Ebony Buttons

[phynie]

Does anyone have a source for Ebony tuner buttons that will work with Grover tuners? Or maybe fake T-shell buttons? Thanks!

[Scotti Adams]

..contact MandoMedic...aka ...Ken Cartwright from right here on the forum....hes who I got mine from...

[JimRichter]

Scotti

Didn't you once post a picture of your BRW with the ebony buttons? You have a link to it? Wanted to compare it to my Henderson. The buttons were replaced with black buttons, but I can't tell if they're ebony or something else cause they appear translucent.

Jim

[phynie]

Nice, Thanks!

[Scotti Adams]

here you go Jim

[phynie]

Very Nice!

[evanreilly]

I recently received an email response from Grover about real MOP buttons for their tuners:
Evan; these mother of pearl buttons should be our 1090mop which retail for $42 per button. You can get these from allparts at 1-800-327-8942
that a lotta pennies....

[Dale Ludewig]

Grover makes ebony guitar tuner buttons. I use them on the Emory Lester model. I have to shim them inside with little strips of brass to make them fit properly. The last I knew, they didn't make ebony mandolin tuner buttons. However, Waverly tuners can be purchased with ebony buttons. Maybe you could buy some from StuMac, but I don't know if they'd fit Grovers.

Dale

[Mando Medic]

Here are the options: Kenc

[phynie]

thanks!!!

[recklessmando]

I was thinking about a set for Schaller tuners but those things are HUGE! #I really don't like the size or the shape too much. #I might stick with what I've got. #And now that I see the picture I seem to remember someone mentioning the size issue not too long ago. #Does anyone have a photo of ebony Schaller tuners on your mando? #Or has anyone discovered a way to fit smaller buttons on Schallers? #I read that Scotti got a set of Waverly buttons and drilled them out a bit to fit on Grover tuners. Seems like the same would work for Schallers as long as the button shaft is larger than the hole in the button. #Is this the case for Schallers? #Maybe not since it looks like Grover and Waverly buttons screw on so the hole goes clear through the button whereas Schallers glue on, according to StewMac, and the hole only extends part way through the button. What to do?

[Yellowmandolin]

This is kind of a side question, but does anyone know what kind of tuners come standard on Gibsons? Mine look like waverlys, but being the clueless idiot that I am, don't really know.:p

[JimRichter]

Waverlys, to the best of my knowledge, only come on the Master Model or the Distressed Master Model. #I think everything else is probably Schaller. #The Gibson Sam Bush I had had Schallers. # At $450 to $500 a pop for Waverlys, you're really only going to see them on the top of the heap, special, or customizing (like myself, I replace the Schallers and put Waverlys on the Bush I had).

Jim

[Yellowmandolin]

Wow! $450 for some tuners?! I deffinatly have the schrallers then. What makes them so much better?

[peter.coombe]

Here we go again. I make and fit my own ebony buttons for the Schallers. The Schaller Ebony buttons are way too big and I believe thay are really designed for guitar tuners. I have made hundreds, and as far as I know not one has failed. Ebony, or some of the Australian desert Acacias make great buttons. They feel good in the fingers, and don't slip like the standard plastic that comes with Schaller tuners, so the mandolin becomes easier to tune. They are a little tricky to get a good tight fit which is why I do not supply buttons on their own. However, I can supply Schaller tuners with Ebony buttons, or if you send me your Schaller tuners I can fit the buttons. Note that this is not a cheap option because the buttons are made by hand.

My favorite timber for tuning buttons is not Ebony but Gidgee, which is a native Australian desert Acacia. Extremely hard and heavy wood with a deep red-brown colour. Another good one is NSW Ironwood (called Ironwood for good reason), which relects the light at certain angles. There are many other possibilities, we have many very hard timbers in Australia, but it is a tedious job making buttons so I have not had time to try other woods. These woods are more difficult to work than Ebony (I get more wastage), but the results are worth it if you like a classy "woody" look.

[Scotti Adams]

..yep...those ebony buttons you see on my mando up there are Waverly's that a customized to fit the Grover shaft. Or you can sand the shaft to fit the button....I fit a set of Gotoh tuners with ivory buttons that way....they will appear on my new mando. I recommend the latter method.

[Mando Medic]

I understand that Gibson is using Prucha hardware for it's mandolins now. Not sure about the buttons and shaft design though.
The buttons for the Schallers are large and can be reworked.I have one set of Waverly ebony or Pearl buttons left. Kenc