Stewmac tuners on Eastman?

[F-2 Dave]

Thinking about replacing the tuners on my 415 gold top with some Golden Age tuners. Should the spacing be the same?

[MikeEdgerton]

Should be. Post a picture of your current tuners. There are three things you need to watch. You need to see if the worm gear is over or under the cog, if the spacing is standard 23mm spacing post center to post center and you have to make sure the posts to the buttons are long enough to clear the side of the headstock. Chances are your Eastman has the spacing and the worm under.

[F-2 Dave]

Thanks Mike.

[William Smith]

Them Golden Age Loar style tuners are very nice! Iknow that a few guys have put them on their old Loar F-5's, just fixed them with pearl buttons. Only if they would make the late 20's-30's engraved worm over gear! Waverly and Golden Age already have the guitar tuners with the exact engraving and bump end style they just need to reconfigure for mandolin and bada bing many old Gibson's would benefit! I think its a coming...I've been on them along with many others!

[j. condino]

...........Iknow that a few guys have put them on their old Loar F-5's, just fixed them with pearl buttons.....

What?????????????????????????????

I'm gonna call BS on that one; for an Eastman perhaps, but not for a 1920s Loar signed F5. Maybe back in the '70s when there was no better choice they got fitted with cheap import tuners, but today I don't know anyone with a quarter million dollar vintage mandolin who fits it with $75 Chinese made tuners....

[F-2 Dave]

Looks like it may be a no go anyhow. Although the tuner post spacing looks like a match, the screw spacing on the back of the peg head doesn't really line up. I know that where there's a will, there's a way, and if I felt strongly enough about changing tuners I could.
But, i don't. The Golden Age tuners look nicer and are definitely an upgrade, but then I'd need to change the tailpiece to match. Then there's that bridge......... you know the drill. I'll remain a wannabe tinkerer and play it the way it is. Thanks anyway guys.

[Ray(T)]

Yet again I think people may be confusing the Golden Age tuners with the Stew Mac "restoration" tuners. I have a set of the latter on my teens Gibson A and they're OK (not sure whether they even do an F version). My Clark GBOM came with a set of the former and I couldn't wait to replace them - there are several threads about them so I won't go into detail.

I suppose the first question should be what does your Eastman have at the moment? Second, I doubt whether you'll find any tuners where every hole is going to line up. If you're looking for "cheap and cheerful" half decent replacements, personally, I'd go for Schaller.

[MikeEdgerton]

All of the screws almost never line up but they should cover. Fill the unused ones with round toothpicks and wood glue and cut off flush. You may have to drill some new holes.

[MikeEdgerton]

They do not make the StewMac Restoration model tuners in an F style, just the A. They post spacing is different on the restoration models.

[William Smith]

NO BS! I know for a fact that 2 guys fit pearl buttons on the arrowhead Golden Age 20's "Loar" style relic tuners and put them on their 23 and 24 Loar F-5's! I'm talking the Golden Age tuning machines with the flower and oak leaf stamping, the ones that look close to the expensive Waverly tuners! You may be thinking of some sort of economy cheapo tuners that Stew-Mac sells? But I'm speaking the truth NO BS! If I had a Loar I'd go with Golden Age over the more expensive Waverly's because the Golden Age style has more Loarish tuner styling than the CNC Waverly's of nowadays! The back plates on the Waverly are now wider, and with no oak leaves and flower definition like the Waverly of old. Plus the original 20's Loar Waverly tuning machines didn't have all the engraving that the new Waverly's now have "or should I say CNC machined" The Golden Age are so far the closest to the real deal from 1923-24.

[multidon]

Where do they get the pearl knobs for the Golden Age? Stew Mac doesn’t list them.

Also, does anyone know for certain where they are made?

[MikeEdgerton]

I believe the Golden Age use the same buttons as the Waverly tuners. Stewmac has them and you can get pearl buttons that fit them on eBay. I have never seen a definitive answer to where they are made. If they are imported they should have the country of origin on the unit itself. That is required by law.

I just found a reference to Korea as being the country of origin but it isn't off the Stewmac site.

[William Smith]

Yes you can buy sets off evilbay for about 80 bucks, solid pearl buttons but it requires some fitting/epoxy then filing to fit as I've bought a few sets of buttons and the Golden Age F-5 tuners.