Replacing wooden tuning pegs

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wester

Posts: 8
Joined: Nov. 13 2005

Replacing wooden tuning pegs

I have a 1967 Tamura. Its traditional wooden tuning pegs are a menace, despite the use of graphite powder, etc. I want to replace these pegs, but a luthier advises that there is insufficient distance from the nut to mount mechanical machine heads. However, I've heard that an American manufacturer makes a geared plug-in replacement for wooden pegs on acoustic guitars. Does anyone out there know the name of this manufacturer, or of the geared plug-in tuner?

Here's hoping,
wester.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2007 8:16:39

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Hello Wester

I´ve build a guitar with these: www.pegheds.com

They are ok, but I would always prefer a new set of well adjusted wooden pegs.

Installation is relatively easy. No reamers etc. Just a 9mm hole and here we go

Good luck
Anders

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2007 11:18:04

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Alternatively, you could use these:

http://www.lessonsinlutherie.com/PlanetaryPegs.html

Ramon used them on the guitar he built recently. if you search for the thread in the "luthiery" section, you will find a picture of them too.

Jb

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2007 18:19:25

a_arnold

Posts: 558
Joined: Jul. 30 2006

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Wester:
I have to second Anders. I think that sometimes a builder will use woods that aren't fully seasoned, so the peg and/or the hole shrinks to become slightly oval as the guitar ages. THey become too tight to turn in some positions, and too loose to hold in others. But a 1967 guitar is probably stable enough to take a refitted set of pegs that will work well. Ebony is most stable, I think.

I've had nightmare pegs, too, and know how frustrating they are, but some makers (Salvador Castillo of Paracho, is one example) can do a fitting job that is so perfect you'd never know they were just wood.

I'm sure any experienced flamenco builder could fit a new set of ebony pegs for you that would work. But those planetary machine pegs do work.

Tony A.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2007 21:31:26

wester

Posts: 8
Joined: Nov. 13 2005

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Brilliant, guys. Muchas gracias!!

Fastade.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2007 6:36:17

Posts: 15
Joined: May 23 2006

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

I have a different question and don't think it is necessary to open a new thread for that.
How do you have to treat a flamenco guitar. I mean I read somewhere something about humidity etc., so do I have to provide for this when having my guitar in my room. The other thing is, is it true that you shouldn't remove all the strings of the guitar at once ? I read that the neck can warp when you do it, is that true ? and can I use olive oil for cleaning the flamenco guitar or will it damage or warp something ?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2007 20:34:11

r0bbie

Posts: 160
Joined: Feb. 11 2007
From: Holland

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Hi Ex,

Most guitars are build in a humidity of 40 to 50% (no expert on this but thats what I read in the books) and your guitar will be safe in those ranges :-) But I have read that a higher humidity does not do as much damage as a low humidity. When the humidity drops a lot there is a risk of cracks. For the exact figures you better wait for an expert.

Taking the stings all off at the same time does not harm the guitar, at least as long as you don't cut all the wires at once. The stress on the neck is bigger with the strings then without.

Cleaning with olive oil..... I dont see how that would clean your guitar...

And I really dont know about that

Rob.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2007 21:17:23

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to r0bbie)

quote:

Cleaning with olive oil..... I dont see how that would clean your guitar...
And I really dont know about that

If I remember rightly, Anders recommended VEGETABLE oil for use on the fretboard. Not sure if I remembered that correctly, but I'm sure he will tell us if I have it wrong.

Jb

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2007 21:50:52

r0bbie

Posts: 160
Joined: Feb. 11 2007
From: Holland

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

It could be true for a clean fretboard but cleaning with oil? I just dont know.
It could work better then solvents and other stuff but I never heard of it thats all.

William Cumpiano advises an oil that is a mix of coconut, lemon and eucalyptus so cleanig with olive oil does not sound strange to me

But it depends on the finish as well I think. Cleaning with alcohol on regular paint will do but on french polish it could/will make a mess. The fretboard is not finished with a paint but with oil so why not olive oil? Maybe the body of the guitar get clean as well with olive oil.

Did you know you can cook with olive oil as well?

Rob.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2007 22:26:23

a_arnold

Posts: 558
Joined: Jul. 30 2006

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Yow. Shellac will DISSOLVE in alcohol. Varnish won't, but alcohol is a bad idea anyway, as it tends to dry out woods. Alcohol is an aqueous medium and if it gets through cracks in the finish of an older guitar, it combines with any water left in the wood and tends to extract it as it evaporates, thereby drying the wood and making it even more susceptible to splitting.

Don't experiment. I KNOW alcohol is a bad idea. Mineral oil might be OK, but I'd be leery of any oil if there's any chance it might get into the tone wood and have a deadening effect. Some say a slightly damp rag is good. I've never trusted the commercially-available cleaning waxes etc, because I'm not sure they aren't intended for low-end polymer-spray-coated guitars, which are practically bullet proof. To tell the truth, in 45 years of playing, I've never cleaned a guitar. I've never minded the look of a well-used ax.

As far as drying out it dry climates, I can say this: I worked at the Smithsonian in their musical instrument restoration lab in the 60's, and they were very particular about their humidity. I think they kept it about 55.

I was once careless with a guitar and kept it stored in a steam-heated apartment in a very cold northern climate. This is probably one of the worst things you could do to a guitar. Warm air holds humidity, but very cold winter air is DRY, and when it is reheated by a home heating system, it becomes warm dry air, which will absorb water and suck the moisture right out of a guitar. I'm sure anyone in a similar climate can tell you about sore (even bleeding) nasal membranes that dry out. You've heard of chapped lips? Same principle. Mine cracked in that setting after 15 stable years in a moist southern climate. I've never moved a guitar to a super dry place like Arizona, but if it was built in a humid place, I'd be careful and get a case humidifier.

Anything below 40 is considered "below normal" humidity, and they actually put up hazardous weather warnings on the internet weather services when humidity goes below 35.

Once a guitar has cracked, then you are faced with the agonizing decision: Does it sound different to what it was like before it cracked? Do I leave it alone, or have it fixed and let someone add wood buttons to the inside, which is guaranteed to change the sound in some way, and even if you can't hear the difference, you'll always wonder if you can, because you can't go back and compare the before and after.

My 2 cents.

Tony A.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 22 2007 2:20:03

r0bbie

Posts: 160
Joined: Feb. 11 2007
From: Holland

RE: Replacing wooden tuning pegs (in reply to wester)

Hi Tony,

Cleaning with alcohol is no good, but I mentioned it just to point out that different finishes need different cleaning methodes.

The oil I use is only for the fretboard after it is cleaned to protect the unfinished wood.

I dont clean my guitar very often as well but recently one of the cat peed against the top so I had to