Finally got white button tuners for my J-45

[The dman]

I know it's a non issue to some people but I've never liked the looks of the Rotomatic tuners on my J-45 so I decided to change them to these (Gotoh SXN510V-M5 Electric/Acoustic Guitar Premium Tuners IVORY 3x3 - NICKEL) I installed them yesterday and the install was a breeze. All I had to do is drill an extra hole for each peg but other than that they were drop and replace.

I love the look and unless it's my imagination the guitar seems a little more balanced when I use a strap, not so weighty on the neck.

[jedzep]

Perfect!  They should all look like that classic shape, white, cream, or black, the way I see it.   That goes for Martin, too! 

Is that a 'zero-fret' set up?
 

Edited August 27, 2022 by jedzep

[The dman]

1 hour ago, jedzep said:

Perfect!  They should all look like that classic shape, white, cream, or black, the way I see it.   That goes for Martin, too! 

Is that a 'zero-fret' set up?
 

 No it's the standard nut. I've never noticed it before except for this picture

[jedzep]

Looks odd to me.  Maybe someone in the know will clarify.  Is that a new guitar?

I've installed 'zero-fret' system on a few.  I like the little extra zing you get.

[The dman]

2 minutes ago, jedzep said:

Looks odd to me.  Maybe someone in the know will clarify.  Is that a new guitar?

I've installed 'zero-fret' system on a few.  I like the little extra zing you get.

It's a 2022 J-45 Standard

[jedzep]

Can't find anything like it on Reverb or Ebay.  Definitely a metal nut, right? 

[Dave F]

It has nut slots but definitely doesn't look standard but I've never bought a lefty

[The dman]

35 minutes ago, jedzep said:

Can't find anything like it on Reverb or Ebay.  Definitely a metal nut, right? 

No it's Tusq

[jedzep]

That's a crazy photo.  Tusq should look pretty much the color of the buttons.

[62burst]

24 minutes ago, Dave F said:

It has nut slots but definitely doesn't look standard but I've never bought a lefty

'Could be the lighting(?). But oh yes Dman, put those tuners & hardware in a plastic bag and give it a heft. . . you've definitely lightened things up by losing those Rotos.

. . . and you might be able to lose the "hubcaps" off of the face of the headstock with the addition of the appropriate tuner bushings.

[The dman]

1 minute ago, 62burst said:

'Could be the lighting(?). But oh yes Dman, put those tuners & hardware in a plastic bag and give it a heft. . . you've definitely lightened things up by losing those Rotos.

. . . and you might be able to lose the "hubcaps" off of the face of the headstock with the addition of the appropriate tuner bushings.

Yes I do think it's the light and the angle that the picture was taken. It doesn't look like that to the naked eye

[The dman]

5 minutes ago, jedzep said:

That's a crazy photo.  Tusq should look pretty much the color of the buttons.

The new J-45 nuts are black. I had a 2013 that had a white nut but my friend had a 2016 that had the black nut

[jedzep]

Right...or black.  I always like the look of matching button/nut/saddle and pins.

[Brucebubs]

2 hours ago, 62burst said:

'Could be the lighting(?). But oh yes Dman, put those tuners & hardware in a plastic bag and give it a heft. . . you've definitely lightened things up by losing those Rotos.

. . . and you might be able to lose the "hubcaps" off of the face of the headstock with the addition of the appropriate tuner bushings.

Those new tuners are open back but they have a screw in bushing like sealed gear tuners so they use the washer and nut.

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Brucebubs

[62burst]

1 hour ago, Brucebubs said:

Those new tuners are open back but they have a screw in bushing like sealed gear tuners so they use the washer and nut.

doh. Going sans washer on screw-in bushing could definitely make a mess out of the headstock. The Gotohs do look nice, though. 

Are the tuners on the Legend (below) press-fit ?  : 

[philfish]

I saw these tuners a few years ago when I was looking to replace the grovers on my Guild, that I installed years ago.

I could not find a supplier who had them, good to see there available 

[Brucebubs]

37 minutes ago, 62burst said:

doh. Going sans washer on screw-in bushing could definitely make a mess out of the headstock. The Gotohs do look nice, though. 

Are the tuners on the Legend (below) press-fit ?  : 

No washers so I'd say yes, press fit. Only Martin were silly enough to fit washers with press fit bushings - the bushings couldn't sit home properly, they sat too high, the washers came loose and created buzzing noise - simple remedy was remove bushing, throw away washer, re-fit bushing!

[RBSinTo]

17 hours ago, The dman said:

I know it's a non issue to some people but I've never liked the looks of the Rotomatic tuners on my J-45 so I decided to change them to these (Gotoh SXN510V-M5 Electric/Acoustic Guitar Premium Tuners IVORY 3x3 - NICKEL) I installed them yesterday and the install was a breeze. All I had to do is drill an extra hole for each peg but other than that they were drop and replace.

I love the look and unless it's my imagination the guitar seems a little more balanced when I use a strap, not so weighty on the neck.

 

dman,

You're right.

For me it's a non-issue.

My guitars all have whatever the standard issue tuners  were when they were made, and they work very well keeping the strings in tune, so I'm not prepared to waste money swapping them out. Besides, the guitars all look very nice as they are currently configured, so why would I bother?

RBSinTo

 

[fortyearspickn]

1 hour ago, RBSinTo said:

dman,

You're right.

For me it's a non-issue.

My guitars all have whatever the standard issue tuners  were when they were made, and they work very well keeping the strings in tune, so I'm not prepared to waste money swapping them out. Besides, the guitars all look very nice as they are currently configured, so why would I bother?

RBSinTo

 

Agree.   I love customizing some things, but not my guitars. I understand those with electrics will want to make changes - depending on the model, age, price, etc.  But for my acoustics, as long as the tuners work and aren't butt-ugly,  the ones the maker put on stay.  I do swap out plastic pins for bone with abalone inlays though.  But that doesn't require reaming out the tuner holes in the headstock or adding screw holes and washers.  As far as weight ...  I'm sure I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The guitar is either hanging on a strap or perched on my lap.   But, I will admit - white oval buttons seem to be made for sunburst j45s.  Regardless, mine has gold and those are staying. 

[RBSinTo]

15 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Agree.   I love customizing some things, but not my guitars. I understand those with electrics will want to make changes - depending on the model, age, price, etc.  But for my acoustics, as long as the tuners work and aren't butt-ugly,  the ones the maker put on stay.  I do swap out plastic pins for bone with abalone inlays though.  But that doesn't require reaming out the tuner holes in the headstock or adding screw holes and washers.  As far as weight ...  I'm sure I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The guitar is either hanging on a strap or perched on my lap.   But, I will admit - white oval buttons seem to be made for sunburst j45s.  Regardless, mine has gold and those are staying. 

FYP.,

White oval buttons?

Nah.

My 2001 j-45 (standard/plain/regular/run-of-the-mill/garden variety/general issue-I still can't figure out which model it is supposed to be) has the little white oval buttons, while my bud's 50 year-old j-45 has the tulip-shaped tuner buttons, and I think his look much better than mine.

 But again, both sets work equally well  keeping the instruments in tune, so there are no plans by either of us to make any changes.

RBSinTo

Edited August 28, 2022 by RBSinTo

[Dave F]

21 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Agree.   I love customizing some things, but not my guitars. I understand those with electrics will want to make changes - depending on the model, age, price, etc.  But for my acoustics, as long as the tuners work and aren't butt-ugly,  the ones the maker put on stay.  I do swap out plastic pins for bone with abalone inlays though.  But that doesn't require reaming out the tuner holes in the headstock or adding screw holes and washers.  As far as weight ...  I'm sure I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The guitar is either hanging on a strap or perched on my lap.   But, I will admit - white oval buttons seem to be made for sunburst j45s.  Regardless, mine has gold and those are staying. 

I don't mind doing any customizing on newer guitars that can be reversed on both my acoustics and electrics. Basket-case guitars are open to anything. 

I definitely like the white buttons on J-45's unless it's one of those fancy models with special trim and inlays.

[ratherbwalkn]

"and you might be able to lose the "hubcaps" off of the face of the headstock with the addition of the appropriate tuner bushings."

+1

[dhanners623]

I don’t get the reluctance to make upgrades/improvements to acoustic guitars, either for sonic or aesthetic reasons. Since getting my J-35 Reissue in 2016, I have:

— Switched out the stock tuners for better ones from Golden Age Restoration;

— Had the hefty Baggs Element system (and associated battery and wiring) removed and had the guitar wired to accept a Baggs M1;

— Had the ill-fitting Tusq saddle replaced with a properly fitted Bob Colosi bone saddle;

— Replaced the Tusq nut with one of ebony;

— Ditched the plastic bridge pins in favor of camel bone pins.

All of those improved the sound and/or functionality of the guitar, at least to my ear. And my ear is the one that counts….

[The dman]

4 hours ago, dhanners623 said:

I don’t get the reluctance to make upgrades/improvements to acoustic guitars, either for sonic or aesthetic reasons. Since getting my J-35 Reissue in 2016, I have:

— Switched out the stock tuners for better ones from Golden Age Restoration;

— Had the hefty Baggs Element system (and associated battery and wiring) removed and had the guitar wired to accept a Baggs M1;

— Had the ill-fitting Tusq saddle replaced with a properly fitted Bob Colosi bone saddle;

— Replaced the Tusq nut with one of ebony;

— Ditched the plastic bridge pins in favor of camel bone pins.

All of those improved the sound and/or functionality of the guitar, at least to my ear. And my ear is the one that counts….

I also got rid of the Baggs pickup and got a K&K installed.   

[Murph]

Those look great, but I'm happy with the worn gold ones on my J-45.

I never look at them unless I'm tuning.