Help - Rotomatics to Vintage Keystone Tuners

[hiddenmickey]

I have a 2019 Hummingbird Standard that has full-sized Grover Rotomatics with the screw hole in the 6 o'clock position. I tried to switch them out to Grover Deluxe Keystone tuners, but the bottom screw hole doesn't line up with the screw hole left by the Rotomatic.

Is there a vintage keystone style tuner on the market that has a screw hole that lines up exactly with the screw hole left by the Rotomatic? I'm aware that I will need to drill a top hole if I want one. I've searched this forum and I can't find any thread that has a definitive answer for this swap and the bottom hole alignment.

[Brucebubs]

Grover rotomatics also use a washer and screw in bushing and have a 10.0mm post hole in the headstock.

Open gear and keystone tuners use a push-fit bushing made to fit a smaller 8.75mm hole.

So the existing hole in your headstock will be too big to fit the standard bushings that come with the keystone tuners - you will need a set of 'reduction bushings' from StewMac



OR ... I see that Grover also make a version of their keystone tuners with a washer and screw-in bushing which would fit your existing holes - Grover 135N ?

[hiddenmickey]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Grover rotomatics also use a washer and screw in bushing and have a 10.0mm post hole in the headstock.

Open gear and keystone tuners use a push-fit bushing made to fit a smaller 8.75mm hole.

So the existing hole in your headstock will be too big to fit the standard bushings that come with the keystone tuners - you will need a set of 'reduction bushings' from StewMac



OR ... I see that Grover also make a version of their keystone tuners with a washer and screw-in bushing which would fit your existing holes - Grover 135N ?

Those Grover 135’s don’t line up with the Rotomatic screw hole. I’m okay with using reduction bushings and buffing out the washer rings, but I really want a vintage keystone style tuner that has the bottom screw hole line up with the Rotomatic hole.

[phavriluk]

A guess - - - I've never done this - - - fill the existing Rotomatic holes (the ones at 6 o'clock to the tuner) and having mounted the tuner in the chosen spot, drill two new holes for the mounting screws. It sounds like the tuners on hand cover the Rotomatic locating screw hole anyway. The desired tuners might be made of unobtanium.

[Mandobart]

Heresy to some, but I just glue a toothpick in the old hole, trim it flush and lightly refinish the area. Yes if I focus on the old hole location I can see it's not perfect. I don't care. I spend a lot more time using and enjoying my new tuning machines than I do staring at the back of my headstock.

[hiddenmickey]

Thanks everyone for your replies! I just ordered the Gotoh Vintage Keystone tuners and the round nickel conversion bushings. If the bottom hole doesn't line up, I'm gonna fill it and drill it. I'll address the racoon eyes from the Rotomatic washers down the road.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by hiddenmickey

Thanks everyone for your replies! I just ordered the Gotoh Vintage Keystone tuners and the round nickel conversion bushings. If the bottom hole doesn't line up, I'm gonna fill it and drill it. I'll address the racoon eyes from the Rotomatic washers down the road.

Good choice - I feel Gotoh are a step up from Grovers.

The Gotoh keystones on my Gibson are excellent.

[hiddenmickey]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Good choice - I feel Gotoh are a step up from Grovers.

The Gotoh keystones on my Gibson are excellent.

Very nice!

[OVG]

There's nothing wrong with leaving the old screw holes in case you want to switch back down the road. It's also less work

[hiddenmickey]

Reporting back - Gotoh Vintage Deluxe style tuners plus conversion bushings dropped right into my hummingbird standard. The bottom screw hole from the Rotomatics aligned perfectly with the bottom hole of the new Gotoh tuning machine.