Gibson101 Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Thinking about ordering up a pair of 18:1 Grover Rotomatics for my J-45 Rosewood, I'm assuming it came with the 14:1 version. These tuners have always been kind of sloppy anyone have any luck with the 18:1 version? I'm also wondering if it would help the set I have on now to tighten the "tension screw"? Problem is I can't find the tension screw and google has not been my friend today. If you have any experience with tightening these things up PLEASE help me out. Is it behind the black dot of rubber? Also if I decide to do the swap someday can you confirm the full size Rotomatics from Stew Mac are the ones I need to order? http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead_tuners/Grover_Tuners/Grover_Full-size_Rotomatics.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=5354 Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson101 Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Also any other suggestions for tuning machines that would fit without any alterations would be great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I'm also wondering if it would help the set I have on now to tighten the "tension screw"? Problem is I can't find the tension screw. . . Could it be the ones on the top of the 'propellers'. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickax Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I like to Tonepro Kluson's on 45's. They will require a oversized bushing to fit in place of the Grover bushing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I personally think Grover Roto's are as out of place on a J45 as a duck out of water ! Why Gibson ever used these is beyond me. If it was my guitar I'd first look into seeing if three on a plate Klusons would fit, if that won't work then I'd go with Grover Sta Tites of Waverly's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I personally think Grover Roto's are as out of place on a J45 as a duck out of water ! Why Gibson ever used these is beyond me. Agreed. To me, the Grover Rotos are one of the ugliest machine heads out there. And they're heavy to boot! Sure, they may function well, but at what price?!? My 165 had mini-Rotos and they had to go......immediately if not sooner. Installed a set of ivoroid button Waverlys with a reducer bushing and the guitar feels (and looks) much better. (ps.......tension adjustment on the Rotos is the screw through the button) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Count me among the crowd that believes Grover Rotomatics look out of place on a J-45. It's like you've got this great red-brick building with beautiful turn-of-the-century architecture and then you plop a big modern microwave tower on top of it. It just doesn't look right. The 3-on-a-plate Klusons are a good choice. My issue with them, though, is that the white plastic buttons always look too stark to me. (You can tone down the white with brown shoe polish, though; they tell you how on the StewMac website.) If you want to go the expense, you can't do better than Waverlys. They make one with an ivoroid knob that would look great on a J-45. I know some people balk at the cost of Waverlys, but as one of the planet's big cheapskates, I can attest that they are worth it. They are a cut above as far as tuners go. I've had some on guitars in the past and they're smooth as can be and really do make tuning easier. That said, I stuck a set of Golden Age Restoration tuners on my '98 J-45 and have been really happy with them. They are very smooth and look like what J-45 tuners ought to look like: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_solid_peghead_tuners/Golden_Age_Restoration_Tuners_for_Solid_Peghead_Guitar/Golden_Age_Restoration_1920s_style_Tuners_for_Solid_Peghead_Guitar.html Since you had Grovers in there, though, you might need a set of conversion bushings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson101 Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thanks for the replies, I have been looking into a set of Waverly tuners, I was initially worried about the extra bushing I needed to buy, I think I have it all figured out and after reading an article on the swap out for Grovers, I think I can do it. Now I just need to decide butter bean or the ivoroid button tuners. thanks for the info, has anyone done one of these swaps themselves? I just wish they were a little cheaper, I will most likely keep things as they are for now. Thanks for the heads up Buc looking forward to trying that out when I get home tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've done the swap myself and if you've got the conversion bushings, it is relatively easy. Here's StewMac's how-to on it: http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0056.html Keep in mind you really don't need the fancy-schmancy tools they show. Usually, you can do it with a drill (to drill the pilot holes for the screws) and a screwdriver. Some people go to the extent of filling the screw holes for the old tuners, but some don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson101 Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've done the swap myself and if you've got the conversion bushings, it is relatively easy. Here's StewMac's how-to on it: http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0056.html Keep in mind you really don't need the fancy-schmancy tools they show. Usually, you can do it with a drill (to drill the pilot holes for the screws) and a screwdriver. Some people go to the extent of filling the screw holes for the old tuners, but some don't. That was exactly what I had read earlier, thanks. The reason I think it looks easier than I thought is because it appears that the Rotomatics screw is in the exact spot for the bottom screw on the waverly tuners so I shouldn't have to fill any holes. I went ahead and tightened up the Rotomatics on my J-45, they seem to be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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