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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I speak specifically about the black or "Ebony" plastic mini's. No less than three in the last year and a half have split along the post to then peel off.
If anyone is suffering from tuning instability on a specific string and you have plastic tuner buttons, this might be a cause. The buttons can begin to split ever so slightly and that little bit will cause issues as the retention screw holding the button on begins to wedge the button apart effecting the button's ability to hold proper tension against the pulling force of the strings.
It causes the string to go flat. You may not notice immediately that button is beginning to split but, it still effects tuning.
I'm wondering if this chronic issue is caused by medium gauge or larger strings that require just a bit more torque.
Anyway, I'm getting bored with replacing them.
HEY! Temp... I need ya, man... |
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Location: SoCal | Call the factory. They might be able to replace them with genuine ebony buttons. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Temp's working on a solution as well....
but as I need to replace the high e tuner on the CustomA as well, I just might drop the kids an inquiring email.... |
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Location: Scotland | Those Schaller mini black plastic fake ebony buttons are crap. Unfortunately they don't do mini's in real wood. Best bet is to replace them with the full size versions which are actual ebony. I've never known those to fail.
Jeff, I'm still working on the exotic hardwood buttons project. Should be done soon. |
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Location: CT | Unless it's a 12 string, then full size buttons won't work. I guess the black ones are suckier than the plastic pealoids? I haven't had problems with those. |
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Location: Scotland | Yes they will. The full size and mini Schaller buttons are compatible with all Schaller M6 type machines. You can put full size buttons on mini machines and mini buttons on full size machines. I've done this on numerous occasions, on my own guitars, and for guitars owned by my customers. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | or go for the metal mini buttons |
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Location: SoCal | Temp, Kim sent me some mini, real ebony buttons. I've got those on the nylon string and full size real ebony buttons on the FD14. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | check |
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| Count me in on the hardwood buttons - anybody know where I can get walnut, applewood or mahogany buttons for my Ute? I can't find anywhere in the Uk. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Temp's working on a variety of hardwood buttons... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | The U681-12 now comes with mini ebony's. So they do exist. Dave |
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Location: Scotland | Still not appearing as spares available to the trade as yet, so they must be new. About time, the plastic versions are a joke.
Still no lead time on the buttons. When they happen I should have Rosewood, Acacia (Koa) Walnut and grained ivoroid. They'll be in standard and mini sizes with brass inserts for M6 shafts. They won't work on Gotoh, Ping or Grover as far as I'm aware. I'll post something when I get an ETA. |
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Location: San Bernardino, California | http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Tuner_parts/Schaller_Replacement... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I believe those are plastic ones. Ebony is the color, not the material. I could be wrong. Dave |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I had the same thing happen to all of mine on my 97 Collectors. Kim sent real ebony replacements gratis. Be sure to take the metal sleave off the post with the plastic buttons. Then the ebonies fit just fine. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Tupperware:
I believe those are plastic ones. Ebony is the color, not the material. I could be wrong. Dave correct, you could be wrong, but in this case you are right. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Grasshoppa 'preciate praise from masta |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Just to be clear...
These ARE the very same buttons, I'm complaining about. They ARE plastic and NOT real ebony. I have a 12 pack (less than that now) of these very buttons in my kit... |
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Location: San Bernardino, California | I guess they must have changed. I was going by some NOS I bought on eBay. |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | I bought the StewMac buttons for my '97 collectors' last year and they are REAL Ebony.
I also bought the StewMac buttons several years ago for my '82 CL 12string...they were also REAL Ebony.
My '97 Collectors' came with black metal buttons that the previous owner had used to replace the plastic buttons. He got the metal ones from Schaller 6-in-line minis. They worked but I wanted the real deal.
I don't know how you guys are getting the plastic ones from StewMac. The only place I've seen them have been on the '97 Collectors. A very bad ingredient on a guitar that is otherwise loaded with beautiful details.
John <>{ |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I have two sets, bought at separate times, still in the StewMac package, purchased over the last year or so...
AND THEY ARE PLASTIC. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Maybe I'm confused. But the price also doesn't seem right, unless I got totally ripped off. I paid $52. for a set of four large ebony buttons for a ukulele. Call me a sucker. Dave |
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Location: SoCal | You're a sucker.... |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | and because they are real wood...
The ones from StewMac... ARE PLASTIC! |
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Location: NJ | |
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Location: Madison, Wisconsin | good point Cliff. |
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Location: East Tennessee | The knobs on my 97 Collectors were the plastic ones.
On the advice of Tony Calman I called Kim Keller and he sent me the real ebony knobs. :cool:
I don't know how Stewmac could advertise ebony and send plastic. I'd give them a call. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | If Stewmac advertised orange buttons, I do not think they would be obligated to send you buttons made out of oranges. Dave |
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| The real PITA is that the ute buttons LOOK plastic.
And I don't suppose that stewmac are so innocent that they call black "ebony" and don't expect people to misunderstand.
And why if the mothership has the real thing weren't they put on the utes originally? |
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Location: ranson,wva | my adamas has ebony buttons...at first i hated the llok of them and put pearliods on it but it just looked wrong...jason |
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Location: NW NJ | My 2080 has REAL ebony buttons... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | My 2080D has metal buttons. Of course they are Waverlys...... |
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Location: Tennessee | I got some ebony buttons from StewMac for my EA68 Viper, and they are real ebony. But they are for the full size Shallers, not the minis. |
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Location: US | I too had plastic minis on my 1997 collectors. When they split (around 1999) I called Ovation and they sent me real ebony replacements - great service and no problems since. |
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Location: ranson,wva | lmi has the ebony buttons for schallers, both full size and minis, i ordered a set today for my 12 string...ill find out in about a week if they are real or not.....jason |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Word is- Schaller is essentially a by-hand operation, as such they take a very long time to get parts to dealers. One place said they were still getting Schaller part orders filled from 2005. So there are vendors out there that carry the real Ebony however, when they go out of stock it can take a year or more to get them back on self. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | UPDATE!
StewMac does have real Ebony buttons in stock! |
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Location: Houston, Texas | A locally owned music store owner told me a week or so ago that Schaller was facing some kind of action concerning environmental contamination from chemicals used in metal plating operations.
I'm sure that probably wouldn't impact ebony tuner availability but he used that as an excuse for not having Schaller tuners in stock and the cost to get them. I took that with a grain of salt. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Still no lead time on the buttons. When they happen I should have Rosewood, Acacia (Koa) Walnut and grained ivoroid. They'll be in standard and mini sizes with brass inserts for M6 shafts. They won't work on Gotoh, Ping or Grover as far as I'm aware. I'll post something when I get an ETA. OK, this has turned out to be a long-term thing but I finally have a lead time. I should have in about 4 to 6 weeks, replacement buttons for Schaller M6 (standard and mini) in Rosewood, American Walnut, grained ivoroid and faux tortoiseshell. I may be able custom order other woods on the current production run if anyone wants anything specific (such as lacewood, Cococobolo, wenge, tulipwood or snakewood, they do not have stocks of Koa at this time, sorry) Send me a PM, but be quick. They'll be around $60 a set, maybe a little more for a custom order, but bear in mind that these are top-quality individually handmade pieces. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Now that seems interesting. I'll send an emasil with my order. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I just called and spoke with a representative from Stewart Mac...these are real ebony (as in real wood) repalcement tuner buttons...hence the cost...He actually got them in his hands to examine them...so, order and enjoy! |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | BTW, Paul, thanks for the work on getting us some choices! Nice assortment...cost is not too bad...go find them somewhere else, right? Thanks! |
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Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by Patch:
I had the same thing happen to all of mine on my 97 Collectors. Kim sent real ebony replacements gratis. Be sure to take the metal sleave off the post with the plastic buttons. Then the ebonies fit just fine. Did the same on my 97 Collectors. No problems since. :cool: |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
OK, this has turned out to be a long-term thing but I finally have a lead time. I should have in about 4 to 6 weeks, replacement buttons for Schaller M6 (standard and mini) in Rosewood, American Walnut, grained ivoroid and faux tortoiseshell. I may be able custom order other woods on the current production run if anyone wants anything specific (such as lacewood, Cococobolo, wenge, tulipwood or snakewood, they do not have stocks of Koa at this time, sorry) Send me a PM, but be quick. They'll be around $60 a set, maybe a little more for a custom order, but bear in mind that these are top-quality individually handmade pieces. Update: These are shipping mid next week. I should have them in around 10 days. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Thanks for the follow-up, Paul...
I've (out of necessity) already replaced the plastic buttons on my FD and Custom A with real Ebony, but I'd consider some for 47 and Pacemaker...
Will your offings be as described above...? |
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Location: Scotland | They will. The walnut minis will look great on a 47. A cool trick with a 12 string is to get a set of six full size and six minis and use use the minis on the octave string. The headstock is less cramped and makes it really quick and easy to identify which tuner is which. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
The walnut minis will look great on a 47. A cool trick with a 12 string is to get a set of six full size and six minis and use use the minis on the octave string.easy to identify which tuner is which. That precisely what I was thinking for the 47...
and that's a great idea for the 12stringer... |
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Location: Japan | Paul, is there a page we can see the various choices at? |
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Location: Scotland | I'll post some pics here as soon as they arrive |
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Location: Scotland | Buttons have arrived, I'll post pics later today. |
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Schaller Mini Tuning Buttons Suck!