Rodgers Tuners on Steel String Slot Head?

[justonwo]

All, I'm contemplating using Rodgers tuners on a Martin-style build coming up at the end of the year. Does anyone have photos of Rodgers tuners installed on a Martin-style guitar? I'm trying to figure out if there's aesthetic continuity between Rodgers and Martin. I like Waverly tuners and have nothing against them - and may ultimately use them - but I can feel the difference with these hand made tuners.

[Jimmy Caldwell]

Juston,

I have used Rodgers tuners on a bench copy I made of an 1893 0-28. They are the finest tuners I've ever experienced. Absolutely flawless in design and construction and are sooo.... smooth. No backlash whatsoever. I have some pics on the Home Page and the 0-28 Model page of my website if you'd like to see close-ups.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Caldwell

Juston,

I have used Rodgers tuners on a bench copy I made of an 1893 0-28. They are the finest tuners I've ever experienced. Absolutely flawless in design and construction and are sooo.... smooth. No backlash whatsoever. I have some pics on the Home Page and the 0-28 Model page of my website if you'd like to see close-ups.

Oh my, those are cool! What style is that?

[Jimmy Caldwell]

I don't recall the specifics, but I just selected from his stock offerings at the time, probably 4-5 years ago. The buttons I had custom made by Burton LeGeyt.

[iim7V7IM7]

Juston,

For what its worth, I have Rodgers on both of my slothead nylon string guitars (below) and three of my paddle head guitars. They are WONDERFUL tuners in every respect. Rob is also wonderful to work with on custom engraving (see my Comins).

That said, I don't think that they work aesthetically as well as Waverly three-on-a-plate tuners in the Martin design paradigm. In my most recent project with Bruce, which is very much in the Martin tradition; I chose Waverly tuners with custom buttons by Burton.

My $.02

[justonwo]

Yeah, I'm on the fence. I think they don't look "right" only insofar as that is not what my eye is used to seeing. They are certainly beautiful works of art.

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by justonwo

Yeah, I'm on the fence. I think they don't look "right" only insofar as that is not what my eye is used to seeing. They are certainly beautiful works of art.

They'll look great, but just a bit outside the traditions of Nazareth in my opinion. I commissioned Burton make some custom buttons out of some Cocobolo sapwood that I provided him to put on some Waverly tuners to replace the stock Ivoroid buttons.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

They'll look great, but just a bit outside the traditions of Nazareth in my opinion. I commissioned Burton make some custom buttons out of some Cocobolo sapwood that I provided him to put on some Waverly tuners to replace the stock Ivoroid buttons.

That was sorta my thinking as well.

[Howard Klepper]

Rodgers makes exquisite guitar jewelry. They function very well, but you can get in tune as easily with non-custom machines.

I agree that they will stand out somewhat on a traditional Martin style headstock.