Help with Grover Deluxe Champion Sta-tite Pegs

[Mike $]

I have been scratching my head figuring out how to install the Grover Champion Deluxe Uke Pegs. I can't find any instructions and am hoping some or one of you have a photo of these tuners installed or some insight into the installation. The main reason for my confusion is the rear housing and the configuration of the post.

 

[Pegasus Guitars]

I sell those, but rather than me explaining it, just Google Grover Champion Delux Ukulele pegs and you'll see a good illustration.

 

[Pegasus Guitars]

Grover does not do an installation breakdown, but installation is pretty standard. In the illustration you linked to the hole size is given. The pedhead takes up the bare space on the shaft in the illustration.The recommended chamfer on the peghead holes is not absolutely necessary if you don't have the tools. The tuners work better on headstock thicknesses that are closer to 1/2" than the 5/16" mentioned in the illustration. I don't use these myself and Kamaka no longer uses them either. Better for use on sopranos or concerts than tenors. The spring tension does not always hold on tenors.

 

[Pegasus Guitars]

The teeth on the rear housing are not used in any functional way. They do not contact the wood. This peg is not really functional for tenor string tension and that's why Kamaka gave them up and they are not used much in Hawaii. To use them on a tenor, you have no choice but to tighten the thumbscrew until the spring is completely depressed and then the pegs become difficult to turn and they usually still slip. Not so bad on sopranos or concerts. This was originally a Schaller peg when Kamaka used it, but Grover started making an exact copy of it, unfortunately without improving it. Kind of like using the same design plans from a plane that crashes.

 

[Pegasus Guitars]

Looking at the design diagram of that Waverly friction tuner, it does not look a whole lot better than the Grover. Maybe someone will chime in who has used them on tenors. Spring loaded tuners have been around at least since the 1920's and I've never seen any that worked very good on tenors. If you want the friction peg look, maybe Pegheds are the ones to use. Even cheap geared tuners work better than most friction types IMO.

 

[Pegasus Guitars]

The look of geared tuners, especially the smaller ones, does not bother me on tenors. On smaller ukes, they do look out of place. Many uke players have issues with tuning and the geared tuners just work better for them. For the friction look, I also use Gotoh planetary tuners. Even inexperienced or infrequent players can handle them.