'83 Love Rock. busted tuners, replacements?

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carlovee

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Hi folks,

Just received a lovely LS-50 Goldtop from Japan. Unfortunately all three tuners on one side were hit during shipping and the back of the turners are loose and unusable. I've heard that its nearly impossible to get the backs on tightly again so....Where can I get replacements? Are there any that look exactly the same? I don't see any at allparts or stew-mac.



Another one with the peg out...



These have the word DELUXE printed on the back below the lube hole.
Thanks for your help.
 
Then those are not the originals, they should say Tokai below the lube hole.
Any replacement will do.
 
jacco said:
Then those are not the originals, they should say Tokai below the lube hole.
Any replacement will do.
Click to expand...

Sorry but don't think that is correct, as year of manufacture plays a part in whether it's "Deluxe" or "Tokai". Same applies for Goldstars.
My 1985 LS50/60 has had Schallers since about '94 but the originals are definitely Deluxe stamped, single ring.

What year is this one carlovee?

[/
 
Excuse me, you're absolutely right Barks. Looks like this changed somewhere in 1982. This guitar is from 1983.
 
Are you in the UK? Axerus have a few options.

http://www.axesrus.co.uk/Vintage-Style-s/1964.htm
 
All my replacement tuners are single line Deluxe types, so that can't be a problem finding them.
 
No worries Jacco. It's *exceedingly* rare for mistakes on your part.

Carlovee, another option is to repair what you have - looking at the pictures the nibs are still intact and not torn.
I have had the backs on my Goldstar come loose like this after a fall and you can get the backs back on with some encouragement. Gently straighten the nibs with needle nose pliers and reassemble. What pokes through on the other side is just bent over the back plate.
Tuners still in use - albeit on a Telecaster now.
 
Thanks for the ideas. Those look exactly correct Barks.

I'd love to save these if possible. I think I can get the tangs straight and back into the slots. Then its just a matters of bending them back without breaking right? I think I read something about heating the tangs with a solder iron first. Would you recommend that?

Unfortunately I think I have bigger problems...

I removed the 3 tuners and this is what I found...



I knew about the crack on top but I thought it stopped at the first tuner. Not so, it goes all the way to the top of the 3rd tuner. Is it time to take it to a luther or is this something I can fix?

thanks again for your help.
 
Yikes. Unless you're confident with woodwork I'd be straight to the luthier with that one. It looks like a clean break which is a lucky thing.

I've never had any regrets about moving to Grovers, and things like this are the reason why! From the looks of those extra holes it seems the original owner had similar ideas at one point...
 
Those extra holes are just anchor points for the original tuners. There is another nib just to the side of the barrel on the wood facing side.

Yes get that repair done by a luthier. Bad luck - yikes indeed! Can you claim anything against the shipping to help fund repair?

As for fixing the tuner, try not bend too much as they can snap. You might find it squeezes back together quite tightly. When I reassembled mine it was a good tight fit, but using a very hot soldering iron I was able to melt some solder down into the joint. Worked well. Yours actually look more repairable than mine where.
 
Hide glue would be best, but because it sets so fast, fishglue or regular Titebond wood glue would be better in this instance.
I would just feed the glue into the crack on a piece of paper and when adequately filled, apply a clamp across the headstock ears
using strips of thin wood or plastic as shields against finish damage.
Only tighten enough to close the opening so as not to damage headstock finish. Wipe away glue that seeps out.
If there isn't any, you probably didn't apply enough glue and should continue filling.

If not confident doing this consult a luthier.

I forgot to mention, tuner cover tabs can only be bent and straightened two or three times before tabs tend to break off.
I don't think heat would change that, but it's worth a shot.
It's just a brittle alloy, so don't bend or straighten tabs any more than necessary,
bend slowly and with as little force as possible.
 
Thanks for all the advice. Here's the update...



Wood glue was too thick so I used some glue I bought at nearby art supply place, Zap-a-Gap. Pricey crazy glue I think but it worked.

As for the tuners...After monkeying around with pliers and a vise for a while I ended up holding them down on a wood workbench while my friend used a small mallet to hit the tabs with a punch.

They're tight now and turn well.

Thanks for the help. This Tokai is turning into a project (I noticed the nut is loose) but I'm still happy with it. I've always wanted a naturally relic'ed goldtop.

I plan to pop some SD Antiquities in at some point, I'm set on nickel covers, but I have to say that the stock pickups aren't bad sounding.

-carlovee
 
Zap a gap is basically just runny superglue (cyanoacrylate). It's strong and, importantly, wicks very well. Not how I would have done it but it should hold up well.
 
Well the project guitar keeps on, huh, projecting. :lol:

Upon closer inspection the bridge is clearly sagging. What is the proper replacement bridge for a '83 LS-50?

I would guess a gotoh tune-o-matic with post spacing of 73.82mm like this?
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_Tune-o-matic_bridges/Gotoh_Tune-o-matic_Bridge_with_Standard_Posts.html

Is that correct? Any other options?

thanks
 
You could use a vise to restore the current bridge. Dan Erlewine describes the method in one of his books.

I would recommended a Faber or tone pros locking replacement, or a Callahan steel bridge which is not locking but is said to be un-saggable.
 
I used a vise and bent it back into shape. I'd say I got it about 90% of the way there. I had a strong feeling that one more turn of the vice was going to break the small tuner hole on the D or G so I stopped.

It will most likely need to be replaced it but its been interesting to try and reuse the parts.

The fabers look great. I believe I need the 'Nashville' model for this Tokai is that correct?
 
The tone-lock version is universal. If you're not getting the locking version then it's the ABRM that you want, not the Nashville.
 

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