Washers for old friction tuners

Ukecaster

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The topic is old friction tuners on many cheaper vintage uke brands, the ones which are just basically plastic knobs directly on wood (as in pic). I've seen these on Favilla, Gretsch, etc, and heard they can be improved by inserting a thin washer under the knob, between knob and back of headstock. What type/spec/size of washers would be used, and where can you get these? Thanks in advance.

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I'll bet Jake Wildwood would have an answer. That seems right up his alley.
 
The topic is old friction tuners on many cheaper vintage uke brands, the ones which are just basically plastic knobs directly on wood (as in pic). I've seen these on Favilla, Gretsch, etc, and heard they can be improved by inserting a thin washer under the knob, between knob and back of headstock. What type/spec/size of washers would be used, and where can you get these? Thanks in advance.

View attachment 105809

Thanks for starting this thread, I hope that something comes of it.

Sorry if you have already considered the following thread which might overlap with what you are looking for or in some other way assist: http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...-friction-tuner-nylon-washer&highlight=Washer .
 
Oh, I was thinking of something slippery, like teflon washers, but you seem to recommend something that creates friction, i.e. non-slippery?

The originally installed washers like this that I've seen are either a sort of compressed fiber like phenolic as per what Campbell said, cardboard, or something like cork, felt or leather.

In my mad-scientist experiments try to improve cheap friction tuners, using delrin, nylon, teflon, metal washers have too much slip without enough grip, and rubber, cork and foam seem to have too much grip without enough slip.

But I'm no expert at all, and after too many weeks, in nearly a thousand iterative attempts, I had to set it aside for now and decided that it was either the Grover 9NB machine head tuners, or the Gotoh UPT-L planetary tuners.

Sorry I cant be more help.
 
Oh, I was thinking of something slippery, like teflon washers, but you seem to recommend something that creates friction, i.e. non-slippery?

Yes mate, like our good buddy Booli says, there is a need to have friction but not too much friction, it's a matter of trying different types of materials to see which will work, that's why I recommended the hole punches, they will enable you to make a variety of washers from various materials to see which will work best for you :D
 
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