Question about the tuners on my '48 J-50

[bayoubengal1954]

Some of you who followed my earlier thread know that I recently purchased a '48 J-50. The signs pointing to it being a '48 are the FON, Block (not script) logo and the small rectangular bridge. I do find the tuners curious, though. They are the three on a plate style Klusons with exposed gears and "Kluson Mfg Chicago" and "Pat." stamped into the plate in a circle around the attachment screws.

 

According to guitarHQ.com the '42 J-45's and the small run of original J-50's had tuners that "were 3-on-a-plate Klusons with exposed gears and "Kluson Mfg Chicago" and "Pat." stamped into the plate in a circle around the attachment screws, plastic buttons (usually white but sometimes black), and 1/4" diameter posts. This style of tuner lasts into early 1943 (FON 2221 last documented series with this tuner style)". (emphasis mine)

The site later goes on to say that by '43 the "Kluson tuners no longer had circle stamp (still exposed gears, but riveted instead of screwed in place) and shaft size decreased to 7/32" to save metal".

Here are the tuners on my guitar. Maybe you can't read it but they definitely sport the "Kluson Mfg Chicago" and "Pat." stamped into the plate in a circle around the attachment screws.

 

I've got three theories as to what happened:

 

1.) These are the original tuners shipped with the guitar in '48 and they had some of the of the old tuners from '42 lying around and used them on this guitar.

2.) These are not the original tuners shipped with the guitar, but someone replaced them with some old ones from '42 along the way (seems odd but I guess possible).

3.) The information from the website is incorrect.

 

I don't really care if they are original (they work great by the way), because this guitar is a player, not collectible. Just nerding out on the historical aspect.

 

Any other theories?

[jedzep]

Of course, there really would be no way of finding the answer, so you may as well call them original. If they are replacements at least someone paid attention to period correctness.

 

Were it mine, I would remove the guard, sand it down to dirty blond, seal it and lacquer in satin. Either way, you have a keeper.

[zombywoof]

Those tuners might just have been leftovers. My 1942 J-540 has those tuners while my 1946 LG-2 has the double rivet open gear Klusons with a single circular stamp on the underside of the plate.

[bayoubengal1954]

Those tuners might just have been leftovers. My 1942 J-50 has those tuners while my 1946 LG-2 has the double rivet open gear Klusons with a single circular stamp on the underside of the plate.

That's the theory I'm leaning towards, zw.

[Zentar]

The screws jn the gears look immaculate. Like they are recent. Super nice looking and sturdy looking. Get you a set of digital calipers to measure the shafts. It will tell you what you have.

 

BTW you can measure string gague with the calipers.

[Martin 1940D28]

This is something I wouldn't worry a bit about.

[bayoubengal1954]

This is something I wouldn't worry a bit about.

 

I agree. I'm not worried about it. I'm just guitar nerd!

[Zentar]

I agree. I'm not worried about it. I'm just guitar nerd!

 

I know what you mean. It's super interesting to study into guitars made long ago. It tells a rich story. I have a 50s Harmony archtop I was able to date to the very month it was built by researching tiny clues. All the hardware was German made. Found some neat b&w fotos of the factory from that time showing the craftsmen who made my very guitar

[bayoubengal1954]

I know what you mean. It's super interesting to study into guitars made long ago. It tells a rich story. I have a 50s Harmony archtop I was able to date to the very month it was built by researching tiny clues. All the hardware was German made. Found some neat b&w fotos of the factory from that time showing the craftsmen who made my very guitar

 

Now THAT is very cool!