Tuning Gear Question For Mica and The Club

[poor_nigel]

OK - If anyone is still paying attention to this thread - I will donate a tuner, or set, to Bucky simply for trying so hard.  HOWEVER - they are chrome and off sixties Gibsons.  It is late and dark in my room and I am not moving a ton of cabs and racks to dig some out to check, unless I know Mr. Bucky is still in need of this.  The possible bad news is that althought they are physically what you are looking for, they may have a 'G' instead of an 'S' on their backs.  AND you will need to have it/them (depends on my mood, which is always better than Fat Dawg's!!!) gold plated.  If Mica reads this and does score some gold ones from Schaller, I would pay big for an original gold plated set, regardless of which initial it has on the back side.  Are we havin' fun yet?

[bucky]

poor_nigel:
 
That is a *REALLY* awesome offer Nigel. And if anyone contibutes I would be more than grateful. I have managed to locate one other which I haven't yet gotten in my actual possesion but should have soon. . so actually if you donate that one I would then only have to have them plated. As I said I'm not sure about this one - I haven't seen it yet so I don't know if it's actually working but someone else also told me that if you have the actual shell pieces you can replace the insides easily enough. .  
 
Oh yes! We is havin' a blast!!  
 
Jeff
 
p.s. I'm more concerned about the post being in the 6 o'clock position than about the S on the back. How shall we proceed than?

[poor_nigel]

Hmmm: Schallers are known for quality, so how are people 'breaking' them???  I have two sets of these, one set in MINE!  Goes to my '70 Les Paul bass.  The other set is from an EB-0 that I bought to rape for parts for the previously mentioned guitar.  
 
Note:  The differences between old Schallers and new are more than just the screw support on the back.  The gear cover plates are differently shaped, also.  The old ones are round, while the newer ones are round on the bottom and squarish on the top.  
 
Why is this important to you?  The ones I have do indeed have a 'G' for Gibson on them.  I am positive that your others will have an 'S' for Schaller.  It is a shame that you no longer have the broken tuner.  
 
If all else fails, I will donate one or two of these sixties Schallers and you can either hunt down back plates with an 'S' or simply go to a reputable machinist (I found a great one on the Internet, but he is not cheap) and have he or she make you one.  I am sure this is going to cost you a couple hundred which ever route you take, but I am also sure it is worth the sum to cherry out your 54th Alembic made, eh?  The fact that the plates on the old ones are round means that they can be replicated much cheaper than if they were shaped like the newer ones.  So life does not totally suck.  Let me know what goes on.  Two are yours if requested - Done deal.  I assume you are talking about a treble side and a bass side, and not two from the same side, right?

[bucky]

Hi Nigel:
 
Thanks for writing again. I have been getting educated (dela217 has two Alembics of my model and year and has proven to be a veritable fount of knowledge about this particular Alembic bass). According to him they quit making the gold plated Schaller that I need in 1975. Pre '75 Schaller?s are notably different in that the shank is longer and as mentioned before the screw post goes straight down in the 6 o'clock position. The successor to my Schaller?s - the Schaller M20s - look similar but are definitely not the same gear and would require drilling new holes. Can't do that of course. I haven't been able to get my hands on that other Schaller gear but any gear you donate would be SO appreciated. Even just one. If you gave me two that would complete the search!
 
That would really make my year. It is unbelievable really that I was even able to get this incredible instrument back. But to be able to cherry it out would be the icing on the cake!
 
Jeff
 
p.s. Should I give you my mailing address? Can I offer you a little compensation for it/them? Can't afford much but I feel I should. Your generosity has been overwhelming!
 

[poor_nigel]

Hey Jeff:
 
E-mail me your shipping address to tshaw@maine.rr.com and I will send you the two Schallers you need.  The G's are not very noticable, and it would not be tough for an experienced machinist (Good luck!) to make you the samll circle replacements for them.  Actually, he or she could fill in the G's and an engraver could ebgrave the S's and then get them plated.  There is a lot more on the back plate than just the S's and G's.
 
I have to mail out a money order for a rack I bought, so I will probably send the tuners out tomorrow, as well.  Next time someone needs some help, it is your turn to offer some to them.  Sounds fair to me.  Enjoy.  
 
If you want the e-mail address to the machinist who did wonderful work for me, let me know and I will dig it up.  He is expensive, but all his work is gauranteed to .005 and he is well worth the expense in my opinion.
 
Again, I am assuming that you want one bass side and one treble side.  These are not interchangable like  some are.  If this is correct, just e-mail me your address and all is take care of.

[bucky]

Wow Nigel!
 
That is so cool. . the tuners that need to be replaced are on the bottom side) or that would be the right side of the headstock looking down at it from above). As I said in my email I have managed to locate one more so I only need that G-String tuner. I'll worry about the G on the back later. IN fact, come to think of it before you go to all that trouble let me contact my luthier friend Ron and see if he's had any luck locating one. THIS is *greatly* appreciated my Alembic Brother! My shipping address is:
 
Jeff Sherman
PO Box 1649
Ojai, CA  93024-1649
 
I'll also send this to the other email address.
 
You're a Champ Nigel!
 
Jeff

[poor_nigel]

Hey Jeff - Excuse me, Mr. Lucky:
 
Somebody up there likes you.  I got your address too late to ship yesterday.  While I was putting the 60's tuners away, I found I have one that has an 'S' on the back, and it is a treble-side one (As in G and D strings).  Thinking back, this is not that uncommon of an occurance.  I have seen it before.
 
Upon closer examination of the tuners, we have another question that needs to be answered, as there is a difference between the two sets.  One set is circa 65 and the other is 70.  One has rounded (dome shaped heads) on the screws holding the 'ears' on and the other set has flat ones.  I could assume since your bass is a 74(?) that you would need the flat head (barrel shaped head) screw one, but let's just check to make sure you get one that matches.
 
Well, when you get this, all you will have to do is send it off to be striped and gold plated, and you will have a real set.  Might be a good idea to send it to the plater Alembic uses, as they are experienced doing guitar parts all the time.  Just let me know the head type of screws on your other tuners, and you should be in business sooner or later.

[bucky]

Nigel:
 
Yo DA Man!! This selfless act makes you a Saint in my book My Alembic Brother. An act that won't soon be forgotten I can tell you! The screws on my other tuners are the brass round head Phillips type!  
 
I'll be waiting in anticipation my friend,
 
Jeff
 
p.s. The very least I can do is send you a copy of my bands release - the one that has my Alembics sound on it of course! Give me a mailing address and it's yours!

[poor_nigel]

Hey Jeff:
 
Part went out by priority mail today.  You only need to get it plated by a pro, and you should be good to go.  Have fun and take care.

[bucky]

Nigel:
 
You are the greatest man! Give me a mailing address and I will send you some music with my Alembic on it. I feel it's the least I can do for your kindness.
 
Take Care My Alembic Brother,
 
Jeff