ky km 1000 tuners

[kymandolin29]

hello , I recently bought a 2009 kentucky km1000 f-5 and id like to upgrade the plastic pearloid tuner buttons...but I don't know what brand of tuners are on the 1000...I think they are the org...I want to make sure I get the right ones....thx

[gtani7]

..I want to make sure I get the right ones....thx

in the past I've gotten replacement buttons from Bob Smakula, smakula.com. You need to measure the shaft and describe what you're looking for.

[MikeEdgerton]

You have one issue. Saga was using some of their own tuners for a while that appear to be Gotoh tuners but are not. The only real stand out difference was the size of the post for the tuner buttons. If you can get a pair of digital calipers and measure the flat side and the rounded side of the tuners post then I should be able to identify the type of tuner. It would also help to post a picture of the tuners. We had one member that just kept ordering Gotoh buttons and finally measured the stem only to find out he had the fake Gotoh tuners. side by side they look the same. The screws are even the same sizes.

Added: The measurement of the fake Gotoh's are in this (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/76013-Gotoh-Replacement-Tuner-Buttons?p=1796746&viewfull=1#post1796746) thread. Just scroll down a few messages. The real Gotoh's are slightly smaller than the fakes.

[kymandolin29]

I have the measurments...it looks like the flat of the shaft is 2.69mm.....and the ends (ovals) are 3.70mm...these tuners appear to be tarnished like silver plate ....id take a pic but Im not sure I could get the pic on here....

[MikeEdgerton]

I have the measurments...it looks like the flat of the shaft is 2.69mm.....and the ends (ovals) are 3.70mm...these tuners appear to be tarnished like silver plate ....id take a pic but Im not sure I could get the pic on here....

This (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/143905-Replacement-Tuner-Buttons?p=1704479&viewfull=1#post1704479) thread where Scott R measured the size of the Gotoh tuners says 2.6mm and 3.6mm. If you read even farther you'll see his awakening to the fact that fake Gotoh tuners exist. I suspect you have Saga tuners, the fake Gotoh tuners. Any buttons for Gotoh tuners you get will be really tight if they will fit at all. If they are real mother-of-pearl they won't fit without modifying something.

[kymandolin29]

195941

[MikeEdgerton]

I think they have been in a moist environment. They look just like Gotoh's when they are new but the button post is larger.

[kymandolin29]

so, is there a technical name for these fake tuners ?...saga, golden gate , gotoh ?

[MikeEdgerton]

so, is there a technical name for these fake tuners ?...saga, golden gate , gotoh ?

I've simply called them Fake Gotoh's. Saga imported Golden Gate and Saga tuners that were the same shape but were not stamped to look like the Gotoh tuners.

[kymandolin29]

in the past I've gotten replacement buttons from Bob Smakula, smakula.com. You need to measure the shaft and describe what you're looking for.

I called bob and he said he has never made mandolin tuner buttons.......