Tuners for Vintage May Bell

[luigi_bosco]

I am the lucky recipient of a May Bell hand me down from my parents friends father, my parents are 79 so i am thinking this puts this instrument in the 30's? The issue here is the pegs slip and two were replaced as i can see some ghosting where the old one were and the different color (white vs black) is kind of a giveaway. Anyway they are slipping and thinking they need to be replaced.

The holes are 6.2mm diameter and headstock thickness around 1.2mm which makes me think the waverlys here may be an option, i haven't found anything else with similar dimensions.
https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-h...tuning-machines/waverly-ukulele-friction-pegs

My only reservation is the following: For appearance and proper function, pegholes should be chamfered for the top washer and the rear housing. Since it's from the 30's i'd rather leave it the way it is, do the holes really need to be chamfered?

Since the rosette is damaged a bit and tuners replaced, one could say it could be chamfered, hard call for me to know if the new waverlys will be the ticket. New to the forum here, would also love any insights on this instrument in terms of year as 30's is a total guess on my part..

thanks!

 

[Ms Bean]

Welcome to UU, Luigi!
Unfortunately I am not able to advise you on vintage instruments, but there are very clever builders in the luthiers' lounge every day. They will have some brilliant suggestions, I'm sure.

 

[ProfChris]

A friend had those Waverlies fitted - they do require a chamfer (countersink) into the face of the peghead.

He replaced them after a year, as they didn't hold tune very well.

Grovers (4B or 6B) would be more period correct, and cheaper too!