Slot head screws for Gotoh Tuners

[Jeff Mando]

Mike, is that 68 cents per screw? In what quantity?

[pops1]

Mike, if you can get the right thread and head I wouldn't worry about the length, I have cut down screws many many times and not hrt the threads.

[MikeEdgerton]

The quantity I bought was 16, the price didn't drop substantially with larger quantity. The problem was the shipping with Fastenal. Basically those 16 screws came to a little over 20 bucks with shipping. I'll note I can get pan head and not round head cheap. I can get most of the other sizes in the metric for .05 a screw, I just can't get the right size. The length hasn't been an issue, the thread count and size have been.

[MikeEdgerton]

A picture of a set of Gotoh tuners with the slot head screws. I still have to get the slot head wood screws to mount them. These have ivoroid buttons from The Mandolin Store on them.

[Jeff Mando]

Definitely a big improvement, Mike!

Our area has two old hardware stores, one founded in the 1880's and another founded in the 20's (both still run by descendants of the original founders) -- I'll have to check and see if they have anything in stock -- I'm guessing it is way too small a size and too specific a thread.

[MikeEdgerton]

Everybody seems to stock the #2-56 screws. The finer thread #2-64 screws are tough and even tougher in stainless. You just don't find them in nickel and even though the originals were zinc plated they will tarnish fast next to the nickel tuners.

I did manage to find a box of NOS nickel plated slot oval head screws for my Schallers to replace the phillips head screws used to attach the tuners to the headstock. That was a cool find. got the whole box of 100.

[MikeEdgerton]

And a picture of a set of A style tuners with the original buttons on them. I haven't polished off the mold marks on the buttons yet.

[John Morton]

The final answer of how to get round head slot drive screws for Gotoh buttons is to buy the following size:

SAE not Metric

#2-64 x 3/8 round head slot drive screws.

Good work Mike, I was not checking for lucky coincidences! The M2.3 thread pitch is .4mm, which is ~.0157", the #2-64 pitch is ~.0156". The diameter 2.3mm is ~.0905", so the #2 screw will be a bit loose at .086".

[MikeEdgerton]

The 2-64 screw actually seems a little tight but it travels cleanly through the M2.3 die. It doesn't really rattle around in the hole. It works even with that slight difference. I just wish they were a little more available. I'm still trying to find them in brass and at lower prices.

I should note that Yaron Naor back in post 31 had posted "pan head #2 x3/8". I assumed that he was mixing sizes and that was M2. He indeed did have the size but was missing the thread count (64). That might be the common size where he is in Israel but here everyone carries the #2-56. I also read an old thread where Darryl Wolfe mentioned that he was able to get these screws at a big hardware distributor but he didn't recall the sizes. All of that finally got me looking at the size of the metric vs. the SAE sizes. When I saw how close the M2.3 and the 2-64 were I hoped they were somewhat interchangeable and they seem to be.

[Jeff Mando]

All of that finally got me looking at the size of the metric vs. the SAE sizes. When I saw how close the M2.3 and the 2-64 were I hoped they were somewhat interchangeable and they seem to be.

I know car mechanics sometimes use a metric socket to remove an SAE nut that has been "rounded over" by someone trying to remove it with a Crescent wrench. Depending on the size, some will work as an in-between size.

[MikeEdgerton]

Some SAE and Metric sockets and wrenches are pretty much interchangeable. Some really aren't. Whatever works is my motto.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm adding this link to this old thread so it's all in one place.

The slotted round head Gotoh button screws are:

Item # 0174264 Description: #2-64 x 3/8" Slotted Drive Round Head Grade 18-8 Stainless Steel Machine Screw

Available from Fastenal

https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0174264

[Kykym]

Default size of Gotoh's screws are M2.3 x 10 with Phillips.
I have found and got the Brass screws of M2.3 x 12mm with slotted round head. It is also rare size in Japan.
They said It have to custom order if it wants to get the 10mm length.
However, thread hole depth of shafts of Gotoh's tuner are approx.12mm. So this 12mm screws could to be matched. But some screw holes have some rust. So I had to clean holes by Tap.