Handel Tuners

[toddjoles]

I have no experience in restoring or working on tuners, but in recent weeks I have come across a few low end, cheap, or unrepairable no name Mandos and Banjolins with Handel Tuners that were going for next to nothing (under $75).

Is there a viable market for these tuners in restored or unrestored condition and if unrestorable can the buttons be easily pulled and installed on Shallers or Gotohs?

Todd

[sunburst]

Those things have no value. If I were you, I'd just give them to me and be rid of them. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Hans]

No, sell 'em to me!

[MikeB]

OK, John and Hans, you guys are obviously kidding, but if those Handel buttons are really so valuable, how come someone doesn't reproduce them? The ones I've seen are nice, but a little engraving on ivoroid can't be all that demanding, can it? (Ok, I've shown my ignorance, now enlighten me....) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[ShaneJ]

Engraving and/or inlaying both sides of 8 buttons would take a WHILE. You think Waverly's are expensive - get an American craftsman to add those buttons. As Ray Barone's dad would say, "Holy ####!". http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Tom C]

There was once an extensive post on Handels I can not find. The discussion kind of agreed that the inlays appears to be pressed. There were alot pics of different sets and some of the inlays seemed like it moved before
being "Pressed". There are many stand alone pieces in 1 button.

[Hans]

I'm not kidding!

[Spruce]

Seconded...

Sell them to Hans so that they may live another 100 years perched on the peghead of a stunning three-pont F4...

[toddjoles]

The ones I saw are long gone, but next time one comes around, I could toss the POS BANJOLIN and restore or convert the Handel's for an F-4 I've started work on if the tuners were worth the price of the instrument.

Hans if I run across any extras, I would be happy to share. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[sunburst]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[Hans]

Double http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[grsnovi]

Two weeks ago I was at a musical instrument builders show here in Portland and somebody had a set for sale. They were asking $750.00 - I thought they'd look nice on my Collings, but not $750 nice.

[krishna]

I started the last set of posts on these tuners. There IS someone here on the cafe that isa making replicas of them,I just can't remember who,and they sell them for(trying to remember...) somewere between $800 and $1000 American.Plastic,and pressed in, by the way....Kerry...PS these old posts ARE in the archive somewere,but I never use it,and am not familiar with how to...

[grsnovi]

Are the replicas "distressed" to look like aged/grained ivory? The set I saw (which I didn't bother to inspect closely) looked old. I did look at the individual knobs enough to see that the inlay work appeared to differ from knob to knob - I would assume that on a "replica" they'd all be identical?

[krishna]

Found it.Go to 'SEARCH' at top of page- type in Handel Tuners---at bottom of page were it says 'This Month', type in 'The Begining', then the Handel posts are on page 3, top of page...Kerry

[Rich Michaud]

Coincidentally, I just acquired a set of Handel tuners that appear in good shape. (No I did not use plyers to twist them off any existing instrument-I bought them already detached. The question is what use should they be applied to? Rich Michaud

[Frank Ford]

I think you can count on the fact that there are more vintage Gibson mandolins (A-4, F-2, F-4, H-4, K-4) out there that have lost their original tuners than there are loose tuner sets sitting around.

So, the set I have - purchased on eBay some time ago from Mike Holmes with one button missing ( I actually had a button to transplant) - will go on the next period Gibson we get in stock if it is in need of such tuners.