/ Register

  1. Win a Broadcaster or one of 3 Teles! The annual Supporting Member Giveaway is on. To enter Click Here. To see all the prizes and full details Click Here. To view the thread about the giveaway Click Here.

Epiphone Elitist Casino - Another post on changing the tuners

Discussion in 'Other Guitars, other instruments' started by Jerry J, Nov 25, 2018.

Tags:
  1. Nov 25, 2018 #1
    Jerry J

    Jerry J Friend of Leo's

    Posts:
    2,126
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2003
    Location:
    NoVa
    OK, I apologize up front about having to re-post this if it's already been answered. I just can't find the right post.

    I have the aforementioned Elitist Casino, which I bought in 2007. We all know what a great guitar it is and to be honest, it's my favorite go-to guitar. Since the Elitist was supposed to be like JL's original SB Casino, I'm curious on why they shipped this guitar with Grover Tuners instead of the Kluson 'button' tuners. I want to replace the Grovers in favor of the Klusons. I find the Grovers to be too heavy and make the guitar unbalanced.

    So, I have a questions regarding the best 'Kluson' tuners and alterations of the head stock required.

    I've read that there are different versions/manufacturers and varying qualities of Kluson tuners. Some posts I've read recommend the Tone Pros but it appears they don't make tuners any more. So, today, who are the best manufacturers of Klusons - Gotoh? Allparts? WD parts, etc.? And do the qualities really differ that much? I like value but I like quality even more.

    Also, I assume I'd need to buy the extra large (10mm) bushings to replace the Grover bushings. Correct?

    Finally, I know I will need to drill extra holes for the Klusons but can I still use the holes already drilled for the Grovers? I'd like to keep the drilling to a minimum.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Nov 25, 2018 #2
    dan1952

    dan1952 Friend of Leo's

    Age:
    68
    Posts:
    4,546
    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2004
    Location:
    Anderson, IN
    If I'm not mistaken, JL's guitar had Grovers, which JL had put on to replace the Klusons. This was a VERY common operation back then!
     
  3. Nov 26, 2018 #3
    The_Doctor [EV]

    The_Doctor [EV] Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    358
    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2014
    Location:
    Virginia
    [​IMG]

    Definitely don't look like the stock button tuners to me.

    To compare:

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Nov 26, 2018 #4
    LooseJack

    LooseJack Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    484
    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2017
    Location:
    transit lounge
    Yes the holes on rotomatic 502s line up with kluson deluxes.

    Used klusons off a Gibson with screw bushings should fit fine.

    Take it to a guitar tech so you don't accidentally drill all the way through your headstock.

    Personally I don't think the weight saving of the kluson is worth the loss of the Grover gearing.
     
    Tonetele likes this.
  5. Nov 26, 2018 #5
    Nick Fanis

    Nick Fanis Poster Extraordinaire Ad Free Member

    Posts:
    6,200
    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2003
    Location:
    Athens-GREECE
  6. Nov 26, 2018 #6
    Zeonoid

    Zeonoid Tele-Holic

    Posts:
    560
    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2008
    Location:
    Slovakia, EU
    sorry but theres no point in changing the tuners to what you described
    waste of time and money.. original tuners on elitist are great
    (not to mentioning that your elitist will be in 15-20 years highly collectable and expansive instrument and your "tuner idea" will just ruin the value of it)
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2018
    Nick Fanis and Tonetele like this.
  7. Nov 26, 2018 #7
    Tonetele

    Tonetele Poster Extraordinaire

    Posts:
    8,165
    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2009
    Location:
    South Australia
    I hope the E for Epiphone on the pickguard is set in, NOT the embossed, raised type, that is how true early Epiphones were. Sorry to sound odd on that point but that's how I identify early Epiphones and I've had two in my lifetime.
    I like the Gibson 330 now and the greater access to frets. Both good guitars, that and the Elitist.
     
  8. Nov 26, 2018 #8
    Jerry J

    Jerry J Friend of Leo's

    Posts:
    2,126
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2003
    Location:
    NoVa
    Wow! Not a lot of support to make the switch. The reason everybody switched them out 50 years ago was due to the inability of Kluson tuners to keep in tune, not having sealed bearings, and having a poor gear ratio. Hasn't that been addressed and fixed with modern Klusons? What I do know is the guitar is top heavy. Besides, modern Klusons work perfectly fine on all my Teles and Strats. Yes, John switched his Kluson's out for Grovers, but that was 50 years ago, not now. Perhaps it wouldn't of happened if Kluson adopted their changes earlier.

    Thanks for the answers. I'll hold for now.

    CTS - the Elitist came with an embossed emblems, which of course fell off and got lost. I'm also looking for a new pickguard.

    As for vintage ES-330s. They ARE NICE! My neighbor's uncle brought over his totally mint 1964 SB 330 a few years back and I tried as hard as I could to get him to sell it, but to no avail. I have one of those in my bucket list of guitars to buy. Only thing, they've gone up so much since I made him my original offer.
     
  9. Nov 26, 2018 #9
    noah330

    noah330 Friend of Leo's

    Posts:
    4,110
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2009
    Location:
    Maryland
    The ironic thing is a lot of the new Grover tuners (like almost everything else that used to be cool) are probably made in some third world factory that makes the tuners you would be replacing.
     
  10. Jun 9, 2020 #10
    jalexquijano

    jalexquijano Tele-Meister

    Posts:
    227
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2010
    Location:
    Panama, Central America
IMPORTANT: Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult!
No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.