Emergency! Lost tuner bushing screw on my 1994 Gibson F-5L!

[Robert Smyth]

I went to change my strings and as I let out the innermost A-string, the gear fell off the post! I don't know how long the screw's been missing but I'm sort of freaking out. I believe I have Schaller tuners but only from what I gleaned from the internet. Is there a way to identify what tuners I have and where can I procure a slot-head goldplated screw to secure the loose gear! Help!

[colorado_al]

A picture would go a long way in helping decipher what tuning machines you have

[Robert Smyth]

Here's a pic!

[MikeEdgerton]

Those are Schaller tuners.

[sblock]

Yup. Schallers. You can contact them here.

[pops1]

If you put a dot of fingernail polish on the screw it won't happen again.

[MikeEdgerton]

I just checked to see if they were the same size as the Gotoh. They are not. It's smaller than an M3 and it's shorter than 8mm. If there is a decent sized hardware store/screw distributor up where you are you might be able to grab a screw that will work until you secure one from Schaller or someone else that has a cannibalized set.

[Robert Smyth]

Thanks, guys! Sent an email...couldn't find it in their catalogue.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I hope that Schaller are more accomodating with their 'spare' bits than Gotoh. I e-mailed Gotoh asking if they could supply me with some Black tuner buttons - no way !. They're only interested in selling complete tuner sets. Maybe somebody on here has a set of unused Schallers or spare bits doing nothing ?,
Ivan

[William Smith]

Check "evilbay" there are often tuners/parts for sale, thats if the Schaller people don't give ya one! Or place an ad in our wonderful cafe, someone might be able to help you out. Heck I may even have one, I'll look in my parts box in a bit after I calm down my new baby boy. If I have a gear I'll just give it to ya!

[MikeEdgerton]

I think he has the gear, he's missing the screw (unless I'm wrong).

[multidon]

Would it be too much to expect that Big G would have some spare parts on hand for those? I mean, what would happen if the OP sent it to them for repair? Surely they wouldn't replace the whole set for a lost screw!

[MikeEdgerton]

Would it be too much to expect that Big G would have some spare parts on hand for those? I mean, what would happen if the OP sent it to them for repair? Surely they wouldn't replace the whole set for a lost screw!

They stopped using those tuners well over 10 years ago. I would expect they would simply replace the tuners. It wouldn't be warranty work. Might they have the screw? Perhaps. Good luck on getting to the right person for that one.

I talked to Danny Roberts last year when I was trying to buy a set of Gibson Grovers. He told me they kept Golden Age tuners around for repairs.

[Willie Poole]

I second the motion of taking one of the other screws off and visit a local hardware store (Lowes) and I bet they could match it up with no trouble...A lot of people on here that might have extra parts most likely won`t know it they are Shaller tuner parts or not, I have some laying around but have no idea what they would fit...I keep them is case I have to try and match something that I already have...

[MikeEdgerton]

I will also caution the OP that there are two small tabs that hold the worm gear in place and allow the cog to turn easily. The can be seen from the bottom of the tuners, one is metal, one is plastic and they are sandwiched together unto the cog.

Make sure you have those pieces as well as the cog when you go to put them back together again.

[Robert Smyth]

Thanks for all the replies! So I got an email from Germany this morning from a Dr. Lars Bunning at Schaller who wanted pics of my tuners and the screw! I may as well get a few of them in case I lose another. I'll be using blue loc-tite on my screws, but to be honest, I think I forgot to retighten the screws after my last string change as half of the other screws were way loose! The assembly all holds together under tension so I was able to restring the mandolin and can await my special delivery from Germany! I also will be checking in with some of the luthiers that live an hour away from me tomorrow so we'll see... Love our Mandolin community on Mandolin Cafe!

[Robert Smyth]

I will also caution the OP that there are two small tabs that hold the worm gear in place and allow the cog to turn easily. The can be seen from the bottom of the tuners, one is metal, one is plastic and they are sandwiched together unto the cog.

Make sure you have those pieces as well as the cog when you go to put them back together again.

Thanks, Mike, I have the two pieces you mentioned and have reinstalled them. I assumed the metal piece goes first on the post and the plastic piece is the piece that actually makes contact with the cog.

[Dale Ludewig]

Robert,

if you're getting this response from Schaller, you should run for some important political office. That's amazing.

[pops1]

Thanks for all the replies! So I got an email from Germany this morning from a Dr. Lars Bunning at Schaller who wanted pics of my tuners and the screw! I may as well get a few of them in case I lose another. I'll be using blue loc-tite on my screws, but to be honest, I think I forgot to retighten the screws after my last string change as half of the other screws were way loose! The assembly all holds together under tension so I was able to restring the mandolin and can await my special delivery from Germany! I also will be checking in with some of the luthiers that live an hour away from me tomorrow so we'll see... Love our Mandolin community on Mandolin Cafe!

Bule loc-tite may be overkill, fingernail polish will work very well and be a lot cheaper. If you have loc-tite fine, but be very sparing with it. I have used fingernail polish for this type of thing for decades, I keep a couple of bottles in the shop.

[MikeEdgerton]

Thanks, Mike, I have the two pieces you mentioned and have reinstalled them. I assumed the metal piece goes first on the post and the plastic piece is the piece that actually makes contact with the cog.

That is correct and believe it or not it's tough getting them back together. Do it over a table.

If you look at the underside of the tuners you don't even know the plastic piece is there. It's hidden by the metal piece.

[Oliver A.]

What a coincidence. Last week an older gentleman brought his F5-L into my shop to have the tuners replaced. Low and behold they were assembled incorrectly which caused them to function poorly and also caused premature wear. The treble side was fine but the bass side had the worm gear rub plates clamped between the tuner post and the plate instead of between the cog gear and the plate. This caused the worm to slip out of proper alignment.

Those little rub plates, or whatever they're called, should be clamped between the cog and the plate with the plastic piece (mylar?) making contact with the worm. It's there to reduce friction while the little metal plate holds the worm in alignment.

The photo below shows how the tuners were assembled on his F5L, as it was presented to me.

[Oliver A.]

I'll be using blue loc-tite on my screws, but to be honest, I think I forgot to retighten the screws after my last string change as half of the other screws were way loose! !

Is there a reason that you loosen these screws when you change strings or do they just need need periodic tightening?

If needed, a small amount of blue loc-tite applied to the screw threads with say, a toothpick should be fine. Those cog screws have a well defined slot and should come out easily enough with a well fitting screw driver when/if needed.

[mandrian]

Robert,

if you're getting this response from Schaller, you should run for some important political office. That's amazing.

Hi,

I found Schaller's customer service to be excellent. When one of the tuner buttons snapped on my Djangolin, they sent a new set of replacement buttons for free.

Regards

[MikeEdgerton]

What a coincidence. Last week an older gentleman brought his F5-L into my shop to have the tuners replaced. Low and behold they were assembled incorrectly which caused them to function poorly and also caused premature wear. The treble side was fine but the bass side had the worm gear rub plates clamped between the tuner post and the plate instead of between the cog gear and the plate. This caused the worm to slip out of proper alignment.

Those little rub plates, or whatever they're called, should be clamped between the cog and the plate with the plastic piece (mylar?) making contact with the worm. It's there to reduce friction while the little metal plate holds the worm in alignment.

The photo below shows how the tuners were assembled on his F5L, as it was presented to me.

I didn't even know the plastic/mylar/mystery piece was there until I took a cog off to check the screw size and it dropped out on the table.

[Oliver A.]

I didn't even know the plastic/mylar/mystery piece was there until I took a cog off to check the screw size and it dropped out on the table.

Ya, they are very easy to lose if you don't know that they're there. They can disappear in a rug or a dirty shop floor easily. When they are new, Schaller puts some clear oil on them which makes them stick together but when they dry out, they can just flutter to the floor.