What's the story with Waverly tuners?

[ukepicker]

I need a new set of tuners for my Santa Cruz. They recommended Waverly.

But my research on the interwebs tells me:
1 - StewMac now owns the brand?
2 - the quality over the last 5 years or so has been hit or miss.

Does anyone know what is going on with them? Where are the tuners actually made in 2025? Are they still handmade in Ohio or did StewMac change things? Their website says "assembled in Ohio". I've dealt with that company enough to know that they are often profit-driven to a fault, and frankly I just don't trust them. Really puts a cloud over the brand for me.


End of the day, my fantastic guitar deserves fantastic tuners. The relic nickel with vintage oval buttons that Collings puts on their Julian Lage OM would look great on my guitar. But $300 for mixed reviews is a little steep.

 

[schmee]

I need a new set of tuners for my Santa Cruz. They recommended Waverly.

But my research on the interwebs tells me:
1 - StewMac now owns the brand?
2 - the quality over the last 5 years or so has been hit or miss.

Does anyone know what is going on with them? Where are the tuners actually made in 2025? Are they still handmade in Ohio or did StewMac change things? Their website says "assembled in Ohio". I've dealt with that company enough to know that they are often profit-driven to a fault, and frankly I just don't trust them. Really puts a cloud over the brand for me.


End of the day, my fantastic guitar deserves fantastic tuners. The relic nickel with vintage oval buttons that Collings puts on their Julian Lage OM would look great on my guitar. But $300 for mixed reviews is a little steep.

"Assembled in Ohio" is definitely a give away I would think. Chinese parts I imagine. The key to perfection if you ask me is super tight tolerance gears/parts, not where they are put together. However, tight tolerances can be had if you require them, manage the product quality yourself, and are willing to pay for it. JMHO
Man, that's disappointing.

But why do you think yours are bad?

 

[Peegoo]

They used to be made in the US, years ago.

Stooge Mac got exclusive distribution rights and eventually bought the brand. They are now made in China, sent in bulk here to the US, and that is where they're packaged; hence, "assembled in the USA."

 

[ukepicker]

But why do you think yours are bad?

The G string has always been a little rough. But during the last string change, it stopped turning under tension. Looks like the screw part is loose in the housing and pulls away from the gear when you turn the button.

No big deal, I thought. They've always been a little rough and in need of an upgrade. But then I found out about StewMac.

 

[ukepicker]

They used to be made in the US, years ago.

Stooge Mac got exclusive distribution rights and eventually bought the brand. They are now made in China, sent in bulk here to the US, and that is where they're packaged; hence, "assembled in the USA."

They are "the standard" being used by many of the higher end brands now. I smell a racket.

I just checked Bourgeois - they using Schaller on some of their models. So I checked them out. Nice website and competitive pricing! maybe that's the ticket.

 

[teletimetx]

Wow, pretty disappointing. I’ve never splurged on Waverlys, but it seemed like they were considered the gold standard by many.

It’s almost as if some MBA (sorry for stereotyping, but not really) recognized the opportunity for a MIC manufacturer that could increase margins substantially. Not that MIC automatically destroys quality, and the trend is towards parity. But even if quality approaches MIA, then buying Waverly just encourages slave wages and trade imbalances? I’m adding a question mark for no particular reason.

When I last looked for some butter beans, I ended up with a set of Grover Sta-tite, 18:1 and about $50-some before the exorbitant SM shipping. They work great.

On their website, SM says that Waverly is now a registered trade mark owned by SM.

 

[Peegoo]

They are "the standard" being used by many of the higher end brands now. I smell a racket.

I just checked Bourgeois - they using Schaller on some of their models. So I checked them out. Nice website and competitive pricing! maybe that's the ticket.

Schaller is world class. The only product they make that I do not prefer is their old-style strap lock; the one with the little round ball you pull to release. Back in the 1990s these were standard equipment on US-made Fender guitars and basses. Cheers!

 

[GRAVITY-LHP]

I had Waverly on a Martin M36, and recently put Gotoh SE700s on my Martin CEO7. I would say they are almost equal in performance and aesthetics. Here are the Gotoh's on my CEO7 in antique nickel. 90 bucks and no regrets. Maybe give them a look.

 

[Freeman Keller]

I've used Waverlies and Gotohs on all my open gear acoustics for as long as I have been building. I knew that StewMac owned the brand but frankly I don't have any problem with StewMac as a company or any of their merchandise.



The slot head isn't a very good picture but they are all Waverly tuners.

 

[ukepicker]

I had Waverly on a Martin M36, and recently put Gotoh SE700s on my Martin CEO7. I would say they are almost equal in performance and aesthetics. Here are the Gotoh's on my CEO7 in antique nickel. 90 bucks and no regrets. Maybe give them a look.

The Gotoh's are on my shortlist. Thanks for the review and pic!

 

[ukepicker]

I've used Waverlies and Gotohs on all my open gear acoustics for as long as I have been building. I knew that StewMac owned the brand but frankly I don't have any problem with StewMac as a company or any of their merchandise.

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The slot head isn't a very good picture but they are all Waverly tuners.

Hi Freeman - I was hoping you'd reply. Beautiful work, as usual!

Have you seen any noticeable change in the Waverlies over the last five or ten years?

 

[zombywoof]

They used to be made in the US, years ago.

Stooge Mac got exclusive distribution rights and eventually bought the brand. They are now made in China, sent in bulk here to the US, and that is where they're packaged; hence, "assembled in the USA."

More like decades ago. In the case of Waverly tuners it has to be half a century.

 

[Boreas]

Being MIC does not mean they couldn't still be quality tuners. It would be nice if they could be MIA again, but it still wouldn't ensure quality. S/M stands 100% behind their products, so there is that. Don't like 'em, return 'em.

Perhaps direct your concerns to Santa Cruz and see WHY they recommend them. At least they should have the same footprint.

 

[Mindthebull]

For what it’s worth and not to upset anyone but I work with a custom builder in TO who builds high end acoustics, baritone and harp guitars and had repeated bad experiences with waverly tuners including loose fit between the gears and poor service/return policy. They basically blamed him saying the peg holes must have been improperly drilled. Now uses exclusively Gotoh with excellent results. I have a Santa Cruz with waverly’s and they are fine. I also have one with “Santa Cruz” stamped on them which I suspect are probably Gotoh and they don’t want anyone to know. lol.

 

[Freeman Keller]

Hi Freeman - I was hoping you'd reply. Beautiful work, as usual!

Have you seen any noticeable change in the Waverlies over the last five or ten years?

I have not noticed any changes but then my usage is very small. I'm careful to use the correct reamer for the bushings and I press the bushings in rather than hammer them. In part I choose tuners because they seem to fit a particular guitar - the right look and feel and era and buttons and everything. I would have no problem with either Gotoh or Waveries on a traditional design acoustic.

 

[stephent2]

The Gotoh's are on my shortlist. Thanks for the review and pic!

I have both Waverlys and Gotoh open back tuners on several guitars. When looking for Gotoh open backs be sure to get the ones w/ brass gear. They are great tuners. I put a set of Waverlys on my custom shop Martin 00-18s (slot head). They are excellent, no difference in appearance and function from my US built Waverlys. Gotohs on my Martin 00-28 standard, also excellent.

Just and FYI, I always replace the OEM Grovers w/ either brand. If I want a different look, it's Waverlys due to the many tuner button choices.

 

[Swirling Snow]

Another vote for Gotoh. Their top of the line stuff is excellent.

 

[hmemerson]

I've had a set of Waverly tuners on my Flammang L-40 since David built it for me in 2005, and they've functioned flawlessly.

I HAD a set of the same model Waverly tuners on my 2020 Monteleone LaCorsa that have not worked well from the beginning. While I understand that a tapered headstock can throw off the geometry of the tuner post, I decided to just put on a set of Grovers I found, and they work perfectly.

A lot less money than the Waverly set, and they function as they should.

Regards,
Howard Emerson

 

[life_with_a_song]

For what it's worth to you, I had a set of Waverlys that came on a Bourgeois that I bought new, and when one of the ebony buttons failed, Bourgeois directed me to StewMac about it, and they sent a matching replacement tuner for free.
StewMac really does guarantee them for life.

 

[bottlenecker]

The key to perfection if you ask me is super tight tolerance gears/parts,

There are no tight tolerances in guitars, but in tuners it's not even really beneficial. Guitar tuners are super primitive worm gear assemblies. They don't need to be more, but also, none of them are more. Sealed tuners only look more modern. Waverly tuners were cool because they were made by some guy and cost a lot. I'm not putting them down. I appreciate what they are (were?).
But it's not fancy. It's "artisanal". It's a few super basic parts any machinist can make, but people are too cheap to pay them to do it in this country.