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I broke a tuning machine on my 1998 Jose Lopez Bellido Flamenco Negra. Its a good guitar, so I want to replace the tuning machines with a quality set. I have looked at Rodgers, Fustero, and a couple of others on the net. The Rodgers look great, and there's an oder form to get them directly from the web, But they are PRICEY! I have found a guy who sells Fusteros here in the USA, and his prices are about $180.00 USD a set, or about half the price of the Rodgers. It also looks like I can go lower, and get a set of Gotohs or Shallers for about $50.00 USD.
Does anyone have any experience or opinions on any of these? Its a good guitar, as I've said, and I could justify putting a good set of tuners on it. But, I can't see spending money for a name only or for prestige. Quality and value are what I'm looking for.
I don't think you can really go wrong with the Fustero tuners. Most guitars I've owned have these. Stiff mechanisms, but no problems otherwise. I've had a guitar with Rodgers tuners and they were excellent, the best looking and smoothest turning mechanisms I've ever felt, but they are very expensive indeed. I believe they are handmade. DeVoe currently uses Sloane tuners with ebony knobs, very nice looking and excellent mechanisms. Pricewise, I think they may be in between the Rodgers and the Fusteros. Good luck with your search.
hi, Paul, you have a good guitar there, fustero, is a name, but also very good. much flamenco guitar builders use it. The expensive ones are handgraved, and gold plated. For you perhaps not importand, if it is a famous name, but perhaps, if you ever want to sell it in the future.....(I would think twice about it, if you tell me it was broken, and you put an unknown brand on it.) but should not hesitate, if you had use a 'famous'brand lot of greetings, Peter
I like Gotoh's. They are reasonably priced. I also just order a set of $50 Schaller's gold/ebony buttons to use on the guitar that I'm building and I was very impressed with them.
Just be sure you get the correct roller spacing. Standard is 35mm but there's a larger one. The Fustero's I've seen have had the longer spacing but I'm sure they make the shorter one as well. Make sure you know what you have.
Thanks for your opinions. I got on the net and looked up Fusteros (Fernandez Music) and Sloane (Stew-Mac) and it looks like I'll go with one of these. I'm not sure if it comes down to aesthetics, but the Bellido has Lira top tuners on it now, and Sloane doesn't offer this as an option. Interestingly enough, I bought a set of Fusteros from Ron Fernandez a couple of years ago (for a Bernal guitar) and I really liked what he sent me. I think I paid $180.00 and they got here in less than a week.
The Sloanes are made by Waverly in their factory in Montanna, and these too look pretty good. The price is about the same; $200.00 or so per set. Before I place an order, I'm going to check with Paco de Malaga at the Guitar Gallery in D.C. to see if he has any Fusteros in his inventory. I seem to remember he had ordered some last year.
Thanks again, and I'll let you know what happens.
Regards, Paul
PS: Eddie, I'm still trying to work on that Almoraima bulerias tab you sent me. It may take me awhile, because I'm trying to reduce most of those falsetas to chords that I can play rhythm to... it's a real brain teaser!
Good point, the Bellido has 35mm roller spacing. I've been told this is now pretty standard. Back in the day, I guess there were a lot of guitars built with 36mm roller spacing. It really makes me wonder: what's one millimeter... just enough not to work, that's what... but why the change? Weird!
I don't know for sure why the change. I've even seem some at 37mm. For a guitar as nice as yours I would probably get something in the $150 to $200 range.
Schaller Hausers gold with ebony is what I got for the guitar I'm building. They are pretty to look at and seems to be pretty good quality. I'll know for sure once I get to string her up.
Not far, but it was nearly 100 degrees at the weekend and no air-con in the garage so I lay in the garden Just fingerboard, frets, nut bridge and saddle and Tru-Oil finish to go. Try the micro-mesh sanding system - awesome finish!
Nope, not Texas (no chicken-fried steak). It was 89 today with 41% humidity. Very unusual for us as we have a temperate climate with changeable weather within a single day.
I was impressed with the micro-mesh/Tru-Oil reviews; it is a lot easier than french polish and a more sound-friendly than cellulose.
PS: Eddie, I'm still trying to work on that Almoraima bulerias tab you sent me. It may take me awhile, because I'm trying to reduce most of those falsetas to chords that I can play rhythm to... it's a real brain teaser!
Hey Paul,
Glad to hear you're having fun with it. Hey, next time you're in the SF bay area, let me know ahead of time and we'll try to hook up or something.
Paco de Malaga had a couple sets of fusteros (Hand carved, Gold plated, with real MOP buttons) and I got a set at a good price, I mean pretty much for what he paid for it. He actually gets them from the Conde Shop on Felipe in Madrid. They are the same tuners that they put on the Felipe V model. I like them. They are smooth turning and they look great.
But, I can't say they are better than Sloanes or Shallers or Gotohs as far as mechanisms go, but they are hand carved, gold plated, and real Mother of Pearl. And thanks to Paco, I paid about the same as I thought I would for a set of Sloanes.
Thanks for your opinions, in the end, Fusteros won, and in my case, Sloanes would have been my second choice (for this particular guitar).
Regards, Paul
PS: Eddie, I may be in SF this October... I'll keep you posted.
Hi Paul, That's a nice problem to have! and a nice guitar to puzzle over. My only addage would be that I don't think you'll find much difference between the top makes already mentioned except the price. I don't see the point in going for all that hand carving etc. If there's one part of a guitar that should be machine finished it's the tunners. The only personal 'must' for me would be that the MOP mechanisms must have projecting fixings to finish them off. You know what I mean, the brass button below the MOP? This detail to my eye, is the mark of a quality tunner and I hate those ones where the MOP is glued in or seems to be cast round the end of the spindel which is burried somewhere inside the MOP. YUGH!!!! Good Luck! Cheers Jim.
I have a Bernal Sueño that I bought in Granada in 2002. It's recently developed a bad buzz on G tuning gear. Can anyone recommend which tuning gears would be the best replacement please? Thanks
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first obvious thing to do--snug up the screws. if that does not fix the problem there are a boat loat of machines out there. try the bay.
If one wants to try and the tuners are good I would also try replacing the roller. Fusteros are by the way still available in some places. Ebay has very few quality tuners...
I have a Sueño, it came with low end tuners. The three other Sueños I've seen also had low end tuners. I changed mine for some expensive Gotohs that I already had. But replacement depends on your budget, how much do you want to spend? Some of the higher end Der Jung, whilst remaining inexpensive (around £20-£40) have very good quality mechanism for the money.
ORIGINAL: TANúñez Just be sure you get the correct roller spacing. Standard is 35mm but there's a larger one. The Fustero's I've seen have had the longer spacing but I'm sure they make the shorter one as well. Make sure you know what you have.
Thank you everyone - such great response to an old thread being revived. I really appreciate the suggestions, and have learned things about my guitar that I didn't know. BTW one of my favorite memories of this guitar the day after I bought it was to play for a few minutes crouched in the doorway to Lorca's house in Granada. It was raining and I felt like I was on a pilgrimage.
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Just fingerboard, frets, nut bridge and saddle and Tru-Oil finish to go. Try the micro-mesh sanding system - awesome finish! 
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