Tuner button about to crack?

[Johnny60]

Hi folks,

one of the tuner buttons on wife's KM1000 has developed a crack (which is visible, and you can feel it with a fingernail). Just wondering what the best course of action is?

It's on the top E string.

Will CA glue stop it falling apart? Can separate buttons be bought, or do you have to buy a whole new set of tuners? And is it actually likely to fail?

I've attached a couple of photos - it's the tuner on the bottom left. As you can see, the buttons are the type that are held on by a small screw.

Hope someone can chime in. We're in the UK, but don't mind importing if it's the only course of action.

thanks

John

[Richard500]

Good evening. If nobody here tells you exactly what to buy, or do, you have many easy options. A local music store may have a junk drawer with lots of buttons, you can buy individual ones online, or whole sets. The plastic may be one of several types, and may not glue with CA. The cracked one may break at some point.
To buy a button, it would be best to take one off and measure the square shaft dimension. Do not lose the screw! Of course, it’s possible that the screw is somewhat decorative and the button is really glued on, and is not going to come off easily. Don’t try to force one of these things with pliers either removing or installing.
If the replacement doesn’t fit easily, quit right there.

[Johnny60]

Thanks Richard.

[MikeEdgerton]

Depending on the age of those tuners and the mandolin the shaft probably won't be square, it will be two flats and two rounds. That is either a set of Gotoh tuners or the fake Gotoh tuners that Saga imported a few years back. You can try the CA and see if it holds, make sure to remove the button when you do it and let it dry before you put it back on. These buttons can be really hard to find. If you can get a set of digital calipers and give me the measurement of the two dimensions of the end of that shaft I'll mail you a button. I just need to know which one to send. PM me your complete mailing address formatted correctly after you get the dimensions.

The screws are not decorative but that doesn't mean the button might not be hard to get off.

[Johnny60]

Thanks Mike - will attempt to remove the button, and will get you the measurements.

Cheers

John