Kluson mandolin tuning machines

[Tom Wright]

I replaced the Kluson "Deluxe" machines on our orchestra mandolin with Siminoff F-4 nickel plated, gear-under. Very nice machines, but what interests me is that the Klusons were clearly the original tuners, no extra holes or alterations underneath them. If I can date the earliest this tuner set was available then I have a upper limit on the age of this instrument. (Kluson does not offer mandolin tuners now, that I can find.)

I also have a memory of a now-deceased member saying it was made in a local shop, Kagan and Gaines. Bozo Podunavac was working in the same building and it has been suggested he worked in this style so could have made this as a low-cost shop commission.

[MikeEdgerton]

This seems like Deja Vu all over again

They appear on mandolins made from the very late 40's into the 60's. You can assume there might have been replacement tuners on the market in the 70's. It's possible that some new old stock might have been around longer than that. They were used by Gibson, Martin, and Kay. Harmony might have used them as well though all of those I've seen have been open back. As those buttons aren't deteriorating I would assume they are from the 60's or later unless the buttons were replaced.

[wsugai]

Tom,

I can't quite make out if you are saying that you needed to re-drill the holes on your mando to replace the Klusons with the Siminoff F-4 tuners. I have an F-12 with worn-out Klusons that I want to replace, but I don't want to have to re-drill. Will the Siminoff F-4 tuners drop in without re-drilling? Thanks.

I replaced the Kluson "Deluxe" machines on our orchestra mandolin with Siminoff F-4 nickel plated, gear-under. Very nice machines, but what interests me is that the Klusons were clearly the original tuners, no extra holes or alterations underneath them. If I can date the earliest this tuner set was available then I have a upper limit on the age of this instrument. (Kluson does not offer mandolin tuners now, that I can find.)

I also have a memory of a now-deceased member saying it was made in a local shop, Kagan and Gaines. Bozo Podunavac was working in the same building and it has been suggested he worked in this style so could have made this as a low-cost shop commission.

[John Kinn]

So why did you change them? Weren't the Klusons doing their job any longer?

[mjp179]

1969-1974 "Gibson Deluxe" style Kluson tuners
http://www.guitarhq.com/kluson.html

[multidon]

Kluson tuners are being made again. They were unavailable starting in the early 80’s when the company went out of business, but then WD Music Brands acquired the name in 1993. The owner of WD decided to start making them again. A simple internet search will take you to their website. They make 4 on a plate mandolin tuners. They are part of the Supreme series. And they are also available from WD, a very large distributor if instrument parts. NFI.

[Br1ck]

The new Klusons are quite good and the only tuners that look right on the Gibsons that had them originally. The shafts on most other tuners are too long.

[William Smith]

Place an add on this here great café? I know the originals are out there if you want a correct resto that is? I've never had a problem with my originals that I have on some pre-war Gibson mandolins.

[lenf12]

The new Klusons are quite good and the only tuners that look right on the Gibsons that had them originally. The shafts on most other tuners are too long.

And conversely, the Kluson tuner shafts are rather short depending on the head stock shape and dimensions. My '56 F-12 was equipped with Kluson tuners and the shaft on one of the D strings was so short that a notch was cut out of the button so it could clear the side of the head stock when turning (see photo below). Ugghhh!! Unsightly at best and compounded by their rather excessive weight. I swapped them out for a set of Gotoh tuners to cut down on the neck heaviness and improve tuning accuracy. I love the look of Kluson tuners but that's where my affection ends.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[lenf12]

And with the Gotoh tuners with MOP buttons. So much better imho.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[MikeEdgerton]

I've always loved this picture that Paul Hostetter posted of the inside a Kluson tuner. I'd never taken a set apart and honestly, unless you're looking for that vintage Kluson look you'd probably be best served with a different tuner brand. It's pretty shocking how they were built.

[HonketyHank]

Has anybody here actually installed a set of the new Klusons as replacements? I ask because I bought a set a year or so ago and found that they did not "drop in" to the existing holes. It is kinda fuzzy in my mind, but I know I did drop a set of Grovers in instead with no problem. I think maybe the problem was that the posts were too big to fit through the existing ferrules and I didn't want to pull them out and put in the supplied ferrules for fear of messing up the headstock. Or maybe I just dreamed it all up. Except I do still have a virgin set of Klusons in my closet.

[Jim Garber]

FWIW those buttons look similar to the Klusons on my '64 Gibson EM-200. They age to a sort of snot-green. I don't know if that helps with the dating or not.