Confused About Grover Rotomatics

Duppy03

I’ve been looking to buy a set of Grovers for my Gibson but am pretty baffled by models and prices etc.

The price of the standard 102 model seems to fluctuate wildly from varying sellers. And are the Grovers you get on a fairly inexpensive Epiphone SG model the same as you get on an expensive Gibson 335?

historyisjunk

I'm not an expert in these & I don't know what the kind on the Epiphones are like. What I would say is be careful, if they're really cheap they're probably fakes. You might find that even after import "handling charges"; VAT; carriage that you might get a good deal on some from the US as they are not that expensive there- it's getting them here that bumps them up. It'd probably be marginal though.

I think a good way to tell the fakes is they don't have properly cast buttons, there's videos on YouTube about telling the difference.

BTW, if your Gibson has the Kluson type tuners with the smaller bushings you'll need to ream the holes out to take the Grovers, but you probably know that.

There seem to be two basic models, the usual Rotomatics with the larger casing & flatter foot print for contact on the back of the head-

http://www.amberguitar.com/3_grover

And the older design "Milk Bottle" type-

https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Tuning_Machines/Solid_Peghead_Guitar_Tuning_Machines/Grover_Milk_Bottle_Rotomatic_102V_Series_3and3_Tuners.html

You can get locking versions of the former (standard on a lot of modern Gibsons) & also keystone shaped metal buttons instead of the kidney bean round ones.

Aesthetically I like the milk bottles best.

Duppy03

Oh no! I didn't realise fake ones were a 'thing' too.

The Gibson I've got (a Midtown) originally came with Grovers but got refitted with big nasty Gotohs and I'd like to go back to kidney style Rotomatics.

GluedtoMusic

The RRP in the UK for a set of 102 chrome is £94.99, Epiphone will take them direct from the factory which allows them to be installed on their more affordable models.

Duppy03

@historyisjunk I like the milk bottles more too from an aesthetic point of view.

Come to think of it I think I’ve got a set of 70’s Grovers an old Tanglewoid up in the loft. I’ll dig it out and see what they’re like.

I’ve also found some one selling a set of new chrome 102’s for under £40, should I suspicious? They look to be in legitimate packaging but I guess that would easy to fake too

Duppy03

@GluedtoMusic interesting, so the Grovers alone are nearly worth half the value of some Epiphones if they were purchased as after market timers seperatley?

And from what you say they’re no different to what you’ll find on £2k Gibson?

historyisjunk

@Duppy03 if you want to post or PM a link to the used ones I'll give you my inexpert opinion (I have spent a long time looking at this crap, but I don't know near everything there is to know) I also assure you I won't buy them out from under you!

Will be back in a couple of hours.

cheers

ICBM

I may be wrong but as far as I understand it, the ones used on factory far-east guitars are made there under licence, and not available to buy aftermarket.

GluedtoMusic

Duppy03 said:

I’ve also found some one selling a set of new chrome 102’s for under £40, should I suspicious? They look to be in legitimate packaging but I guess that would easy to fake too

Would be hard to know until you had them in your hand, they could have been bought from the US years ago with no import duty and VAT.

Duppy03 said:

@GluedtoMusic interesting, so the Grovers alone are nearly worth half the value of some Epiphones if they were purchased as after market timers seperatley?

And from what you say they’re no different to what you’ll find on £2k Gibson?

There are substantial economies of scale to production line guitars, Epiphone will get a box of 1000 tuners, 1000 bridges, 1000 pickups etc. so the guitar price isn't really comparable to a set of tuners prepared for retail sale (the price of Epiphones is incredible really).

The tuners will be the same as those on USA Gibsons yeah.

roberty

Shameless self promotion http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138415/tuning-pegs-grover-rotomatic-3ps-chrome-tulips-stoptail-studs#latest

Duppy03

roberty said:

Shameless self promotion http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138415/tuning-pegs-grover-rotomatic-3ps-chrome-tulips-stoptail-studs#latest

Great price, but I'm after kidney button style ones

rico

Axesrus have them in chrome for £55...