Pegheds on a Vintage Martin?

Ukejungle

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I rescued an Old Martin Style 1 with Friction Tuners. Had to fix a crack on the back of it , really like the Uke but the Friction Tuners, ugh....

Anyone ever put Pegheds on an old Martin? And -----

Will I kill the value of this uke putting Pegheds on it?

Thanks.
Trey
 
I really like Pegheds but I think the value as a vintage uke will be gone. I have just taken the tuners apart and lightly oiled them. Once the strings are settled you don't have to tune it often.
 
I might have got the wrong terms here. These are the wooden hardwood friction pegs (before gears) on this ukulele.

I have learned to tune sharp then come back down to pitch as the best alternative to date.
 
Some folks would install pegheads and keep the violin style tuners for future use. They may have to be re-fitted though to restore back to vintage.
 
A playable vintage instrument is more valuable than a non-playable vintage instrument. Both are still vintage instruments. My new Martin 1T came standard with Pegheds. Replacing components of older instruments with more functional ones is very common. There is one problem with the Pegheds you should be aware of: they are threaded into the headstock. This is a potential hazard when installing them in a vintage headstock. The headstock may need rebored, and or the Pegheds epoxied into the headstock. If the old friction pegs are NFG replace them with functional tuners.

thread drift: I have seen vintage Fairbanks Banjos which were originally equipped with friction pegs, had fill marks from geared tuners on the headstock, and were equipped with modern planetary tuners. The asking and selling prices were very high. A vintage instrument that plays well is of more value than a playable vintage instrument.
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Saw your second post. If you have authentic whittled fiddle tuners try using fiddle rosin on them to improve the tuning characteristics. Previous comments are still valid. What year Martin are we talking about here? ******************
EDIT:DO NOT USE FIDDLE ROSIN
BlackBearUkes;1613985]Chalk is better than nothing, but Rosin will act like glue, it is too sticky. The best thing to use is peg dope made for the occasion. Also, make sure the tapered holes and pegs are fit correctly. Nothing will help poorly fit pegs, while a good fitting peg will need very little to hold.END EDIT
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/martin_ukes.html
 
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I don't have any trouble with the wooden friction pegs on my '26 Style O. I thought they would be a pain but again, once the strings settle in they work fine. I strongly disagree with the post above that says it will be more valuable. A ukulele with wooden friction pegs is very playable. Like I said above I think the Pegheds on my MB are excellent but Pegheds on a vintage Martin would make it worthless to me.
 
HBolte: I agree that a uke with wooden pegs is very playable. I have contacted Fred Oster at Vintage Instruments to get his views on the whole Peghed tuners on a vintage Martin. CF Martin usually refers appraisal issues to him. I'll let you know his views.

Why do think Pegheds would make a Martin with fiddle peg tuners, (o.e.m.), worthless? The old Martins didn't have nylon or fluorocarbon strings.
 
HBolte: I agree that a uke with wooden pegs is very playable. I have contacted Fred Oster at Vintage Instruments to get his views on the whole Peghed tuners on a vintage Martin. CF Martin usually refers appraisal issues to him. I'll let you know his views.

Why do think Pegheds would make a Martin with fiddle peg tuners, (o.e.m.), worthless? The old Martins didn't have nylon or fluorocarbon strings.

I feel that way only because I personally want an original condition ukulele when buying vintage.

Thank you for checking. Looking forward to an expert opinion!
 
Being a 'Purist" is a relative term. Is it in an original case, or will one use a newer , safer one?
Will one use the same type strings or something which improves the sound? Would frets be dressed or left as time has made them? There are quite a few vintage Martins which have been retrofitted with PEGHEDS. PEGHEDS do not need to be epoxied in. Some use woodworkers glue to create a threaded surface, while others fit them dry. They come with a 27.5mm long shaft or a 19mm shorter version. Some prefer the longer because it looks like an old wooden peg. The shorter ones are less in the way for playing and putting in the case.
Does one buy a ukulele to play or to resell? There are buyers who would see period looking tuners as value added. I have yet to meet a player that enjoyed trying to keep a friction tuner in tune more than playing it. A set of 2L and 2R cost $55.00 plus $6 shipping.
 
PenguinsOfSort owns a Martin soprano with Pegheds that she picked up at Mighty Mo Uke Fest 2013.
 
...really like the Uke but the Friction Tuners, ugh....

I have a early '20 Style 0. What was good enough for the players during the Roaring Twenties is good enough for me. Once the strings settle in everything's jake.
 
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I don't mind friction tuners. But I think pegheds would look and work great on a vintage martin. I might even pay more for such a uke. Gotoh planetary tuners are awesome but wouldn't look right on an old martin.
 
I don't mind friction tuners. But I think pegheds would look and work great on a vintage martin. I might even pay more for such a uke. Gotoh planetary tuners are awesome but wouldn't look right on an old martin.

My second (and now only) Ludwig Wendell Hall came with Stew-Mac Five Star planetary tuners already on it, replacing the creaky friction pegs these originally came with. A huge improvement in tuning, and I can always replace them with creaky old friction tuners if I really want to. :)
 
A playable vintage instrument is more valuable than a non-playable vintage instrument. Both are still vintage instruments. My new Martin 1T came standard with Pegheds. Replacing components of older instruments with more functional ones is very common. There is one problem with the Pegheds you should be aware of: they are threaded into the headstock. This is a potential hazard when installing them in a vintage headstock. The headstock may need rebored, and or the Pegheds epoxied into the headstock. If the old friction pegs are NFG replace them with functional tuners.

thread drift: I have seen vintage Fairbanks Banjos which were originally equipped with friction pegs, had fill marks from geared tuners on the headstock, and were equipped with modern planetary tuners. The asking and selling prices were very high. A vintage instrument that plays well is of more value than a playable vintage instrument.

Saw your second post. If you have authentic whittled fiddle tuners try using fiddle rosin on them to improve the tuning characteristics. Previous comments are still valid. What year Martin are we talking about here?

http://home.provide.net/~cfh/martin_ukes.html

I would think anywhere from 1916 to 1927. No serial number in it though so I think the 20's.
 
LOL, ancient tuners are one reason why I bought a new Kamaka with Gotoh UPTs and not a vintage Martin/Kamaka/whatever with old wooden pegs. Talking about value? If you were to have that very uke for sale with Pegheds, I'd buy it. Your uke looks great; tuners break and get replaced all the time. I'm not a collector, I'm a player. I'd love to have the vintage sound with modern tuners that I don't have to get replaced myself. Do it. Put the Pegheds on it.
 
Martin made over 20,000 Style 1 soprano ukuleles before 1945. It is the second most common instrument that Martin ever made.

I am usually very much in favor of preserving vintage originality. I even have a few old Martins with wood pegs and they are very usable once you take the time to understand and control them.

But on a common model like this, if you feel the Pegheds will make you play more or play better, I don't see a problem with doing what you want. There are plenty of original Style 1 ukes out there. If it was an early Style 3K or something rare, then I would say leave it original.

I would love to try a vintage uke with Pegheds already installed, and I think your Style 1 would still be a very desirable instrument since many people would rather have the geared tuners.

If you decide to make the modification, I could use the wooden tuners for one of my old ukes, so send me a private message or clear out your pm box so I can send you one.
 
This is why I have very little interest in the "value" of vintage instruments.

I admit, it's just me. I think an instrument is valuable if it makes music. It becomes more valuable as the music it makes is more beautiful or more versatile, and as the music is easier to make. Market value is without value in a musical instrument.

I would install the tuners I find more valuable to the music than to the investment.

If I have no intention of playing the instrument, I'll keep the old tuners I hate. I don't care if it's hard to tune.
 
I think an instrument is valuable if it makes music.

There are many ways that we can appreciate a musical instrument - the music it makes is important but it's only one way to experience it. Vintage instruments also have historic importance, cultural relevance, sentimental value, aesthetic beauty... things that people who do not play or even listen to them can understand. All of that is a bonus that comes along with the musical value. Kind of like a little time machine.
 
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