New Kluson Tuners vs Historic LP Tuners?

[jrock1]

Are the tuner buttons on the Reissue Kluson Tuners more cream colored than the greenish ones on the Historic LPs? Are they the closest one can get now to the right color (for the money) since the Uncle Lou's are no longer available - or does someone know of a good substitute that won't break the bank. Also, are the reissue Kluson's smooth turning with the correct ratio - and hold in tune well?

 

[jamisonlps]

I've been meaning to ask the same. I bought the gold Klusons, 2 years ago and still havent put them on. Just now getting back into playing. (Marriage, kid, built a house, 2 job changes, etc.) I bought them from WD of course. I think their ratio is 14:1. They should be a decent replacement. I have a '92 or '99 LP Studio - I still don't understand how to read the serial number.

The tuners on there feel loose and say Gibson Deluxe. I've been researching some other options before I commit. Does anyone (Grover, Gotoh, etc.) make a better vintage style tuner (drop in, no major mods) in gold with keystone buttons that lock and/or have a better ratio than 14:1?

Anyone? What have most folks been going with on new tuner upgrades?

Thanks

 

[TM1]

The newer Kluson's are actually much better than the one's that were made 2 years ago. The colour is right on the buttons and the gear ratio is higher and much smoother. the tuners that the Custom Shop uses are made by Gotoh in Japan and, pardon me if I'm wrong but, all the old Les Pauls and old Gibson's I've played and seen, the tuner's were never green. They all seem to turn amber.

 

[jamisonlps]

What is the ratio of the new Klusons? I think 14:1 is the best you can get in that style of casing? Gotoh has a vintage tuner at 15:1 I believe. I wish they would make the post locking.

 

[BIG Dave]

I picked up a set of the new Kluson. The color is "like butter", much nicer than the green that came on my R8. They feel smooth and tight!

 

[Buzz]

I picked up a set of the new Kluson. The color is "like butter", much nicer than the green that came on my R8. They feel smooth and tight!

Where did you buy them from? On the inside, is there a symbol of a spade stamped in there? Can you post a pic of the Kluson buttons next to the Historics?

I wasn't very interested in all the details of Historics the last few years as I wasn't a customer since 2001. But after recently buying a 2004 Historic, I am interested. I thought that the single line Kluson's was one of the things that they started to do. I know they improved the tuner's bushings. I think I read this in a 2002 ad that included a list of improvements: the inlays, the tuneres "Kluson deluxe" stamped in a single line, and etc.

So I guess not only did they scrap some of the parts ideas, but also gave us pre-historic wide headstocks and evan bigger binding.

I have a saved email from Warmouth, Kluson, maybe WD, (can't remember)..I could dig it up. It said that Klusons are no longer made in Tiawan due to quality control. I found out while trying to install a set of the Tiawan Kluson's only to have them lock up before I evan got all the strings on. So, I'm saying if you get a set of the old stock, and they say Taiwan anywhere, don't bother to install them. I just want to make sure I get a set of the new ones, I think they said they are now made in Korea.

 

[jamisonlps]

Great!!! My set of gold Kluson Deluxe's have the gold "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the box and stamped on the bag inside. What should I do...sell em on Ebay? I bought prolly 2 yrs ago - never used.

Should I try one of the new sets or go with Grovers or Gotoh??

 

[Gold Tone]

KEEP THE TAIWAN KLUSONS!!!!! Those buttons are the closest to looking like origional other than Uncle Lou's and actual 50's Klusons.

Everything improved with the move to Korean manufacture EXCEPT the buttons. The new ones are still far better than the snotty Gibson ones but the Taiwanese are VERY nice. They are the right color, a bit transluscent, a bit marbled looking...........VERY like origional Klusons.

The newer Korean ones are better all around.........proper flat top to the post, Kluson Deluxe in one line (though not placed correctly but close enough) and the housing is rounded like they should be. But they went a bit backwards with the buttons unfortunately. They are too creamy now, not marbled, not translucent.

So you have some VERY hard to find buttons there. If I were you I'd remove the buttons and replace them with your Gibson buttons or something else and sell the set like that. Keep those buttons. When Uncle Lou was selling his last few sets they were $100 a set!!!!! PartsisParts has replacement 'vintage' type buttons for $60 a set. You have them now so HOLD Them for your R9 or other nice axe that needs them.

 

[Buzz]

Great!!! My set of gold Kluson Deluxe's have the gold "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the box and stamped on the bag inside. What should I do...sell em on Ebay? I bought prolly 2 yrs ago - never used.

Should I try one of the new sets or go with Grovers or Gotoh??

If you can't return them might as well try them. I bought mine on ebay, and returned them for a refund. The dealer said he sells alot of them, and a bad batch must have gotten past Q.C. So maybe I did just get a bad batch, but I wouldn't buy a set of the Tiawanese unless I could return them if they are defective. What I mean by "locked up" is that more than one of them had the gears bind so that the button couldn't evan be turned. I had to cut some of the new srings off and broke one of the buttons trying to turn it with pliers (out of red-assed frustration). So yeah, the buttons looked about as close to the Uncle Lou's as you can find, but I think they make the gears out of rice.

 

[jrock1]

Well, I put the new Kluson reissue tuners on my R9 and they are definitely a nicer color than the green gibson stock ones. I do agree that they are bit in your face cream, though - so my question is: does anyone have any techniques for ageing the button color to a more amber color?

 

[Todd Louis]

I got the Kluson's that RS has. both Double and Single ring for all my Historic's R7' R8' R9' R61' They work smother, Kluson Deluxe single strip, Buttons the right color and Size!

 

[Gold Tone]

Same tuners..........nice that they have improved gears. Its about time. Glad RS has them available.

 

[jrock1]

I would have ordered the RS ones, but didn't want them aged that much (all the metal in addition to the buttons). My R9 is not aged so I thought it would look a little weird. I just want to amber the buttons a bit on the new Kluson reissue ones I just put on. Anyone know how to do that?

 

[Todd Louis]

Talk to Roy he will give you a set not aged. $10 bucks less. I put aged ones in all my unaged R9's And R8's looked fine too.

 

[Gold Tone]

What's the price of the unaged sets then? WD Products has the rights to the Kluson name and handles all distribution...........wonder how prices compare between the source (WD) and the shops they supply to. Probably have some agreement where WD will charge the same so there is no loss of bus for their own customers.

Either way........good to get that option. That's the nice thing about small shops like RS. You get what YOU need and are not held to only what they typically offer.

 

[gmann]

Another vote for the RS tuners. I have them on my R9 and my R7 with the Bigsby. They look awesome. They are aged but not super aged. Some guys go way over the top with 'em but these are perfect. Not rusty, just lightly aged.

 

[jrock1]

So does no one here have an idea on how to slightly amber the (buttons) on the Kluson reissues I just bought? I don't want to now go and buy an RS set, if I have a perfectly good new set of Kluson reissues I just put on - just trying to tone down the cream color a bit to more amber.

 

[Todd Louis]

What's the price of the unaged sets then? WD Products has the rights to the Kluson name and handles all distribution...........wonder how prices compare between the source (WD) and the shops they supply to. Probably have some agreement where WD will charge the same so there is no loss of bus for their own customers.

Either way........good to get that option. That's the nice thing about small shops like RS. You get what YOU need and are not held to only what they typically offer.

http://www.rsguitarworks.net/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38&products_id=184

http://www.rsguitarworks.net/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38&products_id=184 Here you go

 

[Gold Tone]

Thanks.....but both are links to RS. Here is the WD link. $56 for a set. So WD is supplying there customer/dealers with the Klusons at a lower price so they can sell at he same price as WD.......+ $3.95 for the ageing.

http://wdmusicproducts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=TNRSKLSN

 

[Todd Louis]

Thanks GTone. I thought you wanted to know how much RS had them for thats why I put up the Link. Sorry