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Topic: Looking for Machine Head Replacements? |
Fay Reid
From:
Orono, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 1 Jun 2006 9:49 pm |
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I just replaced the original plastic Gotoh machine heads on my mid-1970's MSA Clasic with some new Gotoh's from Elderly Instruments, Inc. Finding the original butterfly-type buttons involved much time in searching for an identical shape. It wasn't hard to find a pseudo-replacement on the net, but I liked the original buttons better. The guitar required the type of head that uses the position-holding screw, so the new Gotoh designs wouldn't work without modifying the guitar. The model number of the Gotoh's used is SG301. An investigation at the Gotoh company web site, reveals the options on this model, as well as their new designs. I couldn't get the locking type of head from Elderly but did replace the chrome heads with gold plated ones. They look quite impressive. The cost in U.S. dollars was 2x$38.00 plus $7.00 shipping for two 6-packs. I asked to have them shipped via U.S.P.S. to Ontario,Canada, to possibly avoid brokerage fees charged by the private couriers. Elderly complied with my wishes and the merchandise arrived without brokerage and taxes.
You'll find pictures and spec's for Gotoh heads at www.quest-md.com/gotoh/machine_head/guitar_e.html.
The Elderly web site is at www.elderly.com. Elderly uses part number GTM30G for the Gotoh SG301 GG's. They're an all-metal design, unlike the originals. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2006 2:56 am
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Your mid 70s MSA had Gotohs on it??? I thought they used Grover gears.
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Fay Reid
From:
Orono, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 2 Jun 2006 6:33 am
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| The heads had Japan engraved on the hidden flat surface, and only present-day Gotoh's seem to match the contours. I couldn't find anything at Grover. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2006 7:32 am
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All of the mid 70s MSA Classics I ever replaced the gears on came with a Grover Rotomatic gear that had a small machine screw through a hole in the lower area of the casting. Newer Gotoh and others usually have the screw on the back of the casting off to the side instead of centered. Is the small hole in the MSA keyhead for the machine screw on the bottom or offset to the side???
If the machine screw hole is at the bottom, you can take a standard set of Grover Rotomatics and install them by cutting off a little bit of the retaining nut that threads over the shaft and locks the gear into the keyhead.
Grover also makes a very nice gear (Model 210) for steel guitars that comes with the right size for steel keyheads. It does NOT however have the hole for the screw. It has a pin that comes from the underside of the housing. You have to drill a matching hole in the keyhead housing for it to slip into and keep the gear from spinning when you tune the string up to tension. This set up allows you to put the gears closer together if you need to.
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