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Thread: Stewmac Tuner sale

  1. #1
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Stewmac Tuner sale

    Stewmac is having a sale on all tuners (including Waverly). 15% off and I have no idea how long it will last. NFI

    https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and...ning_Machines/

    It knocks a chunk off the price of a set of Waverly F with pearl buttons.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  3. #2

    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    It knocks a chunk off the price of a set of Waverly F with pearl buttons.
    With what you save on that, you can buy yourself a set of Rubners for your backup instrument.. :-)

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  5. #3
    Expert on my own opinion Bogle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    I received a StewMac email this morning indicating that the 15% off deals end on Monday 9/10....there's only a little bit of time left.

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    Registered User Jesse Kinman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    I capitalized on it and got Waverlys for my Tyler White mandolin that is being built, I didn’t even see this post or gotten the email about it yet, I just happened to be looking at the tuners anyway. I had planned to get Rubners, just to save some money, but I had always wanted Waverlys if I ever had a mandolin built, and with Rubner undergoing some changes to their F style tuners, and having to wait for a to-be-determined release date on the new line, I felt I was settling for less than I wanted, so I just bit the bullet. $85 off is a great deal!
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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Tom Ellis offers 2 makes of tuner on his mandolins - Gotohs & Waverlys. My Ellis De Luxe "A" style has Gotohs on it. They work so incredibly smoothly,that it's hard to imagine the need for a set of tuners costing almost 4 times the price !. If i was having a mandolin built for me,then 'maybe' i'd opt for a more expensive make,but honestly,if the Gotohs work so superbly,would i be wasting my cash ?. Purely my personal point of view,
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    Registered User Jesse Kinman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    I know what you mean, but as far as looks go, the Waverlys just look top-notch. I have never seen any Grovers or Schaller or Gotoh F style tuners that I have that look of quality about them, except for maybe the Schaller Grand Tune, and it’s still not the same, but closer to the Waverlys. To me the look looks more like the difference in the cheaper ones being stamped, and the Waverlys being milled,whether or not they are, I don’t know though..., if that makes any sense.
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  11. #7
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    It makes total sense. The Waverly tuners are a work of art. I pulled the trigger on a used set last year. If these had dropped in front of me I would have bought them new.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    I have a gorgeous set of Rubner tuners on mine.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    I'll second the "work of art" aspect of Waverly tuners. I haven't tried Rubners so I can't compare, but Waverlys have that look and feel of precision machining that's rare in our modern world. It's why some folks geek out about precision mechanical watches, I guess. I upgraded the Schallers on my Lebeda mandolin and Weber octave mandolin with Waverly's and I couldn't be happier with them.

    As an upgrade over the stock Schallers on my Lebeda, they were only 10% of the cost of the mandolin when new, which seems reasonable to me. A bit less than that as a percentage, for the pricier F-style OM. I probably wouldn't do this on a mandolin that wasn't in the $3,000+ category unless it was something really special or exotic.

  14. #10
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    If the Golden Age tuners were free they'd still be charging too much for them. I about have to get a pair of pliers to even tune my mandolin, and these are the "better" ones that replaced the ones my mandolin came with! I'll be getting a set of Rubners soon.
    ...

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  16. #11
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    If the Golden Age tuners were free they'd still be charging too much for them. I about have to get a pair of pliers to even tune my mandolin, and these are the "better" ones that replaced the ones my mandolin came with! I'll be getting a set of Rubners soon.
    I totally agree. As a consumer product, they're a horrible rip off.
    I thought about getting a newer replacement set, but really, why should I need to do that?

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  18. #12
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    Tom Ellis offers 2 makes of tuner on his mandolins - Gotohs & Waverlys. My Ellis De Luxe "A" style has Gotohs on it. "
    Ivan, It's been many years since i saw an Ellis with Gotohs. (Mine has Waverlys).
    If you go to his website the specs for A5s only say Waverly now.
    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Sep-10-2018 at 11:03am. Reason: Fixed quote syntax

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  20. #13
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    If the Golden Age tuners were free they'd still be charging too much for them. I about have to get a pair of pliers to even tune my mandolin, and these are the "better" ones that replaced the ones my mandolin came with! I'll be getting a set of Rubners soon.
    Anyone wants to rip me off? I'll take them from you for free... I've used them on my last 8 or 9 mandolins and never had an issue. I still have two sets at hand and whenever someone tells they are bad I check them and they turn well..
    I've handled quite a few mandolins and in EVERY case, so far, of "bad tuners" the main factor was "badly installed tuners" as the primary cause of malfunction. In one case the Schaller tuner turned half turn easily and another hard which was caused by a little offfset milling of the worm (excentric) but after turning them with polishing compound with a handdrill they loosened.
    Actualy this thread got me thinking about ordering ten sets as I'm down to two sets these days
    Adrian

  21. #14
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by HoGo View Post
    Anyone wants to rip me off? I'll take them from you for free... I've used them on my last 8 or 9 mandolins and never had an issue. I still have two sets at hand and whenever someone tells they are bad I check them and they turn well..
    I've handled quite a few mandolins and in EVERY case, so far, of "bad tuners" the main factor was "badly installed tuners" as the primary cause of malfunction. In one case the Schaller tuner turned half turn easily and another hard which was caused by a little offfset milling of the worm (excentric) but after turning them with polishing compound with a handdrill they loosened.
    Actualy this thread got me thinking about ordering ten sets as I'm down to two sets these days
    I don’t doubt your experience, but I don’t doubt mine either. If my original tuners were installed incorrectly, it means Collings goofed up, and I find that highly unlikely. I installed the “replacement” set and they are terrible as well. One in particular is nearly impossible to turn. I think getting another replacement set would likely be a waste of my time. YMMV obviously.
    ...

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  23. #15
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Collings has a stellar reputation, but if your original tuners didn't work well, and the new tuners didn't work well, and a replacement set didn't work well, I would look to something else causing the problem. EVERYONE makes mistakes and it is possible there was something not right on the tuner instillation on your mandolin when it came from the factory.
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  24. #16
    Dave Sheets
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Take the tuners on your Collings apart the next time you change strings and lubricate 'em with tri-flow lubricant. Makes a world of difference. There are a couple of threads on here that discuss the matter. Do a google search on collings mandolin sticky tuners.
    -Dave
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  25. #17
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    If you got the replacements from Collings and they still had the problem I'd be on the phone with them again. They have a good reputation for resolving issues.

    Hopefully you don't have an issue with the holes the tuner is in. I'm assuming it was the problem was in the same spot.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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  26. #18
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Hi Doc - When i first got my 'used' Ellis "A" style,i e-mailed Tom Ellis for some general info.,& it was Tom himself who told me of his 2 choices in tuner. I understand all about the 'appearance' of the hardware fitted to instruments,but - if something works so incredibly well,certainly well enough for a luthier of Tom Eliss's status,then 'why' would we need a tuner costing almost 4 times the price ?.
    It may very well be that TE has decided to 'standardise' the tuners on his mandolins - i'd take his advice on that aspect !.

    My only issue with the Gotohs was the inferior appearance of the Ivoroid tuner buttons. They look like exactly what they are - plastic. The black tuner buttons that i was incredibly lucky to get hold of are also plastic,but they look a whole lot better than the Ivoroid ones.

    The Schaller 'reverse tuners' that i have on my Lebeda,are i think a notch up from the basic ones - they have real MOP tuner buttons. I think that Mike E. knows about those. They too work incredibly smoothly. The 'standard' Schallers on my Weber were a tad stiff when i first got it,so i applied a bit of Frank Ford's tuner wisdom to them & they also work perfectly,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    If price was an issue and the choice was between Gotoh and Waverley, I'd go for Schaller! (I have experience with all three.) Most brands of tuner (with the exception, in my opinion, of the GAs that came on my CBOM) can be made to work smoothly. The main difference between Gotoh & Waverley as far as I can see is that the former are "put together" and the latter are "engineered".

  28. #20
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    If you got the replacements from Collings and they still had the problem I'd be on the phone with them again. They have a good reputation for resolving issues.

    Hopefully you don't have an issue with the holes the tuner is in. I'm assuming it was the problem was in the same spot.
    Collings and StewMac were great about getting me a replacement set: but I just ended up with more lousy tuners, so I figured it would end up a fruitless endeavor. The first set was worse than the replacements, but not by much, and not in the same hole. I was dealing with it for a couple years but one tuner in particular is so bad now I’ve used a stringwinder while tuning. Ha! Other than the tuners, the Collings is perfect. At this point I don’t want any Golden Age tuners, even if they work. I want the Rubners. I’ll try to deal with it till Santa Claus comes to town.
    ...

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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    Collings and StewMac were great about getting me a replacement set: but I just ended up with more lousy tuners, so I figured it would end up a fruitless endeavor. The first set was worse than the replacements, but not by much, and not in the same hole. I was dealing with it for a couple years but one tuner in particular is so bad now I’ve used a stringwinder while tuning. Ha! Other than the tuners, the Collings is perfect. At this point I don’t want any Golden Age tuners, even if they work. I want the Rubners. I’ll try to deal with it till Santa Claus comes to town.
    I had this exact same issue with the Golden Age tuners on my Collings MT. After installing the replacement set and discovering they were worse than the original set, I threw both sets in the garbage and ordered Rubner tuners. The Rubners worked flawlessly.

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  32. #22
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Ivan, We can only guess why a maker makes certain choices. Everything else about Tom's mandolins is top-of-the-line, so I'm guessing that makes Waverly the choice on a $5k + varnish mandolin. I did notice that his mandolin are coming with the delightful & classy Collings mandolin cases.
    It is possible that the tuner choice also differentiates between the Ellis & the Pava..... different appointments... though equally killer sound.

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  34. #23
    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    If price was an issue and the choice was between Gotoh and Waverley, I'd go for Schaller! (I have experience with all three.) Most brands of tuner (with the exception, in my opinion, of the GAs that came on my CBOM) can be made to work smoothly. The main difference between Gotoh & Waverley as far as I can see is that the former are "put together" and the latter are "engineered".
    FWIW, I did notice an improved smoothness of action when replacing the two Schaller tuner sets on my mandolin and OM with Waverlys. The Schallers worked okay, a little stiff. The Waverlys were noticeably better.

    That actually surprised me, because I wasn't replacing the tuners because the Schallers didn't work well enough. I bought the Waverlys mainly because I wanted ebony tuner buttons, which weren't available on the Schallers. I liked the aesthetics of the satin gold Waverlys, and felt they would be an appropriate upgrade for higher-end mandolins like these, just for the aesthetics. It was a pleasant surprise to find that both Waverly tuner sets did feel a little smoother and more precise than the stock Schallers they replaced. Emphasis on the "little better." It wasn't a night-and-day difference, but it's there all the same.

    YMMV, since there are other factors that can affect the feel of tuners like nut slot condition, or shaft binding in the headstock. In my case, the conditions seemed right, in two very different mandolins, to notice a subtle difference in performance between the Schaller and Waverly tuners.

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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Ive read and viewed my share of Ellis ads new and used. The only ones with Gotohs (that I’ve noticed) seem to be 2011 or older

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    Default Re: Stewmac Tuner sale

    Quote Originally Posted by foldedpath View Post
    FWIW, I did notice an improved smoothness of action when replacing the two Schaller tuner sets on my mandolin and OM with Waverlys. The Schallers worked okay, a little stiff. The Waverlys were noticeably better.

    That actually surprised me, because I wasn't replacing the tuners because the Schallers didn't work well enough. I bought the Waverlys mainly because I wanted ebony tuner buttons, which weren't available on the Schallers. I liked the aesthetics of the satin gold Waverlys, and felt they would be an appropriate upgrade for higher-end mandolins like these, just for the aesthetics. It was a pleasant surprise to find that both Waverly tuner sets did feel a little smoother and more precise than the stock Schallers they replaced. Emphasis on the "little better." It wasn't a night-and-day difference, but it's there all the same.

    YMMV, since there are other factors that can affect the feel of tuners like nut slot condition, or shaft binding in the headstock. In my case, the conditions seemed right, in two very different mandolins, to notice a subtle difference in performance between the Schaller and Waverly tuners.
    I've fitted Schallers to a couple of my mandolins - mainly because they're readily available in the UK - and find them perfectly acceptable. My RM-1 and Collings mandola came with Gotohs and, if anything, they are a bit stiff and I prefer the Schallers. One of my Kimbles came with the satin gold Waverlies and, compared to the others are smooth and look better engineered. My other Kimble came with my favourites; Alessi - 'nuff said! I replaced the GAs on my GBOM with a set of Robson - hand made ebony buttons - and also easily available in the UK if you're prepared to wait for them to be made, and they're as good as anything.

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