Changing my Kentucky

[Torpedotom]

I would like some opinions here. I have a pristine km855. sounds good, love the neck profile and has some bling. Here is where the problem lies. It's that hideous gold hardware, tuners and tailpiece. I want to change them out for chrome or nickel. Do I get really good/expensive tuners? I want to change but no new holes. Chrome tailpiece or cast and if cast, which one, also no new holes? Thanks. I'm sure you guys have been in this quandary before.

[lenf12]

You should have no trouble getting chrome plated Gotoh tuners and a tailpiece. These should drop right in with no new holes +/-. Let your budget be your guide.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Torpedotom]

Is there a better place than Stewmac to get them? Are the $100+ tuners that much better than say $40+/- tuners. What would be a price that would be in line with that mandolin for tuners as well as tailpiece. What are the advantages of cast tailpiece as opposed to the lighter ones? Thanks

[colorado_al]

In some respects, you get what you pay for, but there are some gems in the below $100 tuning machines.
The ones that you have now are Gotoh, most likely, though Saga/Kentucky did sometimes use their own brand as well. I think most of the KM-855 had Gotoh tuners though. If you like them and just want them in nickel, I think that would be about $60.
https://www.elderly.com/accessories/...kel-finish.htm

Be careful removing the bushings. Sometimes the finish can come off with them when you take them out. You might want to use an x-acto blade and carefully cut around the bushing to make sure that if it is stuck to the finish, it only pulls up what is underneath it, and doesn't take a chunk of exposed finish with it.
I personally like Grover or Schaller better.

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_..._Machines.html

If you want to really get great ones, and can spend $100 more, the Rubner tuners are excellent!
http://www.rubnertuners.com/worm-ove...-machines-new/

Regarding a tailpiece, I would go with a cast Allen tailpiece.
I like the TR-2 or AR-2, but TR-1 and TR-3 will also work without needing new screw holes.
http://www.allenguitar.com/tpcs.htm

[mandroid]

Given the cost of gold, the electroplate, there, is barely a few microns thick .... it'll wear off soon enough.

[Bob Buckingham]

I second the Allen tailpiece. It will have the added benefit of enhancing the midrange of your mandolin.

[Steve Ostrander]

Perhaps you could trade hardware with another KY owner who would like to change over to gold?

[Torpedotom]

Perhaps you could trade hardware with another KY owner who would like to change over to gold?

Thanks Steve, got a set of a km1000 pieces that I got from Trainmaster. I'll probably be putting my gold stuff in the classifieds.

[Robert Mitchell]

Post some pics,,when u get done!!

[Torpedotom]

Mitch, it may be a while as I just had it set up and it has new strings, but I will when its done. Thanks