GROVER FRICTION TUNERS-tech help needed

bunnyf

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image.jpgi am replacing my original tuners on a Harmony baritone. The new ones (Grover) don't just drop in the hole. That little gear looking thingy just below where the string goes is just a tad too large. I'm guessing I have to enlarge the hole but I'm not certain how much. Should it just be large enough for it to drop in super snug or drop in freely? Please advise me. Thanks.
 
The metal piece with the splines are press fit and should fit in pretty tight and should not move around.
PS. those new ones[on the top , right?] don't look like grovers to me. they look like cheap Chinese ones] what model grover are they?
why are you replacing them? the original on the bottom looks like better quality. I've had several Harmony baris and the tuners on them seemed to work fine.
 
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I have to say, I'm not impressed. I know that the Harmony ones are suppose to be rubbish and I can't say that mine operate smoothly nor do they hold tight despite adjustment, but they seem so much more substantial than these Grovers. I'm reluctant to fiddle with the hole for these.
 
Old Harmony ones are going back on. I'm not gonna enlarge the original holes. I'll just tune a little more frequently than I'd like. Not a huge deal. Thanks for trying to help.
 
I'm under the impression that the Grover 3W and 2B's are for soprano, concert, and some tenors. When I replaced the tuners on an old Harmony bari I used the Grover 88B's which are specifically for bari and tenor guitars.

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Funny, cuz they're too BIG to fit in the hole. BTW, did you have to widen the holes? My Harmony is a green label, late 40s/early50s.
 
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Yes, I did drill the holes out a hair. The Grovers will probably fit a modern uke with no drilling required.

When you're installing the ferrules coat the inside of the hole with a little bit of soap to facilitate installation.
 
Old Harmony ones are going back on. I'm not gonna enlarge the original holes. I'll just tune a little more frequently than I'd like. Not a huge deal. Thanks for trying to help.

The originals are great tuners. Can you explain the issues you are having? Just not holding? Can you not get them tight enough? Unless something is stripped or cracked, they should be able to get back to original working condition. I can help.
 
Not holding well, despite tightening. Holds only for a short time, then always goes flat. Mmstan said felt washers but I'm not sure where to get them or where to put them. Others have said the original tuners were not good, so I thought perhaps I should get better ones, as this is a player not a collection uke.
 
Get Grover 2B. They are excellent, inexpensive tuners which work very well. A tiny bit of adjustment of the tuning peg hole is required, but you won't regret it. I have them on an old Harmony soprano myself. Just great. Those pictured in the original post seem very dodgy, indeed.
 
Get Grover 2B. They are excellent, inexpensive tuners which work very well. A tiny bit of adjustment of the tuning peg hole is required, but you won't regret it. I have them on an old Harmony soprano myself. Just great. Those pictured in the original post seem very dodgy, indeed.
Sorry, I didn't see at once thatyou were talking about a baritone. Then the 88B's are whatyou need. I have them on a cheap Johnson baritone, and they do the job very nicely.
 
If you tighten the screw as much as you can and they still don't hold, it may be because the screw is bottoming out. Remove the screw and cut or grind a little off the end, then reinstall and it should be able to tighten up properly.
 
If you tighten the screw as much as you can and they still don't hold, it may be because the screw is bottoming out. Remove the screw and cut or grind a little off the end, then reinstall and it should be able to tighten up properly.
if that is the problem you can go to your local real hardware store and get a slightly shorter screw. another possibility is some one oiled or greased them thinking they would be smoother. you may want to clean them and the part where the tuner contacts the wood.with an appropriate solvent.
 
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