Grover help

designerseye88

I much prefer the look of Grovers, my LP currently has a set of Klusons but wanting to change to grovers without reeming the holes and I’m after an aged set, can anyone recommend a set that would just drop into the existing holes. Guitar is a 50’s LP so not sure if the holes are different sizes to modern LP’s.

ICBM

If it has the original Kluson pressed-steel tuners without a nut on the front collar, Grover Rotomatics will not fit without reaming.

designerseye88

ICBM said:

If it has the original Kluson pressed-steel tuners without a nut on the front collar, Grover Rotomatics will not fit without reaming.

It’s got I think late 60’s early 70’s Kulsons on it at the moment. But yeah they don’t have a nut

BillDL

If you do decide to change the tuners to Grovers you need to be quite careful when removing the bushings in case it chips the lacquer around the hole.  I have found that the best way to get them out without damaging the lacquer is to use a round shafted screwdriver with a very slightly smaller diameter than the inside of the bushing to gently rotate it inside the bushing until it lifts out enough to grip with my fingers or enable it to be gently pushed out from the underside.  Some are not very tight and can be carefully pushed out from the underside of the headstock with a wooden dowell of matching diameter or a round metal tool with a diameter that is a good match for the hole, like a socket extension with a rounded over square end.  Thick Philips screwdrivers can dent the end of the bushing or flare it out.

If you ever want to put the Klusons back onto it, you can get adapter bushings with thicker walls that push into the enlarged holes.

SteveRobinson

BillDL said:

If you ever want to put the Klusons back onto it, you can get adapter bushings with thicker walls that push into the enlarged holes.

Better than that, you only need to ream from the back part-way through. You can leave the face of the headstock intact so the old bushes can be reused should you wish.

ICBM

SteveRobinson said:

Better than that, you only need to ream from the back part-way through. You can leave the face of the headstock intact so the old bushes can be reused should you wish.

Stewmac do a beautiful tool for this job - it self-centres and depth stops in the old hole so it does the job perfectly every time.

In my opinion it’s by far the best way to fit larger machineheads even if you never want to refit smaller bushings - it holds the collar more rigidly in the front face of the headstock and prevents the shaft tilting.