Yamaha FG720S-12 Tuner Replacement?

[Guilty Spark]

While I'm locked in tight and out of range (h/t to Bob Zimmerman) and trying to do my small part to keep the economy afloat, I've been tinkering and tweaking the stable: new ebony bridge pins on the Little Yammy (with a bone saddle coming), bone saddle for the Taylor (also en route from MacNichol).....nothing earth shattering.
So I started eyeing up the 12-string, wondering what I could do to it. It's already got Colosi bone pins n' saddle, so I thought about swapping out the tuners and started scanning the interwebs. I've run aground, to again borrow from the nautical vernacular.

The stock Yamaha tuners have NO mounting screw on the back. It appears they're held on solely by the nut screwed onto the bushing on the face of the headstock. I have been unable to find any replacement tuners that don't have mounting screws and require drilling other than what I think might be the only one (can't tell - no photos anywhere show the very bottom, even on Taylor's website):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-1-18...sAAOSwhxJdJf2a

I'm thinking either the gold or the smoked nickel would look nice. My 914c has Grover rotomatics on it, so I can't tell from it whether these Taylor tuners are screwless. If it turns out they aren't, anyone have any other ideas on replacement Yamaha tuners that have no mounting screws? I suppose it's no big deal should drilling be necessary, but it would be nice to avoid if possible. I'm not that hell-bent on this upgrade, just......bored?

[6 Strings MI]

I like the looks of smoked nickel.

[TNO]

"The stock Yamaha tuners have NO mounting screw on the back. It appears they're held on solely by the nut screwed onto the bushing on the face of the headstock."

They probably have a hidden pin holding them in position.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Guilty Spark

The stock Yamaha tuners have NO mounting screw on the back. It appears they're held on solely by the nut screwed onto the bushing on the face of the headstock.

I think you might find that tuners with no visible locating screw usually have a small pin on the bottom side of the tuner that sits in a hole drilled in the headstock to prevent the tuner twisting.

Here you can see 3 small holes exposed.


And here is the pin on a Taylor tuner.


ahh ... TNO beat me to it !

[Guilty Spark]

So the Taylor tuners do look like they'd fit - assuming their pins are in the same spot as the Yamaha's. Splendid.

The first photo you posted, Bruce, looks identical to the stock tuners I'm dealing with. The buttons are a bit different (more rounded) but the rest the machine head looks right on.

I think I'm in bidness. Thanks, fellas.

[martingitdave]

I think the tuners for both brands are manufactured by Ping.

[Guilty Spark]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

I think the tuners for both brands are manufactured by Ping.

Ping, as in the golf club maker?

[martingitdave]

No, it’s an OEM for tuning machines. They make them for other brands. So, I wouldn’t be shocked if the pins lined up. But, you’ll have to measure/try.