Most reliable?...Grover Rotomatic's or Tulip tuners for Hummingbird?

[GuitarLight]

My 2013 Gibson Hummingbird has the profusely ugly cold steel Grover rotomatics installed from the factory...(what gibson was thinking of putting these ugly things on a Hummingbird is beyond me).....But I would like to change over to the better looking Gibson deluxe tulip machine head tuners...but I have repeatedly read that while they are beautiful, they are also cheap, break easy, wobble during tuning, do not hold tuning well, and are otherwise much more unreliable than the Grover's I presently have on.

 

Which of these two machine types, in your opinion, have you found....or read...to have the most quality and reliability. (Grover rotomatics...or Tulip style machine heads?) Thanks all!

[j45nick]

I have Klusons (both modern and vintage) on a number of guitars, and have not had any problems with them. The type of button--oval or tulip (keystone)--is irrelevant, as the buttons are interchangeable. The basic design means that the string post on the Kluson wobbles slightly until it is under string load, at which point the gears and worm screw fully engage.

 

Functionally, Rotomatics are excellent tuners. They are heavy, and not particularly attractive on a Gibson to my eye. The Kluson-style tuners are not fully sealed like Rotomatics, and do require occasional lubrication (and cleaning, on vintage ones). I've never thought this was a significant drawback.

 

I'm pretty sure they are both made in China now.

 

You want really good tuners? Waverly.

[GuitarLight]

I have Klusons (both modern and vintage) on a number of guitars, and have not had any problems with them. The type of button--oval or tulip (keystone)--is irrelevant, as the buttons are interchangeable. The basic design means that the string post on the Kluson wobbles slightly until it is under string load, at which point the gears and worm screw fully engage.

 

Functionally, Rotomatics are excellent tuners. They are heavy, and not particularly attractive on a Gibson to my eye. The Kluson-style tuners are not fully sealed like Rotomatics, and do require occasional lubrication (and cleaning, on vintage ones). I've never thought this was a significant drawback.

 

I'm pretty sure they are both made in China now.

 

You want really good tuners? Waverly.

 

Thank you J45nick, I really appreciate your input. I will look into the Waverlys also.

[chasAK]

Grover makes a tulip tuner that is not a Rotomatic. It is suppose to be a dope in replacement except for one extra screw hole. I know Stewmac carries them. I don't care for the looks of Rotos on my j45 but have not come up with a good enough reason to replace them. I would read some reviews before purchasing, or maybe someone here has experience with them? Of Couse the waverlys would be much better.

 

 

 

ps I just looked them up on Stewmac. They are called Grover Vintage (135 Series) 3+3 Tuners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[littlejohnny]

My guess is, that gibson puts the grovers on the MC guitars, cause they are more reliable than vintage style tuners and they think the average player wants the most reliable tuners available and here function is more important than looks. A sealed tuner will outlast any open or partially sealed tuner. At least in my limited experience.

 

Still a kluson style tuner will do its work properly and I will always prefer them, cause they just kook better.

 

From my limited experience I can also say that gibson uses different brands of Kluson-style tuners on their guitars.

 

For example my es 335 (which I recently sold :( ) had gibson branded kluson style tuners which didn't work that great. My H'bird TV has kluson style tuner made by Gotoh (guess they are still made in japan) which work really great (best kluson-Style tuner I had so far): I'm even thinking of changing the tonepros I have on my Les Paul to gotohs.

 

Problem with the Gotohs is the diameter is smaller than on the modern style tuners so you will need adapter bushings like those ones.

http://www.rockinger.com/index.php?cat=WG065&product=0437C_0437G&sid3=f414df001794e9be99009cd9175bd54a

Whereas the gibsons and tonepros are offered with different diameters to choose from.

 

 

If you ask for the most reliable kluson style tuner my vote goes to Gotohs.

 

Here are pictures of the tuners I talk about, notice the different casting, the Gotohs are a little rounded, whereas the gibson branded are more rectangular.

Gotohs on TV Bird

 

Gibson branded Klusons on ES 335

 

Tonepros on a Les Paul (not the original tuners)

[Wee Davy]

I went with the Grover 135 nickel. They're a straight swap for Rotomatics and require no alterations.

From what I understand, although they look like vintage machine heads they are built to modern standards.

[ServantOfGod]

I have this on mine: https://www.google.com/shopping/product/5463863857264499667?

 

lsf=seller:1327510,store:17928647966528066956&prds=oid:14608193615088769930&hl=en#oid:14608193615088769930

 

For me they work smoothly than the grovers, plus they make the guitar weighs less. I install them by myself without any problems and carefully did the extra hole with the same screwdriver (not a drill )