SORTED: Sourcing Schaller M6 tuners for EBMM Silhouette

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TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
edited April 2021 in Making & Modding
The tuners on my 1989 Silhouette need replacing. I'm looking to just swap out the Schaller M6 180s on it for a new set, but because of the way the headstock works, I need 4 lefts and 2 rights. That means I can't buy a prepackaged set, but need to buy 6 individual tuners.

Anyone here know who I can go to in the UK to source this? Schaller has a web shop but I'd prefer to buy local if I can. 

Ta! 
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Comments

  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    Have you spoken to the UK EBMM distributors, Strings & Things? They may be able help but be warned, if it's coming from the US, they quoted me an 8-10 week wait on some pickups.

    I hope you get a result
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  • TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
    Ta for the suggestion. Schallers are made in Germany. In fact, the ones on the guitar right now were made in West Germany.
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited March 2021
    Ta for the suggestion. Schallers are made in Germany. In fact, the ones on the guitar right now were made in West Germany.
    Yep, but S&T being the UK distributor for EBMM might mean they have stocks of what you want in the 4:2 configuration as although I can't think of an EBMM without that configuration, a lot of them for sale seem to be 6-aside, unless that works (don't know).

    Other than that, buying from the Schaller shop at £17 a tuner might be the way to go for what you want OR/ you might get lucky on Ebay, Reverb or on here
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  • TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
    Kebabkid said:
    Ta for the suggestion. Schallers are made in Germany. In fact, the ones on the guitar right now were made in West Germany.
    Yep, but S&T being the UK distributor for EBMM might mean they have stocks of what you want in the 4:2 configuration as although I can't think of an EBMM without that configuration, a lot of them for sale seem to be 6-aside, unless that works (don't know).

    Other than that, buying from the Schaller shop at £17 a tuner might be the way to go for what you want OR/ you might get lucky on Ebay, Reverb or on here
    OK, I slightly misunderstood you. Good idea. 

    EBMM Central at the factory couldn't tell me what they'd fitted onto my Silhouette 32 years ago when I asked them. They now fit locking tuners on everything, I think, but I'm just looking to replace with the same. I had to take one off and get the ruler out to check it against the Schaller website info. 
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    Rockinger.com does them as packaged 4+2 sets.

    Schaller sell 'heads individually via their webshop. When I tried a dry run to research prices, the site refused to cooperate with my smartphone browser.
    Be seeing you.
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
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  • Pre-Brexit I've purchased tuners direct from Schaller without problem, but they don't do a 4+2 set - if buying from them you'll need to order a 3+3 set plus an individual tuner, so will obviously have a spare, but it might be cheaper than buying through EBM who will apply their own markup. Of course, if only one or two tuners need to be replaced it may be practical just to order a few singles. It's an expensive way to buy tuners (compared to a set) but may be cheaper overall. 

    I've also purchased stuff from Rockinger in the past and didn't realise they did a 4+2 set. Looks like a decent price for Schallers too. Possibly the cheapest option for a set? 
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  • KittyfriskKittyfrisk Frets: 18389
    @TheBigDipper  Any help to you? Seems a reasonable price & you'll only need the one extra single tuner.
      https://www.muziker.co.uk/schaller-m6-180-3l-3r-solid-21-7-chrome

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  • TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
    @TheBigDipper  Any help to you? Seems a reasonable price & you'll only need the one extra single tuner.
      https://www.muziker.co.uk/schaller-m6-180-3l-3r-solid-21-7-chrome

    Of course, and thank you kindly! The idea of buying a set +1 individual extra left is imaginative. I'm still flapping around with selection right now, as the ones on my guitar are the 23.7 post height rather than the 21.7 you've found for me. But...  I'm wondering what the benefits of a lower post height might be, or even if I could have a staggered set. Or even fit a set of locking tuners after all, just like they're doing with the current guitars. The 4+2 set of locking tuners at Rockinger aren't 180s, so I'd be looking at extra screw holes from the old tuners being visible - but they are the ones EBMM is using today. 

    Decisions, decisions... 
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    THINKS:

    For fixed bridge EBMM guitars, it might be worth making the seventh 'head a Hipshot D-Tuner type. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • GSPBASSESGSPBASSES Frets: 2335
    tFB Trader

    Your life will improve when you realise it’s better to be alone than chase people who do not really care about you. Saying YES to happiness means learning to say NO to things and people that stress you out.

    https://www.facebook.com/grahame.pollard.39/

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  • TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
    Latest status:

    I decided to go for M6 180s with the 21.7mm height instead of the 23.7mm height currently fitted. EBMM uses that height on all their guitars now (as far as I can tell). The only "sets" I could find in the UK were (as helpfully shown above) for the M6 IND locking tuners, which is now the standard EBMM tuner.  I've bought what I wanted direct from Schaller. That bit was easy. They shipped the same day. They're now sitting at Castle Donington, where UPS landed them in the UK almost a week ago. I'm expecting a bill for the unpaid VAT, and possibly a handling charge from UPS, but no customs duty, as they're below the threshold. 



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  • TheBigDipperTheBigDipper Frets: 4722
    Final status. They arrived 8 days after landing in the UK. So far, I've not been asked to pay any VAT or handling fee. The Schaller packaging is very sexy - like the way Apple packages their stuff. I even got a free credit card-sized multitool included! 
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