Kluson de luxe tuner damage

midlifecrisis

my epi 339 took a fall, the only damage seems to be one of the kluson deluxe tuners the back cover shell has come off. it seems to fit back on with the lug fitting back in the slot but how to i fix it back on so it stays, glue , solder or is it just a case of replacing (dont want to have to do that as they only seem available in complete sets or do you know where i can buy just one) thanks

ICBM

I think those are the machineheads which look like Klusons but aren't - do they have hex nuts and larger washers on the front?

If so these are prone to failing like that - if you're lucky, the pins have popped out of the baseplate and can be re-rivetted with a bit of luck - but they also have a tendency to snap off, in which case you need a new machinehead. You could try soldering it, but I have in the past and it doesn't seem possible to get a good strong bond to the type of alloy used.

Which side is it? I have a few single spares in my parts box, since I go through sets of the things fairly often! I may currently be out of G ones though...

midlifecrisis

they are stamped kluson deluxe so i assumed,there are no hex nuts, just the ferule. i havnt take the peg off guitar. it looks like the pins have snapped flush to the case. i will try soldering. it is the D string one.

midlifecrisis

if you have a spare i can buy off you that would be useful. (they all look the same, three top and three bottom tho)

ICBM

Sorry, I don't have any of those - they very much more rarely break, you must have given it quite a whack!

I think it's unlikely you'll be able to solder it back on, but you could try.

midlifecrisis

ICBM said:

Sorry, I don't have any of those - they very much more rarely break, you must have given it quite a whack!

I think it's unlikely you'll be able to solder it back on, but you could try.

yeah, it fell backward onto a stone tiled floor, made quite a whack. miraculously the tuner seemed to be the only damage, not a scratch otherwise.

ICBM

midlifecrisis said:

yeah, it fell backward onto a stone tiled floor, made quite a whack. miraculously the tuner seemed to be the only damage, not a scratch otherwise.

It's probably a good thing it did break - the machinehead being the 'weakest link' may have saved the headstock.

If you haven't been able to find one by next Thursday I'll see if there's one in the spares box at the shop.

midlifecrisis

@ICBM ;  thanks

midlifecrisis

update, tried soldering but the metal just repelled the solder. mangaged to locate a tuner from a shop. went and collected it took the broken one with to be sure. although looked similar enough when i got it home and tried to fix to guitar, the shaft must be imperceptibly thicker in that it wont go through the metal ferule.   For now i have removed the ferule and just have the tuning post through the headstock which seems to work and be tight enough but looks a bit ugly. either got to find a wider ferule(not a clue where to look, or find another tuner, or somehow increase the hole in the ferule with some special drill or  somehow shave the post down.   all ideas welcome 

ICBM

This can be a problem...

Don't put string tension on it with the ferrule missing - you'll strain the post where it goes into the tuner body.

If you don't have the right size drill to open out the ferrule, your best bet is to take the new tuner and the old ferrule back to the shop and see if they have a ferrule which fits over the shaft but looks like the old ferrule, and is the same diameter where it pushes into the wood.

midlifecrisis

thanks,advice taken. i have managed to drill out the hole in the ferule a bit more (also sending the ferule across the garage a couple of times, people like me should not be allowed to use power tools) and fitted it to the headstock and restrung. all looking good. apart from that,all working, the tuning "tulip" is also slightly smaller, and the top of the string shaft is flat whereas the stock ones are more domed shape. oh well, this gives my guitar a uniqueness that when epiphone issue my signature custom model it can have these peculiarities as standard, like peter greens upside down pickup