Hex nuts on Pono AT Tuners?

I just picked up a Pono AT from craigslist and it's been fantastic to play. The previous owner had a passive pickup installed, which was a nice bonus. Serial number looks to be 120251, so I think that means it was built in 2012.

One thing I noticed though was that it looks like the covers (I'm not sure what the actual term is) on the front of the tuners have been replaced with hex nuts. Is this a normal thing to do to a Uke? Any ideas why they might have replaced the covers?

Also the fretboard is dirty as heck. I'm planning on giving it a good scrub after removing the strings, and probably using some 0000 steel wool and F-ONE Fretboard Oil if I can't get it up with just a cloth.

Here's a larger picture of the tuners https://i.imgur.com/zos47U4.png

Not sure what you mean by a hex nut—cursed?—but the tuners in your image looks like they have standard six sided nuts but with washers or grommets sitting on top of them. Normally the washer or grommets go under the nut, not above it. Maybe the previous owned disassembled it and put it together backwards?

TastyShrimp said:

...Here's a larger picture of the tuners https://i.imgur.com/zos47U4.png...

Click to expand...

in that photo it looks like the strings are wound starting at the bottom of the post, up to and exiting to the nut* at the top of the post.

Seems to me that your break angle over the nut* is going to suffer because of that, and if it were me, and because of my OCD, I'd re-wind the strings from top-down so they exit the post to the nut* from the bottom. (*nut here meaning the nut that ends the vibrating string length, near the first fret, and not "hex nut" as in the original concern)

As Peter said, the hex nuts on the face of the head-stock seem normal (unless they are not threaded into any bushing into the hole around the tuner post, and if so, then they might be just laying there, and also if so, would jangle loose around the tuner post when you loosen the strings all the way and there is no tension on the hex nut, nor on the tuner post)....

Hi TS, I have a Pono 2017 ATD; & 2017 MGT both with paddle headstocks. They have black plastic tuner knobs. All three have pressed-in bushings with fairly large flanges, and no hex nuts. The only one with gold tuners is the ATD.

None of the tuner pegs have the “lathe-turned" looking ends on the posts. They are all Grover tuners. I can’t tell from your photo what brand your tuners are, but the tab part with the screws holding the backs in place look more pinched in than the ones on mine.

Pono may have used different tuners in 2012, but I have never seen a Pono with a washer-like ring sitting on top of a hex nut like your tuners do. Are they integral to the tuner peg? All one piece? Seems kind of weird to have a washer like that making it difficult to get to the hex nut.

The only tuners I know of with hex nuts on a Pono are sealed tuners found on some of their PC tenors.

So, I strongly suspect that your tuners are replacements and not OEM.

Check and see if your tuners say “Grover” just below the open gears of the tuners.

As Joe & Peter said, the strings should be wound on the peg starting at the top and wrapping around towards the bottom. A WAG: the ring (washer?) may be there to prevent the string from getting too low and contacting the hex nut?

Interesting tuners though.

Thanks for the replies all. I haven't taken the strings off to check if the washer/hex nut are screwed in and secure or if they get loose without the strings, I'll probably end up doing that tomorrow and I'll make sure to wind from the top down. Looking at the tuners, they look like grover tuners, but have an engraved "Pono" on them https://i.imgur.com/pzenJjc.png

I have an AT exactly like yours. Terrific ukulele. The hex nut is part of the pushing that gets pressed into top of faceplate. The tuners are Derjung which are Eastern knock off of Grover. I believe newer version have Grover and also the pressed in pushing is round and slightly bigger. I purchased some new Grover open back tuners to replace these and found Grover bushing to be bigger. I found Dejung pushing to be as described. At time I could not find my reamer to slightly widen hole so I left it. The posted are shorter on the Dejung tuners. I always make sure I wind string from top to bottom, three wraps. Works fine. Derjung are good tuners. I like a Grover better. Can’t justify Waverly on this instrument. You are all fine. Do string change, clean up fretboard. The fret ends are always terrific on Pono’s unless your instrument has been abused humidity wise. I think you are fine. Nice AT. I love the satin finished Pono’s. I have both. My .02 cents worth.

I wonder if the previous owner was having trouble breaking strings at the tuning posts so someone put washers on top. Unless they're glued on I don't know how they're not rattling and making unwanted noise during play...Then perhaps they decided to wind the strings bottom to top to keep the strings away from the bushings (what you're calling hex nuts) to further prevent string damage.
As noted already, the washers should be below the bushings on tuning machines, not on top...Maybe these machines didn't even have washers and those were just bought and added elsewhere to try to correct the breakage problem. ....and the strings should be wound top to bottom as noted...I always try to make sure not to get too many wraps around the post, then you don't have to worry about the last wind contacting the bushing and possibly getting damaged..

That's my best guess...

You can always contact Pono and ask them if they are the original tuners or not. They should have a contact email address and phone number on the Ko'olau/Pono website.

M3Ukulele could very well be correct about them being Derjung tuners. They may have gone with that company and had them rebranded as Pono tuners.

I'll see about contacting Pono about it. I took the strings off tonight and gave the fretboard a good cleaning
Before: https://i.imgur.com/XRbkoha.png
After: https://i.imgur.com/1qUK7Mq.png

It turns out the nut + washer is actually a single piece. I gently attempted to loosen one of the nuts, but wasn't having any luck - Definitely don't want to leave any scratches or tool marks on this thing.

After playing the uke for a couple days, I'm really happy with it and I probably won't swap out the tuner hardware unless something actually breaks. Why fix what ain't broke?

(Also, I made sure to wind the strings going top-to-bottom https://i.imgur.com/kIcUVJ9.png)

gochugogi said:

Not sure what you mean by a hex nut—cursed?—but the tuners in your image looks like they have standard six sided nuts but with washers or grommets sitting on top of them. Normally the washer or grommets go under the nut, not above it. Maybe the previous owned disassembled it and put it together backwards?

Click to expand...

Peter, I meant to answer your question earlier. Just in case you honestly don't know, but most likely you do. "Hex nuts" is short for: "hexagonal nuts" that fit onto threaded bolts. In this context, it prevents confusion with the nut at the top of the fingerboard. No curse is attached. Unless it is frozen or cross-threaded on the bolt. Then curses may be hurled at it.
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TastyShrimp: Wow! What a difference. The fingerboard was seriously in need of cleaning and treating. I use Music Nomad as well. It gives great results like yours to dry, unfinished woods like most fretboards and some bridges. Nice job.

Good job of the fretboard cleaning. Looks fantastic. If you take a string off. I due screws in back go Derjung tuners you will be able to pull the tine out from behind. If you get a smaller screw driver from back you should be able to push the bushing out as one piece. I was surprised on my AT as I thought I had to undue the hex looking nutnin top but in fact, it turned out to be a one piece bushing. If you find out, that is not the case , please post. It was HMS that confirmed to my my tuners were Derjung. Nice tuner but I do like the feel of Grover’s better. Again, simply my .02 cents worth and observation.