Guild Tuner Machines

[Wade Hampton]

After I provided a link to a page showing the various tuners used by Guild during the time period in question, K Russell wrote:

Originally Posted by k_russell

Looks like mine are on the upper right hand corner of the 1st picture. Thanks!

So if this is the picture you're talking about:

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The tuners are Kolb gears, which I'd never heard of before. I'm certain they're no longer being made, at least not under that name.

What I suggest you do, K, is take one of the tuners off the guitar and measure the screw spacing with an accurate ruler. Then call Allparts in Texas during normal Central Standard Time business hours at (713)-327-8942. Ask to speak to a sales representative and tell him what you trying to replace.

Another person you can call on Monday is Frank Ford at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, California. Their number during Pacific Standard Time business hours is (650) 493-2131. Ask to talk to Frank and tell him what you have, and what he recommends as a replacement.

Frank is actually quite conservative about swapping out original gears for anything new, and might try to talk you out of it. But he's got an encyclopedic knowledge of guitar parts, and if anyone would know about Kolb tuners from 1981, it'd be Frank.

Allparts is set up to sell you new gears, and the people who work there are very good about measuring the tuners and setting you up with replacement gears that will fit correctly.

And, of course, you've got the option to spend a bit more money and get Kolb gears from The Guitar Mechanic website. Your call.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Joe McNamara]

Originally Posted by k_russell

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

If you changed tuning machines on an old (vintage?) Guild. What tuners did you use? Mine is a D40c built in 1981.

The original ones have Guild stamped on sealing plate (on the back). The folks at the Guild website have no information about models this old.

I would like to pull the replacement job off without drilling new holes. Only 2 of the 6 are a problem but I plan to change all 6.

Play a song or two for your friends today. Easier on the waistline than a third slice of pie.

I think your guitar has Schaller-made M-6 machines. Are they sealed (no gears showing) with one screw fastened through an "ear" extending from the side of the tuner closest to the centerline of the headstock at about 8/4 o'clock?

Here's the Stew Mac page for Schaller M-6 tuning machines.

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_..._Machines.html

As previously posted, all the relevant specs for each tuner offered are detailed, including some other manufacturers take on the Schaller product.

I'll second the "Let's Talk Guild" forum - the landing page is : http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/forum.php

[k_russell]

Actually it's the set at the upper right on the frame to the left of the frame that you displayed (Sorry,I can't get the image to attach). There's a Guild tag attached to the what would be the "B" string knob, assuming the tuners are oriented as they would appear as a front view if mounted.

[pieterh]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

After I provided a link to a page showing the various tuners used by Guild during the time period in question, K Russell wrote:

So if this is the picture you're talking about:

˚˚˚

The tuners are Kolb gears, which I'd never heard of before. I'm certain they're no longer being made, at least not under that name.

What I suggest you do, K, is take one of the tuners off the guitar and measure the screw spacing with an accurate ruler. Then call Allparts in Texas during normal Central Standard Time business hours at (713)-327-8942. Ask to speak to a sales representative and tell him what you trying to replace.

Another person you can call on Monday is Frank Ford at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, California. Their number during Pacific Standard Time business hours is (650) 493-2131. Ask to talk to Frank and tell him what you have, and what he recommends as a replacement.

Frank is actually quite conservative about swapping out original gears for anything new, and might try to talk you out of it. But he's got an encyclopedic knowledge of guitar parts, and if anyone would know about Kolb tuners from 1981, it'd be Frank.

Allparts is set up to sell you new gears, and the people who work there are very good about measuring the tuners and setting you up with replacement gears that will fit correctly.

And, of course, you've got the option to spend a bit more money and get Kolb gears from The Guitar Mechanic website. Your call.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

Those on the left are exactly the same as the ones I removed from my guitar. One had broken and they were never great to begin with. Maybe I should sell them but there is a part of me that wonders if I'll regret it in years to come (just.now I doubt it...).

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by k_russell

Actually it's the set at the upper right on the frame to the left of the frame that you displayed (Sorry,I can't get the image to attach). There's a Guild tag attached to the what would be the "B" string knob, assuming the tuners are oriented as they would appear as a front view if mounted.

˚˚˚

If those are the gears with the round back plate, then they appear to be the Ping tuners the guy's talking about:

˚˚˚

If so, I would recommend that you replace them with Gotohs. Gotoh makes gears that have the mounting screw in that 6 o'clock position. I've routinely used them to replace Grover Rotomatics, but you could use them for this tuner replacement, too.

Call Allparts and tell them what you have, They'll fix you up. That particular business is the best I know for matching up parts when you want to upgrade - their sales reps take the time to work with you.

Then Pieter H wrote:

Originally Posted by pieterh

Those on the left are exactly the same as the ones I removed from my guitar. One had broken and they were never great to begin with. Maybe I should sell them but there is a part of me that wonders if I'll regret it in years to come (just.now I doubt it...).

I'd replace them, and sell the leftovers on eBay.

Space Age Gotoh Tuners

They do kind of look like the sort of tuning gears that would be on guitars that you'd see on "The Jetsons," don't they?

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whm

[pieterh]

I did replace them a couple of years ago with open back Grover Sta-tites as mentioned above. I still have the old ones though one is useless. Is there a market for them do you think?

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by pieterh

I did replace them a couple of years ago with open back Grover Sta-tites as mentioned above. I still have the old ones though one is useless. Is there a market for them do you think?

Well, yeah, some folks out there might want them. For that matter, if they were mine I think I'd first contact that guy at the website selling Guild parts. You might be able to eke out a bit more selling them on eBay yourself, but a one-shot "Hey, I've got these, you want 'em?" transaction with him will probably be faster and easier.

So contact him first, see if he's interested, then if he isn't THEN put them on eBay.


whm

[k_russell]

Thanks Wade, I will most likely get Gotoh's. I have them on both of my classical guitars and I like how they work.