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Thread: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

  1. #1
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    Default Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    I would like to upgrade the tuners on my 2007 Eastman 315. Anyone on this forum have any suggestions?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    To solve an issue, or just want a smoother feel?
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    I think you'll need "worm-over" tuners.
    Grover 309 are a solid choice.
    Stew Mac has them for less than $60 right now
    https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and..._Machines.html
    Item #5674

  4. #4
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Grovers are good. And that's an excellent price.

    I put Rubner tuners on my 305O (octave) and like them a lot. More expensive, especially the F style. However, I like the looks better. https://www.rubnertuners.com/worm-ov...-machines-new/
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  5. #5

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post
    Grovers are good. And that's an excellent price.

    I put Rubner tuners on my 305O (octave) and like them a lot. More expensive, especially the F style. However, I like the looks better. https://www.rubnertuners.com/worm-ov...-machines-new/
    How is ratio on them ? I'm looking to replace some tuners I don't know what brand but they are but just a very very small turn on the tuner changes the tuning a lot and they are also very hard to turn I think this is due to ratio.
    Thsnks
    Lou

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Looking for a smooth feel.

  7. #7
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Every old to new Eastman 315 I'm seeing in a Google search is showing up with worm under tuners. Post a picture of the back of your headstock so you don't order the wrong tuners.

    Stay away from Grover worm over tuners by the way. They turn backwards. Grover worm under tuners do turn the correct way but the shaft that the button is attached to might be shorter than your originals. Check the dimensions before you order them.
    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Sep-02-2018 at 4:37pm.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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  9. #8
    Dave Sheets
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    If you haven't seen the discussion on this site, have a look. I went through this process with a Collings MTO, a spot of work did wonders.

    http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
    -Dave
    Flatiron A
    Way too many other instruments

  10. #9
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Paul's site is a great resource. If you want to see the difference between worm over and worm under tuners he shows it on this page.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  11. #10
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    A few years ago I owned a Eastman 315 and upgraded the tuners, with grovers if I remember correctly. I found that the bushings for the new tuners were smaller then the original bushings so I ended up installing spiral bushings in all the holes and reseating the new bushings to fit.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  12. #11

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    my vote is for Grover 309 tuners. I put them on my Eastman 305 & I love them. plus you can get a good deal on them if you do a little hunting on e bay.

  13. #12

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Grover 309's are my vote
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  14. #13

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    I just upgraded my Eastman 315 (2015) with Grover 309's from Stew Mac, worm under. Just had to drill a couple new holes for some of the screws in back. Much better, smoother tuning.

  15. #14

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
    Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
    Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
    DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
    Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.

  16. #15
    Registered User Bob Buckingham's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    I've got them on a 315 and liked them so much I replaced the tuners on my Anderson A5 with 309's. They are 7/8 as good as Waverly IMHO for 1/10 the cost.

  17. #16
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    If I were going to upgrade tuners on a lower-end Eastman, I would contact them and ask what they are using on the high-end stuff. I used to own a 505 that had better tuners than my Collings. Pearl buttons and super smooth. I think they were Schallers, but that might not be right. And I'm not sure if that's what they are using anymore.
    ...

  18. #17
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    If I were going to upgrade tuners on a lower-end Eastman, I would contact them and ask what they are using on the high-end stuff. I used to own a 505 that had better tuners than my Collings. Pearl buttons and super smooth. I think they were Schallers, but that might not be right. And I'm not sure if that's what they are using anymore.
    They are using Pingwell tuners on 500 & 600 series
    Gotoh on 800 & 900 series

  19. #18

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    there reel fine my 309a's. I love them on my 305. the screw holes do not match up so you will have one little hole that you can leave alone or fill in with a tooth pick and a drop of wood stain

  20. #19

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    I really like the 315s I've played lately,and if you are keeping it even after a mandolin upgrade, it's a good modification. Your next mandolin should be of the Northfield, Weber, Collings ilk.
    Silverangel A
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  21. #20
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    From what I've seen, one of those lower-end Eastmans with good and properly-functioning hardware could easily become a lifelong player. No need to automatically upgrade.
    ...

  22. #21
    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    After playing my Eastman MD315 for nearly six months and doing all the extra steps to loosen up the tuners, a couple of the tuners are still stiff and irritating. I'm expecting to buy a good upgrade mandolin this summer, but I've played enough $2k to $6k mandolins in the last six months to feel that the MD315 is still good enough for a backup. With that in mind, I'm planning on upgrading the MD315 with a K&K internal pickup as well as some Grover 309 tuners (or maybe Rubner tuners, if they have the F-style tuners by the time I'm ready to purchase. The Rubner web page still shows "coming soon" and "Available in Late March" for the F-style worm under tuners.).
    Doug Brock
    2018 Kimble 2 point (#259), Eastman MD315, Eastman MDA315, some guitars, banjos, and fiddles

  23. #22
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    I was checking out the rubner website today but a lot of items are sold out. Are the going out of business?
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  24. #23

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Grover 309's are 18:1 tuning ratio (the highest you can buy), Eastman's used to come stock with 14:1. 18:1 makes a huge difference, some other manufacturers OEM 16:1, but the modest (but good) Grovers beat most of them simply because of the ratio.

    If you don't own a battery powered string winder you will want one with the higher ratio. :-)

    This (slow low powered battery screwdriver):
    https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-...dp/B005LTNLDS/
    plus this (string winder chuck):
    https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-PW-T...dp/B00YJJ0H9C/

    Here is when I did my first upgrades:
    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...Eastman-MD-605
    Last edited by kurth83; May-21-2019 at 11:13pm.
    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
    Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
    Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
    DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
    Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.

  25. #24

    Default Re: Tuner upgrade for Eastman 315

    Quote Originally Posted by Caleb View Post
    If I were going to upgrade tuners on a lower-end Eastman, I would contact them and ask what they are using on the high-end stuff. I used to own a 505 that had better tuners than my Collings. Pearl buttons and super smooth. I think they were Schallers, but that might not be right. And I'm not sure if that's what they are using anymore.
    I have a new 505. It has Schallers.

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