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I need to order tuners for the Staufer I'm making. The back, and top are close to size, the ribs are at 2mm, they may get thinner before I bend them. They were not easy to plane; even the spruce. I have wood for the neck, but I need to order some tuners to make the fancy set similar in look to the original from 1828. Like a Fender; 6 on the bass side; knobs below the posts. Looking on Stewmac, so I could order fret stock at the same time, and some white strips for the binding and sound hole rosette, I found a set, but they appeared to have the knobs above the string posts if they were on the bass side. This set says left hand, but it appears to be the way that I want it.

Am I looking at it right? Does left hand mean bass side?

Thanks,

https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/kluson-6-on-plate-left-hand-deluxe-series-tuning-machines-single-line.html

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Why be normal?

Generally "left handed guitar" means the player uses the right hand for chording and left hand for strumming - but that should put the cogs below the posts for "right handed" application.

If you are using gut (or nylon) strings a cheap set of 12 string Taiwanese tuners can give you two sets for less than half the price of one (the open back tuners are reversible) And the plastic buttons are (maybe) a little easier to remove:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acousic-12-str ... Swa39UyfS3
The Klusons are probably a little better made.

That sounds like a good option. What kind of tolerances were the originals made with? And they won't even be seen.

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Why be normal?

I think the originals had reasonably good tolerances for the time period. After almost 200 years they are still working.
One other advantage of the Taiwanese tuners is that they have two sets of string holes, so when you shorten the posts you won't have to re-drill the holes. With that style of open back tuner I have found making adjustments to the fit between the worm and cog to be fairly easy - a few taps with a tack hammer to open or close the worm gear retainers.

Hi Ken,
For simple press fit (glue in) tuner bushings you can use shelf pin sleeves for a vintage appearance.
https://www.widgetco.com/1-4-inch-shelf-pins
If 1/4 inch is too small they also offer them in 7mm.

Yes, if it is built for a right-handed player. Tuning machines are labeled “left” and “right”, as seen from the front of the instrument with headstock up.


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It ends up that sides doesn't matter. When you disassemble them; the ones Clay recommended from Taiwan; you can put them back either way. They seem almost identical to the open back Grover Ukulele tuners I put on my arch top. The posts are for open tuners, but I'll slice them off shorter. The posts for the knobs looks more robust on the Grover's, but I need the straight shaft so I can extend the length of them for what I need.

I have a new drive belt coming for my mini lathe to cut the posts for the strings shorter. It was missing a couple of cogs! No wonder it felt like it was skipping.

The shaft in the photo is backward from where it will be. I had it that way to mark how much extension I need on each one.

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Why be normal?

I got the tuners done yesterday. I got more comfortable with the solder, and added brass caps for the posts. Now I have to figure out how to decorate the cover. I like having everything ready before I start putting things together. Back cover, fretboard/frets, bridge, get the strings and see how the intonation on them goes, figure out the inlay.
I like to know exactly what I'm going to do.

At least the tuners are set.

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Why be normal?

Those are going to look nice. I'm with you, I like to have everything figured out in advance - although sometimes I change my mind

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Nice looking tuners!
In another discussion Bryan Bear was talking about chemically etching metal, which got me to thinking about the possibility of painting the back plate with a resist surface, scribing a design through it and then using acid to etch the design into the plate. Other simple lines could be added with gravers (my hands aren't steady enough to do high quality graving).
But that is one of those "back burner" projects with quite a few ahead of it.