If you would like the new set to be an exact reproduction, you will definitely need to send the set to us. We will keep the set for the minimum amount of time and return it to you.
All specialised work like this is priced per hour and is quoted on an individual basis.
| 6. | We produce buttons for the tuners in 3 shapes and many different materials. Although we do not make special shapes for buttons, most tuners are quite similar and one of our styles of buttons usually works out fine. |
Depending on how far you wish the new set to be reproduced to the original, is up to you. If you would prefer, as some customers do, to just have a new set produced to the same dimensions as the original but not worry about the engraving, then that is fine. All you need do in this case is to send us the dimensions of the set either by e-mail or using the order form. If you would prefer us to take the dimensions, you can send the set to us for measuring.
Please contact us first for details on sending old sets back to us.
Over the years we have been asked to make many reproduction sets for old and valued instruments whose machine heads have deteriorated beyond use. In most cases this has required us to make exact reproduction copies of the originals.
It is now generally accepted that antique instruments fitted with Rodgers reproduction machine heads, with the original sets kept with the instrument, fully maintain their authenticity.
If you wish to have a set of reproduction tuners made for your guitar, there are a few specifics that need to be addressed which I have listed below.
| 1. | Firstly, it is strongly recommended that the instrument is assessed and any new tuners are fitted by a Luthier.
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| 2. | Most very old tuners are made with the old style of gear mechanism. This is where the gears are cut with the threads in the opposite direction to modern tuners with the worm and wheel reversed. We are now able to offer gearing cut in the same direction allowing for exact reproduction machine heads without compromise. |
| 3. | We can reproduce the engraved design and also the tuner end profiles. We can use any of the standard three materials for the side-plates, brass, nickel silver or sterling silver. |
| 4. | The wood screw holes can be placed in the same positions as the original set but it is strongly recommended that the original holes in the headstock are filled and re-drilled. This is recommended because old sets often have inaccurate wood screw hole positions. |
| 5. | With very old guitars, you will need to check that the string roller holes in the headstock are also in good condition. If they have been elongated due to wear, they should be re-bored to accurate centres to prevent the tuner string roller and gears being distorted, causing undue wear. We can either make larger string rollers (or bearing bushes) to accommodate the new size of hole or if new woodscrew holes are used, the set can be slid down the headstock slightly until the string rollers make contact. |
Illustration Number 24
 Illustration Number 26 |
 Illustration Number 27 |
 Illustration Number 28 |
 Illustration Number 29 |
 Illustration Number 25 |
Click to enlarge