000-15sm: Anyone swap-out their stock tuners?

[fatt-dad]

I swapped out the individual tuners for Waverley three-on-a-plate tuners on my 000-15S. I needed the conversion bushings. The new screw holes did not match up, but the plate covered the former screw holes. Pulling out the existing bushings for the new bushings takes some effort. I got a metal coat hanger, filed the end to make a bit of a, "hook" and fished the old tuner bushings out of the hole. Really no big effort at all.

Never worried about fragility. Not that I shouldn't-had, just didn't.

Really great improvement!

f-d

[Trike54]

Agreed, the ones on my 000-15sm were "not good". Kerry Char in Portland put new Waverly's on for less than what it would have been if I'd ordered from Stew-Mac and did it myself. He did enlarge the post holes, easy enough to do if you have the proper tools.

Looked at cheaper alternatives, but the 15-sm and 3-on-a-plate Waverly's are made for each other.

[Mike777]

Golden Age Restoration Tuners for Slotted Peghead Guitar - Square-end from Stewmac.

They work well for me. couple of extra screw holes.


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[fatt-dad]

Here's my finished result.



f-d

[8daypsalmist]

Golden Age from Stew Mac - perfect match! I love the Vintage look of the aged steel plate and Ebony Buttons. Very happy with the fit and feel of these tuners.

[DesolationAngel]

Late comer to this party but REALLY tired of losing feeling in my fingers when trying to tune up my 000-15SM. Did anyone confirm that the Golden Age tuners match up without any fresh drilling?

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by Rod Neep

Stewmac can supply a set of conversion bushes to go with the tuners. (There are two bushes needed for each post).

Simple. It is what I did on mine.

Are these tuners a good improvement over the stock tuners? Because apart from their decor (they're stunning!), they look exactly like the stock tuners, and that makes me wonder...

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by DesolationAngel

Late comer to this party but REALLY tired of losing feeling in my fingers when trying to tune up my 000-15SM. Did anyone confirm that the Golden Age tuners match up without any fresh drilling?

I don't like the stock tuners on my 000-15sm either, but I have found that following Martin's advice and lubricating the gears by applying vaseline on a toothpick works pretty well.

[Mr. Scott]

I have a new (bought this year) 00015 SM and changed the tuners almost immediately for cosmetic reasons. The existing tuners did not have bushings and I chose the engraved bronze Waverly set with snakewood buttons which are not supplied with bushings either.
All that was required was to ream out the headstock holes slightly. Fixing-screw holes lined up perfectly. And, as you've seen in earlier posts, they look a treat. A little understated elegance to go with a "Plain Jane".
Lovely guitar by the way.

[Irish Dave]

I'm wanting to change them on my 000-17sm and called Martin to get some info about exactly what was on there from the factory.

Sorry to say, the crappy stock tuners are the "Golden Age" tuners with ivoroid buttons as pictured above from Stew-Mac.

If you're gonna improve those, I'm afraid it's looking more and more like it's Waverly or nothing.

[GrandDadgad]

Irish Dave - this is exactly the information I needed for my D-15SM Custom. Great guitar but the tuners are awful. I am hoping to lubricate and loosen a little until cash flows toward Waverly's.

Yet another reason I appreciate this forum.

[DesolationAngel]

Let me just say, GrandDadgad is a genius name...

[email4eric]

OP here. I ended-up warranty-ing one of the tuner plates on my 000 which was painless and free thanks to Martin customer service. My low E was binding.

But...I now have another tuner getting sticky (the high E) and I'm not sure if it wouldn't just be better to go with the Waverly.

I don't know....maybe they'll send another replacement. I don't like the idea of lubing the gears.

[DesolationAngel]

Oh, good to know. Mine are really terrible. I have about 4 of them that are barely turnable once you get up to pitch.

[GrandDadgad]

Originally Posted by Lenny55

They felt like crap on my 15SM as well, I was pretty disappointed because I love everything else about the guitar. Anyway, I pulled the tuners off and took them completely apart and lubed them with a "dry" bicycle lube I had around the house. Even the posts where they sit on the wood in the headstock. I let it dry and wiped off the excess and now they're smooth like butter. Seriously, night and day, and no extra holes or expenses.

I followed your recommendations on lubrication and the tuners are working great. 2 oz. of the "White Lightning" dry lube is @ Walmart for $5.00 (in the bicycle section). Take your time, hardest part is getting the gears off the splines. Go slow and it will work. This makes a huge difference. Thanks again. The D-15SM Custom is now a complete delight.