Favilla Baritone Tuning pegs

I have been lucky to obtain a mid 1950's Favilla Baritone in very good condition. I am going to experiment with a set of unwound linear strings from Southcoast using the C tuning. My question is: Would I be harming the value of this instrument if I were to have planetary pegs installed? The original friction pages are good and I have been able to work with them as is but would like to have the Planetary pegs. If this will have a negative impact I won't do it.
Thanks in advance,
Stu

IMO it would diminish the value. If the originals are working, why change? For myself, I buy vintage because I want them as players not as an investment. Do you need to drill out the holes for the Planetaries to fit? If so, there's no going back. I tried the C tuning and found it lacking the depth in sound it has with the G tuning. Was worth the experiment.

I just sold my Favilla, sent it out yesterday, and am missing the deep tone already. I'd take it over my Martin Baritone but too late. Perhaps I'll sell my '62 Martin baritone and buy another one. Congrats on the purchase of a Favlla, they are great instruments and definitely under valued.

Thanks Patrick. I emailed Jake Wildwood with this question an he offered that installing Planetary pegs would increase value. Food for thought...
Stu

Jakes the man for sure. Planetaries are definitely easier to use than the friction type. Congrats on the Favillia; they're great sounding instruments.

I guess the Favilla baritone is more of a player's instrument with fairly low pricing, despite being vintage with a great warm and deep tone. So, tuners shouldn't affect value much.

studemobile said:

Thanks Patrick. I emailed Jake Wildwood with this question an he offered that installing Planetary pegs would increase value. Food for thought...
Stu

Click to expand...

I would agree with him, and as Doc J points out, these are players, not really collector's items. If you were selling this instrument, I would be more likely to buy it with planetary tuners installed.

I would never buy a Favilla baritone with Gotoh UPTs installed. Not even consider it as it ruins the headstock with the wide barrel.

So we have some that say no effect on value, some that say it would. So, overall, if you are re-selling, roughly half the people think it affects value. So, yes, it affects value.

If you are just playing it for joy and never re-sell, no issue. If you plan to sell to Jake Wildwood, no issue. lol If it is trashed already, then little collector value, then no harm; it's a straight player, nothing more.

Try tightening the stock tuners significantly. They work well from my experience.

I believe Favillas will appreciate greatly by the next uke "wave" in 2055. They are quality vintage instruments and becoming more rare each year.

I have 4 Favilla baritones. I would not hesitate buying one with with changed tuners. Lets face it,most better quality geared tuners are more accurate, so I'd consider them an upgrade.