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Post new topic Banjo tuners needed..........
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Author Topic:  Banjo tuners needed..........
Jerry Hayes


From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2021 11:51 am    
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I don't know the brand yet but I need a set of 4 banjo tuners. I don't want Schaller or similar ones. The set I need are the offset kind which are shorter in length than the Schallers and both ends are offset a little from each other. I need these as the old (1954) Gibson mastertone I have has the old style Scruggs tuners which operate by pushing the 2nd & 3rd string sideways to raise or lower their pitches. The Scruggs pegs stick out the back of the headstock like the regular pegs do and are hard to operate in their close proximity to them.... Right now I have a set of Grover guitar pegs on the banjo which work well but I'd rather have a set which go out the back of the peghead....JH in Va.
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David Nugent

 

From:
Gum Spring, Va.
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2021 7:02 pm    
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Jerry..Does your banjo have the "Flyswatter" style peg head?
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David Nugent

 

From:
Gum Spring, Va.
Post  Posted 26 Apr 2021 7:18 pm    
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Jerry..After performing some research, discovered that Gibson did use the "flyswatter" style peg head in 1954. The Kluson tuners used on their banjos at that time were also installed on the early 'Firebird' model guitars if I recall. There are a few sets of six available on ebay but at rather premium prices...Hope that this helps.
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Jerry Hayes


From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
Post  Posted 11 May 2021 12:25 pm    
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Hey David, I don't know what they mean by "Flyswatter" headstock. Mine is probably that as it's shaped like a Les Paul guitars would be. I just need tuners that are shorter than the regular banjo tuners would be as my "D-tuners" are just a little bit longer than the regular tuners so it's too close to the others for easy action............JH in Va.
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David Nugent

 

From:
Gum Spring, Va.
Post  Posted 11 May 2021 6:17 pm    
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The tuners shown are most likely replacements. The original factory tuners were rear facing (as mentioned previously, similar to the Gibson 'Firebird')..When Gibson changed from the "fiddle" shaped to the guitar styled pegheads they were quickly dubbed the "flyswatter" (for obvious reasons).
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David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 12 May 2021 3:46 am    
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I think you're probably talking about the Elton tuners. They were on a lot of Gibson banjos.
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David Nugent

 

From:
Gum Spring, Va.
Post  Posted 12 May 2021 6:25 am    
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No, these were actually Klusons with rear facing "butterfly" tuning buttons, they were secured to the peghead with two small screws.
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David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 12 May 2021 8:14 am    
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Here's a link to a picture of a banjo like the one Jerry posted with the Klusons on them:
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Museum/Banjo/60sBanjo/60sBanjoViews/odepeg03.jpg

Kluson is still making a similar peg.

Dave
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Gene Tani


From:
Pac NW
Post  Posted 13 May 2021 12:41 pm    
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You could email Bob Smakula in WVa, smakula.com he's always been helpful
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David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 13 May 2021 3:02 pm    
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Bob is the guy for banjo parts...

Dave
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Jerry Hayes


From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
Post  Posted 29 May 2021 4:27 am    
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David, the Elton tuners you pictured are exactly the ones I'm looking for. Thanks for the info, I'll be contacting Smakula to see if he has some or knows who might...JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
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Larry Beem

 

From:
Iowa, USA
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2021 8:02 am    
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Jerry Hayes wrote:
David, the Elton tuners you pictured are exactly the ones I'm looking for. Thanks for the info, I'll be contacting Smakula to see if he has some or knows who might...JH in Va.


I have a set of those tuners in a box here somewhere. They are a little hard to find I think. I bought them for a banjo that I didnt end up with. If you havent found any, let me know and I will find them.
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Gene Tani


From:
Pac NW
Post  Posted 8 Jun 2021 5:01 pm    
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They are very tricky to find, tho after searching a couple days, I realized I didn't need one for my rb100.

If Bob S and Larry don't have them, I could suggest a whole long list of dealers i emailed looking for them: Elderly, Gryphon, Dusty Strings, Bernunzio, Denver Folklore etc. Also luthiers Richie Dotson (Richmond area), Don Bryant, Tim Davis, John Boulding, the Warehouse in Atlanta etc
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


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