Schaller Grand Tuner bushing

[RJVB]

I've got Schaller Grand Tuners on my Cabaret which look really classy but seem to be prone to buzzing. I haven't yet managed to hunt down the exact source of that but I did have one of the threaded bushings *) come loose after I unwound a string maybe a bit too vigourously with a manual string winder.

These things have a slot that looks like it's meant for a flathead screwdriver, but evidently that won't work because the of peg shaft..

Is there a specific tool to tighten these rascals?

(And does one have to take the tension off for tightening them properly?)

*) I *think* that's what you call the threaded pieces of tubing that hold the peg and its 2 nylon bearings in place...

[Howard Klepper]

That was a bit unclear, but I get what part you are talking about. It's rare but not unheard of for that bushing mount to come loose. They put a thread lock paste on them when they are set at the factory, and if it was done right it would be good for a lifetime.

Yes, it takes a special tool to tighten. It's like an offset screwdriver with a forked tip to get around the shaft between the tuner button and the pillow block. For a while, StewMac would provide one that fit Waverlies, which have a similar design. But they stopped. They didn't work well--it was a piece of stamped sheet metal, and hard to hold or get much torque on it. And they didn't want people messing with those bushings.

I don't think Schaller has ever made their tool for tightening those pieces available. But Schaller is good about replacing any defective hardware. My suggestion would be to contact Eastman's warranty repair shop for the country you live in. They have one in the US, but you spell like a Brit or European and I don't know where your nearest Eastman repair would be.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

That was a bit unclear, but I get what part you are talking about. It's rare but not unheard of for that bushing mount to come loose. They put a thread lock paste on them when they are set at the factory, and if it was done right it would be good for a lifetime.

Yeah, I wasn't certain about the terms, and didn't want to have to remember to ask the question until after I managed to take some pictures.

It'd annoy me to have to go through the hassle of a warranty procedure (undoubtedly involving sending in the guitar) for such a tiny detail which apparently would not be unheard of to return.

If these aren't meant to be serviceable parts I'll just add some (non-permanent, red) Loctite thread lock myself next time one comes lose. And I'll see if I can make my own tool from a screwdriver or matching "U" bit (any idea of the number/dimensions for that?). My experience with those re:torque is that they're not made for anything more than finger tight...

Any ideas where the buzzing might come from? Currently I have one coming and going when I play the 7th harmonic on the 1st string but there's another one that rears its head sometimes on one of the lowest 2 strings and that I can stop by pinching (not very hard) the 6-string peg as if the button needs to be re-seated. Except that pulling on the button with comparable force doesn't bring back the buzz. I can't find any play on any of the components, including the decals on the pinion wheels. I think Alan Carruth told me he once had a problem with something like those decals on a set of other Schaller tuners so maybe I should rip them off and see if there isn't something fish underneath...
With the machine tuners on my paddle heads every potential source of buzzing gets silenced by string tension; is there anything different with slothead tuners in this aspect?