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  #16  
Old 08-02-2016, 01:22 AM
grosskate grosskate is offline
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I 'm definitely not a fan of tortoise...

That being said I contacted Laurie Williams, she can make them but I must provide her with the wood, and tuners and it's gonna cost me $450. Her custom tuner buttons have a metal keyed shaft machined from the actual metal tuner buttons that the set comes with. This provides a perfect fit and full functionality of tension adjustment no different from the originals. I also lacquer finish my buttons

I contacted Mike Baranik and am awaiting for a reply.

I tried to contact Stewart macDonald and hope to have news soon.

Michael Gurian was a lead that Bruce Petros gave me, but he is retiring, so not sure I'll get a reply.


I'll keep you guys posted but I didn't expect it to be so hard to find someone for this job.
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  #17  
Old 08-02-2016, 02:13 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grosskate View Post
I 'm definitely not a fan of tortoise...
Yes, you already mentioned that. Duly noted.

Quote:
Originally Posted by grosskate View Post
That being said I contacted Laurie Williams, she can make them but I must provide her with the wood, and tuners and it's gonna cost me $450. Her custom tuner buttons have a metal keyed shaft machined from the actual metal tuner buttons that the set comes with. This provides a perfect fit and full functionality of tension adjustment no different from the originals.
A little spendy, eh? Sad to say, but I'm not surprised.

Quote:
Originally Posted by grosskate View Post
I'll keep you guys posted but I didn't expect it to be so hard to find someone for this job.
Honestly, I'm not surprised, but that's only because I've looked into this many times. The unfortunate fact is that ebony aftermarket buttons are the only wooden buttons that can reliably be found, and if you don't want those or high quality plastic like pearloid or grained ivoroid, your options are limited.

The luthier Harvey Leach used to sell aftermarket buttons that his father-in-law painstakingly Superglued paper-thin wood or shell veneers onto. They were beautiful, but so far as I'm aware he offered them for Schaller gears only. He used Schaller pearloid buttons as the base for the veneers.

HOWEVER - if you prefer Gotoh gears, you can get Schaller-style pearloid buttons drilled for Gotoh tuner shafts, and perform the same operation on them:


Allparts can sell you those buttons for $30 a set, and with some practice and some Superglue you could get the look you want.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller
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  #18  
Old 08-02-2016, 02:17 AM
colins colins is offline
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Good that you communicated with Laurie, he does amazing work on tuner buttons. If you are looking for Aussie wood ideas you can try here: http://australianburls.com/Scalesand...esandGrips.htm

Seems like the best Australian wood is bought from the USA!
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  #19  
Old 08-02-2016, 06:37 AM
dkstott dkstott is offline
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go to eBay and do a search for gotoh buttons and a few variations using the wood as an add-on.

I was able to locate awesome Koa buttons for my Cordoba guitar there. They cost me $15.
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  #20  
Old 08-02-2016, 07:06 AM
grosskate grosskate is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dekutree64 View Post
I've done it before, and wrote my method here if you want to give it a try: http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/v...624583#p624583 (unfortunately I think you have to sign up to see the pictures on that forum)

It can be done with a few simple hand tools if you make them in two pieces, so you can use a chisel to carve out the rectangular hole that grips the post on the tuner.
Thanks

I finally looked at your link (with the pics). It doesn't seem that hard to make them yourself. I might give it a go...

For the whole how did you make the square shape in the inner side of the wood buttons ? The rest seems to be a simple round drill for the screw correct ?

Thanks
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Avalon Custom Auditorium Fan Fret Sinker Redwood/Ziricote
Furch 34 SR Stahl (custom) - Sitka/EIR
Classical Hanika 58CF - Alpine/Cocobolo
Yamaha LS16 - Engel/EIR
Alvarez MSD1 - Cedar/Mahogany
Breedlove C25 - Cedar/Mahogany
K-Country 1975 - Sitka/Mahogany
upcoming :
Michaud Made OM-R - ARW/ Swiss "moon"
Astrand A-OM - MRW - Euro Bearclaw
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  #21  
Old 08-02-2016, 07:34 AM
dekutree64 dekutree64 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grosskate View Post
Thanks

I finally looked at your link (with the pics). It doesn't seem that hard to make them yourself. I might give it a go...

For the whole how did you make the square shape in the inner side of the wood buttons ? The rest seems to be a simple round drill for the screw correct ?

Thanks
Yep. The trick is to drill the round screw hole before you glue the two halves together, so you can open it back up and chisel part of the hole into a rectangular shape.

The most challenging part for me was figuring out how to get the surface around the rectangular opening to be perfectly perpendicular to the hole. If it's not right, they feel loose nomatter how much you tighten the screw.
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  #22  
Old 08-02-2016, 07:52 AM
B Chas B Chas is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim McKnight View Post
Here are two other options:

Bill Wise, Charis Guitars.

Petros Guitars.
These are from a Charis Guitar made by Bill Wise, not sure where they can from though.

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  #23  
Old 08-02-2016, 09:10 AM
grosskate grosskate is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dekutree64 View Post
Yep. The trick is to drill the round screw hole before you glue the two halves together, so you can open it back up and chisel part of the hole into a rectangular shape.

The most challenging part for me was figuring out how to get the surface around the rectangular opening to be perfectly perpendicular to the hole. If it's not right, they feel loose nomatter how much you tighten the screw.
I see what you mean, it makes sense now thanks for the tips...

I'm starting to wonder if keeping part of the Metal button and adapting the wood around it (glueing it around wouldn't be better...). Sort of what Laurie William makes apparently. This way they wouldn't be loose at all as the buttons would keep the keyed shaft inside of them...
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Avalon Custom Auditorium Fan Fret Sinker Redwood/Ziricote
Furch 34 SR Stahl (custom) - Sitka/EIR
Classical Hanika 58CF - Alpine/Cocobolo
Yamaha LS16 - Engel/EIR
Alvarez MSD1 - Cedar/Mahogany
Breedlove C25 - Cedar/Mahogany
K-Country 1975 - Sitka/Mahogany
upcoming :
Michaud Made OM-R - ARW/ Swiss "moon"
Astrand A-OM - MRW - Euro Bearclaw
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  #24  
Old 08-02-2016, 11:29 AM
Rodger Knox Rodger Knox is offline
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Give Andy Birko a try. He does really nice CNC work, and I suspect he can make exactly what you want.
http://www.birkonium.com/
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  #25  
Old 08-03-2016, 04:24 AM
grosskate grosskate is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodger Knox View Post
Give Andy Birko a try. He does really nice CNC work, and I suspect he can make exactly what you want.
http://www.birkonium.com/
Thanks a lot. I contacted him, and although he's never done it, he is willing to give it a try. I'll discuss with him a bit more.

But I'm getting in a mood of trying this by myself even more.

I'll see how much it cost and see what I decide to do.
__________________

Avalon Custom Auditorium Fan Fret Sinker Redwood/Ziricote
Furch 34 SR Stahl (custom) - Sitka/EIR
Classical Hanika 58CF - Alpine/Cocobolo
Yamaha LS16 - Engel/EIR
Alvarez MSD1 - Cedar/Mahogany
Breedlove C25 - Cedar/Mahogany
K-Country 1975 - Sitka/Mahogany
upcoming :
Michaud Made OM-R - ARW/ Swiss "moon"
Astrand A-OM - MRW - Euro Bearclaw
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  #26  
Old 08-03-2016, 11:42 AM
dkstott dkstott is offline
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try these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tone-Ninja-G...wAAOSwQgpXAZhH

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-6-Small-...UAAOSwhOVXf-FM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Small-Scha...gAAOSww9VXhAgI
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2016 Godin acoustic archtop
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