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  #1  
Old 06-26-2022, 01:06 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Default Problems with Tuning Machine on my Webber...what to do?

Was putting my guitar in drop D, when I heard something crack, and the tuning machined stopped working. Looking more carefully, I saw that the wooden button (ebony?) had a crack in it, so i unscrewed the screw and took it off...but that is where I stall out. I'm not even sure what type of tuning machine this might be...maybe a Wilkinson? Webber is using Gotohs now, but this doesn't look like a Gotoh. I have a call in to my local luthier (but he may have retired). Any input about what to do or where to get some help would be appreciated. Pictures below:

(Working on getting the photos right)

Last edited by buddyhu; 07-07-2022 at 07:20 PM.
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Old 06-26-2022, 01:12 PM
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warfrat73 warfrat73 is offline
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Pics aren't working.

That said, you could probably just ask David.
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Old 06-26-2022, 01:45 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Originally Posted by warfrat73 View Post
Pics aren't working.

That said, you could probably just ask David.
How would I get in touch? I thought he had retired.

Couldn’t seem to get the pics to show, but they work if you click the links.
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Old 06-26-2022, 06:22 PM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
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No the pictures don't show when clicked on the links - they are blocked.

I'm thinking a tuner upgrade would be very much a worth while investment on such a high grade quality guitar.
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Old 06-26-2022, 07:27 PM
Mycroft Mycroft is offline
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What year was it built?
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Old 06-26-2022, 07:45 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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What year was it built?
2006.

……….
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Old 06-26-2022, 09:48 PM
Horsehockey Horsehockey is offline
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Hi Rich-When I was a complete newbie a year and a half ago I broke the low Estring while doing my first ever string change. In overstressing that string I’m sure I damaged the tuner as well, but the tuner took another couple months to fail. If your budget or your time is short, you might consider doing what I did and just take the guitar to my local guitar store where the technician had a collection of used tuners. He matched mine up nicely and I was out the door in about 10 minutes. I think he charged me about five dollars. Now that’s the smoothest tuner on my guitar and it completely passes the 12 inch test. The only difference was the button mounting screw on the replacement tuner was a little more weathered. A nice matching tuner might be waiting for you in a little box of used tuners at your nearest guitar store.
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Old 06-26-2022, 09:49 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is online now
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From the photo it appears that you might be able to expoxy or Krazy Glue that button back together. It’s certainly worth a try before you go replacing everything.


whm
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Old 06-27-2022, 02:43 AM
Mandobart Mandobart is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
From the photo it appears that you might be able to expoxy or Krazy Glue that button back together. It’s certainly worth a try before you go replacing everything.


whm
I had a cheap-ish beginner Ibanez mandolin many years ago with who knows what brand tuning machines. The pearloid button broke on one of the G' s. I used 5 minute epoxy on it and it lasted for years. I no longer have the instrument so I don't know if it's still holding up or not.
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Old 06-27-2022, 05:19 AM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
From the photo it appears that you might be able to expoxy or Krazy Glue that button back together. It’s certainly worth a try before you go replacing everything.


whm

I was thinking the same thing…

But I was also thinking that I could buy a button (or a set) for a small amount of money at StewMac; but the buttons that match in appearance are for Schaller tuners, and my tuners have a big “W” on them (closed gear tuners). I am not sure they would fit.
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Old 06-27-2022, 11:18 AM
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warfrat73 warfrat73 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buddyhu View Post
How would I get in touch? I thought he had retired.

Couldn’t seem to get the pics to show, but they work if you click the links.
I have a feeling he'd still be happy to answer a question like this... when I owned a second hand Webber many years ago he was very gracious in answering several questions.

I can't imagine it would be that hard to hunt down his contact info.

But, then again, I think that the folks who are suggesting epoxy are probably on to something too...

or buy a couple of different tuner knobs from someplace with a good return policy, and see what works. My gut tells me that those are Schallers maybe Gotohs.

Does the big "W" look like it's on a sticker... sometimes the do that to "brand" the tuners to the builder.
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Old 06-27-2022, 03:30 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warfrat73 View Post
I have a feeling he'd still be happy to answer a question like this... when I owned a second hand Webber many years ago he was very gracious in answering several questions.

I can't imagine it would be that hard to hunt down his contact info.

But, then again, I think that the folks who are suggesting epoxy are probably on to something too...

or buy a couple of different tuner knobs from someplace with a good return policy, and see what works. My gut tells me that those are Schallers maybe Gotohs.

Does the big "W" look like it's on a sticker... sometimes the do that to "brand" the tuners to the builder.
The “W” is not a sticker: if I run a fingernail across the W, it catches edges where the W is embossed. But the tuners look very similar to the Gotoh designs.

I may do what you have suggested; my luthier hasn’t gotten back to me today.

Will try a bit harder to dig up contact jnfo for David Webber, as well.
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Old 06-27-2022, 06:59 PM
Mycroft Mycroft is offline
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They are probably Gotohs, unless by chance he had a set of something else lying around for some reason.

so I am told...
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Old 06-27-2022, 07:41 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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buddyhu,

I sent you a PM with David's phone number.
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Old 06-27-2022, 08:51 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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buddyhu,

I sent you a PM with David's phone number.
Thank you! Got the PM, and will give him a call.
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