Hardrock69
05-23-2010, 12:32 AM
Changing strings on my Flying V last night. Came with those sorry Klusens with the suck-looking 'perloid' keys. I dig the shape of them, sort of 'bat-wing' in a way, but hate the plastic to begin with, and I feel they look like shit.
So anyway, had all the strings changed except the low E....was winding it up, and suddenly the tension in the string went completely slack.
WTF?
So I turned the thing over, and the fucking back had come off the machine head cover (that covers the gears on the back of the headstock). Took the entire thing off, and looked at it. Could not see how the hell they kept the back on the tuning machine assembly, other than 'pressing it on'.
So went online shopping today. Looked at Grovers, Shallers, etc.
Finally decided on "Gibson Modern Nickel Machine Heads With Metal Buttons" (description on Guitar Center website).
http://i50.tinypic.com/2lxe4cl.jpg
They want $69.99 for a set. Went to Guitar Center. Of course they do not carry them at the store.
While I was there, I noticed a mahogany-finish 1975 Gibson Flying V in the vintage room. Actually said "Vintage 1975 Gibson Flying V" on the tag. They wanted $4,750 for it. Made me mad I still do not have my 1975 Gibson Flying V. And, definitions be damned, to me 'vintage' guitars are those before 1970. Seems really stupid to see tags on guitars that read 'vintage 1980 Stratocaster'.
But I digress.
So on the way home I decided to stop at Rock Block guitars in Gnashville.
http://i45.tinypic.com/14y50ew.jpg
Seems they may have changed owners recently, as their guitar selection is pretty crummy compared to what it used to be, but, they have an incredible inventory of replacement parts and pickups of all kinds, as well as the most extreme inventory of stomp boxes I have ever seen, with tons of stomp boxes by companies nobody ever heard of. And also an amazing selection of T-shirts, with lotsa blues and jazz artists on them, sometimes rare stuff like Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Gene Krupa, etc. that you never see anywhere except on the net, or in shops along Beale Street in Memphis.
Anyway, I checked out all their inventory of tuning machine heads....found the exact same thing I was looking for (by All Parts) for 35 bucks. And, unlike the giant RETAILers, Rock Block seem to always have great prices. I got some EMGs for my Fender Jazz Bass there a few years back, and I paid much less than I would have at GC or Sam Ash.
I put those replacements on tonight, and I am back to rocking out. No real difference in tone, seems to be a bit more sustain, but that could just be due to the new strings.
The only complaint I have is that the design specs do not allow for the screw mounting holes on the machine head itself to align perfectly with the holes from the original Klusen. But, it was close enough that they worked out, and I am once again, a happy camper.
I have noticed that the Epiphone line all have these newer-type tuners, some with rounded Grover-type keys on them, others (like my Korina V & Explorer) have the bat-wing keys on them.
Those old Klusens suck fucking ass.
Gotta love the small guitar shops owned by individuals, not idiot corporate fuckheads who know nothing about music.
Thus endeth the story-tale of guitar repair.
Shut up Garfuckle.
So anyway, had all the strings changed except the low E....was winding it up, and suddenly the tension in the string went completely slack.
WTF?
So I turned the thing over, and the fucking back had come off the machine head cover (that covers the gears on the back of the headstock). Took the entire thing off, and looked at it. Could not see how the hell they kept the back on the tuning machine assembly, other than 'pressing it on'.
So went online shopping today. Looked at Grovers, Shallers, etc.
Finally decided on "Gibson Modern Nickel Machine Heads With Metal Buttons" (description on Guitar Center website).
http://i50.tinypic.com/2lxe4cl.jpg
They want $69.99 for a set. Went to Guitar Center. Of course they do not carry them at the store.
While I was there, I noticed a mahogany-finish 1975 Gibson Flying V in the vintage room. Actually said "Vintage 1975 Gibson Flying V" on the tag. They wanted $4,750 for it. Made me mad I still do not have my 1975 Gibson Flying V. And, definitions be damned, to me 'vintage' guitars are those before 1970. Seems really stupid to see tags on guitars that read 'vintage 1980 Stratocaster'.
But I digress.
So on the way home I decided to stop at Rock Block guitars in Gnashville.
http://i45.tinypic.com/14y50ew.jpg
Seems they may have changed owners recently, as their guitar selection is pretty crummy compared to what it used to be, but, they have an incredible inventory of replacement parts and pickups of all kinds, as well as the most extreme inventory of stomp boxes I have ever seen, with tons of stomp boxes by companies nobody ever heard of. And also an amazing selection of T-shirts, with lotsa blues and jazz artists on them, sometimes rare stuff like Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Gene Krupa, etc. that you never see anywhere except on the net, or in shops along Beale Street in Memphis.
Anyway, I checked out all their inventory of tuning machine heads....found the exact same thing I was looking for (by All Parts) for 35 bucks. And, unlike the giant RETAILers, Rock Block seem to always have great prices. I got some EMGs for my Fender Jazz Bass there a few years back, and I paid much less than I would have at GC or Sam Ash.
I put those replacements on tonight, and I am back to rocking out. No real difference in tone, seems to be a bit more sustain, but that could just be due to the new strings.
The only complaint I have is that the design specs do not allow for the screw mounting holes on the machine head itself to align perfectly with the holes from the original Klusen. But, it was close enough that they worked out, and I am once again, a happy camper.
I have noticed that the Epiphone line all have these newer-type tuners, some with rounded Grover-type keys on them, others (like my Korina V & Explorer) have the bat-wing keys on them.
Those old Klusens suck fucking ass.
Gotta love the small guitar shops owned by individuals, not idiot corporate fuckheads who know nothing about music.
Thus endeth the story-tale of guitar repair.
Shut up Garfuckle.