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1 17/32" is 38.89375mm.  Most places would call that 39mm. 

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Waddy

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I believe that Kohno at that time was using Fustero tuning machines, which are available in both 35mm and 39mm spacings. Rubner and other European vendors still supply tuning machines in both spacings although 35mm is now the standard for the majority of tuning machines.

Shawn, are you back?  Look forward to your review of the class.  Hope things went well.

Sorry for the hijack!

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

The machines look just like the Gotoh that one of the others posted a link to. I got replacement Gotoh rollers from LMII and they fit, but that is not the problem. They were cheap, so I just did it. In the process of disassembling the keys, I noted that the crown gears are visibley worn, and that may be the problem. LMII says that Gotoh does not sell parts, and apparently LMII doesn't know of other substitutes. Does anyone know of a source for replacement crown gears for Gotoh classical?

Another thought...if it is just your A and D that go out of tune, it could be that the strings are pinching at the nut or are rubbing against the headstock. If there is something that is holding the strings as they are being tuned such as a nut slot that is too tight, tuning will result in the right pitch but the section between the roller and the nut may be loose. Then as the guitar is being played the vibration of the strings may be moving the string enough to get it to release some of the slack which is why it may be going out of tune.

Are you using the same strings?...if this same behaviour is happening with different brands of strings then I would look first at the nut and or saddle and in most cases the tuning machines may not be the culprit.

Hi Waddy...yes I am back. Will post info on the Romanillos class separately.

Shawm - congrats on getting in on the last year of the Romanillos cource. The Monastery has sold now so there won't be any more. A real shame, as I'm sure you can attest.

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I had a new nut made by Yuris Zeltins several months ago in conjunction with a refret. The problem preceeded the new nut and was unchanged. When I tune, I finish with a tightening motion, so that if the strings were pinched in the nut and slipped later, they would go sharp, but mine go flat.

Are these tuners 14:1, 15:1 or 16:1?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I just had another thought.  If the gears are worn, try swapping gears from the ones that are going flat to another string, preferably lower tension.  See if the other string then goes flat.  If not, and the original string is ok with the new arrangement, problem solved.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Joshua, thanks...Both Jose and Marion continue to remember you fondly.

I will start a separate thread about the Romanillos course and the monastery being sold...there are other options that are being pursued. I am also looking at purchasing a castle nearby (not Guijosa) that when renovated would be big enough for the workshop AND the museum...

Shawn

I don't know what ratio the keys are. After seeing the various photos on links posted by others, they seem to be fairly standard Gotoh. I am just not sure now which to order, as one source is metric and the other English units. It seems to me that the tiny difference will matter in lining up the holes; although I'm not really sure that the catologs are referring to differnt parts, or just somebody's stab at the size.

Try the gear thing.  I think the english measure at 1 17/32 is, for all practical purposes 79mm (38.894)  I think they are just using english measure out of habit.  I would be willing to bet that no one makes a separate set that is .016 mm different. After all 1/32" = 0.8 mm.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Oh, to check the ratio, put the hole in the sleeve at the top, turn the
handle until the other side of the hole is at the top.  Count the turns
of the knob while doing this then double it.  7 turns = 14:1 - 8 turns
= 16:1 - 7.5 turns = 15:1

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I am trying something, and I will let you know after I get results. Firt, I figured for $3.50, it couldn't hurt to change the rollers.   Postage was $8.00, but the rollers were ugly, although not slipping. I did not realize that the crown gears were worn until I changed the rollers. I couln't find crown gears anywere. Then a light came on. Probaly Gotoh uses the same crown gear and rollers in all of the gold colored machines--just the plate and knobs are different on the different models. So, I ordered a $17.00 set of Gotoh's ($5.00 postage) and I will try switching the parts. If they do not fit, then I will just have the new set for some other guitar, and I will buy a decent set for the Kohno.

I'm guessing you are probably right, but their high end sets are 16:1 and their low end sets are 14:1 as I recall.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars