Replacing vintage style Kluson-type tuners - a sort of PSA

[Tom Karol]

In another thread I talked about upgrading my 8-year old Godin Montreal Premiere - new pickups, new switch, new tuners, This post is about the tuners.

My Montreal Premiere came with vintage-style Kluson-clone turning keys - the ones with the rectangular housing and a little hole for lubricating - like Gibson used to use.
They were OK, but I wanted something better; I'm used to Grovers, Schallers, Spertzels, Gotohs. I decided on a Kluson 3+3 Revolution Series G-Mount Tuners | stewmac.com set, so I could use the existing holes. They work as well as the others mentioned, but no drilling or reaming was required. They also make a locking version, but I wanted to keep the weight down, so I didn't go that route.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that this Kluson Revolution 3+3 G-Mount set is an excellent non-invasive upgrade to the ubiquitous vintage-style Klusons.

[John A.]

In another thread I talked about upgrading my 8-year old Godin Montreal Premiere - new pickups, new switch, new tuners, This post is about the tuners.

My Montreal Premiere came with vintage-style Kluson-clone turning keys - the ones with the rectangular housing and a little hole for lubricating - like Gibson used to use.
They were OK, but I wanted something better; I'm used to Grovers, Schallers, Spertzels, Gotohs. I decided on a Kluson 3+3 Revolution Series G-Mount Tuners | stewmac.com set, so I could use the existing holes. They work as well as the others mentioned, but no drilling or reaming was required. They also make a locking version, but I wanted to keep the weight down, so I didn't go that route.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that this Kluson Revolution 3+3 G-Mount set is an excellent non-invasive upgrade to the ubiquitous vintage-style Klusons.

The ones you link to have threaded bushings. Those (I think) is larger than the holes for an old-school Klusons with a press-in bushings. Did you just use your existing bushings on the Godin, or did you use the Revolution's bushings (and if so, how did you manage that)?

As an FYI, I put a set of the locking version in my Godin Kingpin. They came with press-in bushings, but I just used the ones that were already in the guitar. I wound up taking them out and putting back the originals because the one for the D-string broke. I got them super cheap from somebody on Reverb, and the one tuner was always a bit rough, until it died altogether a couple of years later. It was easier to just put the originals back than sort out a replacement tuner. The ones that worked were great, and am thinking about a set for my current guitar, but I don't see ones with press-fit bushings, so am leery of buying ones with the screw-in bushings if the tuners have to use those bushings.

John

[Tom Karol]

Hi John,

I'm not sure I can answer your question properly, because I didn't do the install myself.
The tech said he might have to use the existing press-in bushings, but apparently he didn't.
The reason I say that is that the face-side of the tuners now have hex nuts showing whereas they didn't before. (They did seem to come with a variety of bushings - I guess to facilitate various installation requirements.)
To be honest, I don't know for sure that he didn't have to ream the holes - I just assumed that.

Two other things:

1. The old tuners were not Kluson-branded; they just looked exactly like the standard Klusons, and the screw holes had the exact same spacing.
2. The new tuners are extremely smooth and precise - I hope one of them doesn't break!

That's the best answer I can give you - maybe the install wasn't as simple as it looked.

[John A.]

Hi John,

I'm not sure I can answer your question properly, because I didn't do the install myself.
The tech said he might have to use the existing press-in bushings, but apparently he didn't.
The reason I say that is that the face-side of the tuners now have hex nuts showing whereas they didn't before. (They did seem to come with a variety of bushings - I guess to facilitate various installation requirements.)
To be honest, I don't know for sure that he didn't have to ream the holes - I just assumed that.

Two other things:

1. The old tuners were not Kluson-branded; they just looked exactly like the standard Klusons, and the screw holes had the exact same spacing.
2. The new tuners are extremely smooth and precise - I hope one of them doesn't break!

That's the best answer I can give you - maybe the install wasn't as simple as it looked.

Thanks Tom

John

[EarlBrother]

thinking about putting them on my 76 les paul delux.