Official Luthiers Forum!

I have a '34 Gibson L-00 that I am doing some repairs on. I have 2 questions, and the photos are here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 291196614/

As usual with Flickr, click on the first shot to get a larger image and some text.

First, I am missing 2 of the grommets that fit around the tuners on the face of headstock. Are these reproduced? Anyone have a couple they would be willing to part with.

Second, the tuners are 3-on-a-plate and are identical and seem to be the same age - patina on the metal and the buttons are all the same side to side. However the plates are different.

I know that Gibson had trouble with consistency, but on the same instrument? What do you think - are they origianl?

thanks so much

Ed Minch

I've got nothing for you on the plates, but StewMac has the grommets.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Chris

Thanks - 54 cents each.

Ed

The grommets are similar to, if not exactly the same as, 1/4 inch shelf pin sleeves/grommets.

http://www.widgetco.com/shelf-pins-1-4- ... ts-sleeves


If the plates are different I would be surprised if both tuners are original. When we were kids these guitars weren't "collectable", but rather were "players" and budget repairs were often done by replacing broken tuners with similar "take offs".

I don't know what this has to do with anything. But I found a 1964 Gretch acoustic in a dumpster two years ago. The headstock was dangling from the strings. I repaired it now I'm missing a tuner. So I replaced them with the cheapest ones Stewmac had to offer. Almost a perfect match. Just saying. My chances of scoring a 1964 Gretch tuner are impossible. I'm still keeping the old ones though and always keep my eye open around dumpsters. You never know.

just to show it off

Awesome!
Found a Fender Jazzmaster in a trash can once.... fixed it up, and found a new owner for it in no time.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Chiming in on my own post. My daughter runs a repair shop in Brooklyn and a couple of years ago she worked on an early 50's J-45 that was found in a local dumpster. Needed a couple thou in work but was worth much more than that when completed.

Ed

Grommets can be found at a leather shop.

They do show up on Ebay. Gretsch used Van Ghent tuners from Holland, as well as US-made Waverlys.

The Van Ghents:
http://vintagegretschguitar.com/lot-of-vintage-gretsch-parts-tuners-tailpiece-tuners-vintage-mounting-screws/10506

AFAIK, Van Ghents in this pattern are no longer being made. Back in the 1980's and early-1990's (before Stew Mac reintroduced Waverly tuners), I would buy individual Van Ghents with oval metal buttons from International Luthier's Supply for $9 a set.

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John

Thanks for all the tips, I pulled the plates and added 2 shots and the end of the album showing that the mismatched plates are original:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 291196614/

Thanks again

Ed