can’t see any USA made tuners yet.
 

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
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3,278
I've been very dissatisfied with the Kluson (Gibson) Deluxe tuners furnished on the Custom Shop Les Pauls I have purchased going back to 2000 when I got my first R9. The problem I have with with these recent Kluson (presumably Korean made) tuners is the posts tend to wobble considerably in the stamped housing. If you remove one of these tuners from the guitar and wiggle the post you'll see what I mean. This can't be a good thing to have all that play in the tuner's post.

I have two sets of Kluson Deluxe tuners from the sixties, and one set of Kluson Deluxe strip tuners from the '50s, and none of these have any play or wobble in the post whatsoever.
 

MSN001

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May 26, 2019
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I installed a set of Kluson Deluxe tuners last night and found the 10mm conversion bushings I ordered are too loose, falling out when I turn the headstock face down. Has anyone used 10.5mm bushings? The peg head holes are drilled all the way through the headstock at a constant diameter slightly larger than 10mm. Grover Rotomatics were installed originally on this Memphis 335.

I tried putting some tape around the bushings and managed to seat them firmly but have found the bushings have lifted to one side with the strings under tension by a couple thou or so, enough to get a fingernail under.
 

maxwedge

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Apr 6, 2010
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674
Sounds like the head stock was drilled/reamed too large. Bummer.
How did the Grover's fit? Loose or tight?
 

MSN001

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May 26, 2019
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The Rotomatics had a bushing that screwed into the housing, locking the whole unit tight when installed. When I removed them I found no resistance, they lifted straight out. I’ve just ordered some 10.5mm 1/4 conversion bushings, I can only find this size advertised for modern fender guitars though, if they fit I’ll use them. There is a very noticeable tuning instability so it must be fixed.
 

MSN001

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The 10.5mm Kluson bushings worked great if anybody is reading this with a view to changing Grover Rotos to Kluson Deluxe. The holes were slightly small so I used some 120grit wrapped around my Parker ball point pen which fit nicely to do the job. I got the bushings in push tight with about 3mm left running up to the flange and finished the job with a C shape grip I had in the shed with some paper folded a few times under the contact points to avoid marking the surface. The Grover bushings have left a ring in the finish which is visible but less noticeable when the guitar is strung. Ideally I’d like some 10.5 mm bushings that have a flat flange like the ones included with the tuners to keep the look authentic but unfortunately I cannot find any Gibson style Kluson conversion bushings in 10.5, the only ones i can find are in production for the Fender style and they have a slightly conical rise in the flange plate. Stewmac does a 10mm oversizes flat flange plate design that would work nicely in covering the marks left by the Grovers, hopefully they produce a 10.5 in future, or someone else knows of a different supplier?
 

MSN001

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