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   I bought some beautiful Schaller tuners for my first. (gold w/ ebony buttons). Just recently, after about 3-4 months of service, I started having problems with one of them.

   At first the tuner for the low E wouldn't stay in tune. I never forced the tuner or nothing like that. I just picked up the guitar one day and it wouldn't hold it's tension. I realized that it was loose. I took it off the guitar, tightened the little bolt that holds the button and then it was o.k. I was very careful not to exert too much pressure, mind you.   Now, a few weeks later, there's a rattling sound inside the tuner. When I hit certain notes I get sympathetic vibrations.   

   Let's just say that this is not the kind of performance I would expect from a world class tuning machine. Have any of you ever had a problem like this?

   I'm going to fire off an e-mail to Stew-Mac and see what can be done. I bought the machines last year. I sure hope they can help.

   Thanks in advance. Regards,

   AlainAlain Desforges38882.9125578704

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I hope that's just a fluke. I have two gold/ebony sets that I'm going to use on my current builds. They feel great now, but they're still unmounted. I uses a chrome set on my first and so far I love them.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

LMI refunded me for a faulty set of schaller M6's (one tuner so tight it would grab then slip then grab and slip again making tuning very difficult) and a faulty schaller adjustable TOM bridge (one of the saddle adjustment screws rotated out of it's catchment before ever fitting to a guitar) that I received in the one order about a year ago. Full marks to LMI, I would have no problem at all in giving them the thumbs up for their great service and customer support but I will stick with Gotoh hardware from now on.

Cheers

Kim

I have used them lots of times without ever a single problem. Matter of fact, I put a set of gold with ebony buttons on one of my last guitars that went out, I bought them about a year ago too, from SM, no problems so far. Maybe its just an isolated thing.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I suspect the part of the shaft that holds the main gear in proper fit up to the worm gear that inturn turns the main gear has worn as is allowing the main gear to have too much backlash this would cause the sympathetic vibrations and the inability to hold tension. I had Waverlys do this. It is not a reflection of the maufacturer if is a material failure. this will happen no matter how well the tunner is built. some times weak steel gets through the tightes of QC. I know we build gearboxes used on pumping units in the oil and gas industry. Gears fail shafts fail keys fail. i am sure Schaller or the vendor that sold them to you will be happy to repace the bad tuner. The fact is they will more than likly send you a full set as replacement.

Thanks for your replies guys. I'm sure this is an isolated case. Schaller didn't get to have a superb reputation for nothing.   I guess these kinds of things will happen to any tuning machines, regardless of the company or price point.

   I just wrote an e-mail to Stew-Mac tonight. After reading Hesh's reply, I'm pretty confident the problem will be taken care of.   I'll keep you guys posted.

    Cheers,

    Al

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

As mentioned in the previous thread, I fired a little e-mail off to Stew-Mac last night.   Today I recieved a message from a Larry Anderson. He wrote:

'Alain:

I am sorry to hear there is a problem with one of your tuners. I will send a replacement today at no charge, duty free.

Please contact me if I can be of further assistance.'


Now that's customer service folks! I pleasantly surprised, to say the least.    

Alain Desforges38884.9054398148

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

They've gone and done it again!!!

I have had a number of warenty issues with Stew Mac stuff and they have always been great at replacing the items and sendin them no charge. Unfortunately Canada customs hasn't been as good and has always charged me the Taxes on the item as Stewmac always forgot to indicate on the item that it was a warrenty replacement, no charge. A quick call to Stew Mac and they Credited my account with the amount of taxes charged. They are great..

Yep, a class act, I don't think you guys in the USA know just how good you have it. In general, larger companies in Australia are brutal, customer service is only ever mentioned on their flyers and other junk mail but it is something that is rarely if ever practised, in fact most just treat you with contempt.

When I started using the net to do my shopping off shore I was shocked (pleasantly) at the level of service I received from outfits like Stewmac and LMI. The trouble they will go to getting thing right really is outstanding and the support makes it very comforting to do business with them, even from the other side of the planet.

In truth I would really like to support our own local economy here in AU, but when you are treated so poorly, and ripped off for the privilege, there is just no incentive.

Let them who earn the profit take it.

Cheers all

Kim

Glad everything turned out in your favor bud and Hurray for Stew Mac! Serge Poirier38888.108912037