replacement tuners for Martin mandolin?

[billykatzz]

Another tuner button on my '50 Martin A mandolin just cracked. Those buttons apparently
don't last forever.

Rather than keep gluing them back together, I'm wondering if there's a direct-fit replacement tuner set for the Martin mandolins out there. Do the Stew-Mac Golden Age tuners work on them?

[rcc56]

The tuner buttons can be replaced. Replacement buttons are available from several sources, including Stew-mac and Elderly. It takes a soldering iron, a vise, and a bit of know-how to get the job done.

The Golden Age #2505 and 2506 tuners have a 15/16" string post spacing, and would probably not work on an instrument made after the mid to late 1920's. They are suitable for 'teens and early 20's Gibson A models.

The #2511 and 2512 Golden Age tuners are made with the modern 29/32" post spacing, and would probably fit your mandolin.

[MikeEdgerton]

If your tuners are Klusons (I suspect they might be) there are direct replacement reproductions. Can you post a picture?

[rcc56]

Most of the Martins from that period had tuners made by the old Waverly company. There is a set of them on ebay for $85-- look under "vintage mandolin tuners." These are a late style and may have a different style of engraving on the plates, but are otherwise similar to older Waverlies. NFI.

[billykatzz]

Thanks, all! I probably will be bringing my Martin A to my favorite mandolin tech, Nowell Seagel of Living Tree Music. He either epoxied or Duco-cemented one of my other buttons back together & so far that one hasn't failed.

Eventually, if this keeps happening I'll probably need to go ahead & install new plastic buttons on the original tuners.

[dan in va]

An important feature will present itself sooner or later to you. The Martin flat back mandolin peg heads are a full 0.125" (1/8") thinner than Gibson, etc. i was unable to find tuners with shorter posts, not even from Kluson. Maybe a vintage set will surface, but these weren't the best crafted mechanics. If unable to score a set, you might have a custom set made by an outfit like Rubner.

The '56 Martin A i have had the econo Grover set on, and the posts stick up so high the peghead isn't a bit good looking. The route i took (since there were ugly holes that new tuners wouldn't cover, and the mandolin was pretty much a rescue project overall) was to add a thick veneer to the back of the peghead so it will take standard tuners now.

Good incentive to resolve the button issue without replacing the tuners. Let us know how it goes.

[Buck]

Replacing the buttons is a far better fix than replacing the tuning machines. I don't recall needing to replace them on a Martin mandolin, but I've replaced several buttons on guitar tuners of that era. These buttons from Antique Acoustics are a little larger than you need. IIRC the Martin buttons are closer to round, where these are oval, but you get the idea. There's also a video of Willi Henkes replacing the tuner buttons on a guitar set. You can see how he heats the tuner and button, and uses a board as a guide for getting them all on straight. Once you find the right size plastic buttons, the technique would be the same.

https://www.elderly.com/antique-acou...tton-94603.htm

[Buck]

I looked around a little and didn't see any cream/off white buttons that appeared to be the right size. The Schaller ivoroid buttons from StewMac are as close as I found. You want the type that is made to be press-fit with heat or glued on.

https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and...ner_Knobs.html

[pops1]

My '57 had the tuners replaced when I got it. As Dan says they stick up a little more, whoever replaced the tuners also put in tuner bushings and that makes it very normal as the bushing height takes away. I like having the extra space on the shaft and the taper and it looks fine. I think the bushings make them smoother too. Not original, but since I didn't do it and get to enjoy it, it works for me.

[MikeEdgerton]

Most of the Martins from that period had tuners made by the old Waverly company. There is a set of them on ebay for $85-- look under "vintage mandolin tuners." These are a late style and may have a different style of engraving on the plates, but are otherwise similar to older Waverlies. NFI.

I think you'll find that most of the 50's mandolins from anybody had closed back Kluson's.

[MikeEdgerton]

An important feature will present itself sooner or later to you. The Martin flat back mandolin peg heads are a full 0.125" (1/8") thinner than Gibson, etc. i was unable to find tuners with shorter posts, not even from Kluson. Maybe a vintage set will surface, but these weren't the best crafted mechanics. If unable to score a set, you might have a custom set made by an outfit like Rubner.

The '56 Martin A i have had the econo Grover set on, and the posts stick up so high the peghead isn't a bit good looking. The route i took (since there were ugly holes that new tuners wouldn't cover, and the mandolin was pretty much a rescue project overall) was to add a thick veneer to the back of the peghead so it will take standard tuners now.

Good incentive to resolve the button issue without replacing the tuners. Let us know how it goes.

Find a set of tuners on an inexpensive banjo mandolin and you'll most likely find a set of short post tuners.

[Buck]

I think you'll find that most of the 50's mandolins from anybody had closed back Kluson's.

I don't know if Martin had extra mandolin tuners on hand or how they got them, but I don't recall seeing a Martin mandolin with enclosed tuners before the late 1960's.

Here's a 1955 2-15 with tuners that are typical of Martin mandolins from the 1950's.

http://www.folkwaymusic.com/museum/m...2-15-mandolin/

[MikeEdgerton]

I had an early 50's style A that had them. Keep in mind that the Kluson buttons were rotting away at that time and many probably were replaced over the years. Either way, if the posts are short that will be an issue with any modern replacement. I never replaced any of them so the short post is news to me.

In case anyone is looking for Kluson's they can be found here. I believe they have a few different button colors as well. They also have F style.

[MikeEdgerton]

In looking through the pictures I can find on the web I'm going to hazard a guess that Martin must have had some supply of Waverly tuners. They seem to appear all through the 50's even though I had one with Kluson's. I do know they went to the Kluson's later. I sit corrected.

[dan in va]

Mike, i can't tell by the pic in your link, but when i contacted Kluson about the old short posts, they didn't know anything about them. It appears to me their reissue tuners are the standard Gibson, etc. height of about 1". The mid 1970's black guard A i once had used the shorter Klusons.

[pops1]

Here is a shot of my martin with new tuners, the posts look ok because of the addition of tuner bushings.

[rcc56]

I believe Waverly was still limping along through the mid sixties. I've seen their tuners on several brands during that period.

It is apparent that for at last a while, Martin was using both brands on their mandolins. Most of the 50's models I have seen had Waverlies. Apparently, some, like Mike's, had Klusons instead. By sometime during the sixties, they were using Klusons exclusively.

The Waverly tuners have uncovered gears and "dog-eared" base plates.

[MikeEdgerton]

At least Martin didn't follow Harmony and start using the awful 24:1 Grover tuners.

[billykatzz]

Yipes, Mike! I was a hair's breath away from pulling the trigger on a set of the Harmony's advertised on Reverb.

I'll have my tech, Nowell, fix the current cracked tuner & will just go with new tuner buttons (& keep the original machines) when the next button goes south on me.

[Brian560]

a soaking in coffee or tea can turn a bright white into a vintage brown.

[Zigeuner]

I think you'll find that most of the 50's mandolins from anybody had closed back Kluson's.

I know that the OP has a 1950's Martin. My 1964 Martin Model "A" has the covered Kluson Deluxe tuners. Thankfully, I haven't lost any buttons yet, but if I do, I'll go for something like the Stew-Mac replacements rather than changing the tuners.