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To Grover or not to Grover

jalevinemd

Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
916
Well...now that my R9 is back from Historic Makeovers, I've been busy adding all of the little extras. Here's a not-so-good indoor shot with the new Vintage Clone rings and guard. There's not such a striking color difference between the neck and bridge rings. That's the flash. The bridge is slightly more yellowed looking. Which I guess makes sense, seeing as how my picking hand spends most of its time there.

plastic.jpg


Hardware is next on the list. I'm trying to decide about the tuners. I've got a set of Uncle Lou's Premium Tips. With the aged machines, they just look a little too new. I love the all-nickel look like on my 2001 '61 SG that has aged Grovers on it. I just can't decide between the Klusons and Grovers.

Hell...if they were good enough for Jimmy and Gary, they're good enough for me! What are people's preferences?
 

Sean French

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
4,181
There are many fans of Grovers.
Just not for me though.I prefer the look of Kluson' espcially with Uncle Lou' Premium tips.
BTW,I think the hardware looks fine as is.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Sean,

Any tricks you know to get the Uncle Lou's looking a little "older."
Brown shoe polish. Put it on with a rag and then light it with a lighter and let it burn for say 5 seconds and blow it out. Wipe off the tuner buttons after they cool. Do one at a time.
 

Cottage

New member
Joined
Oct 25, 2002
Messages
582
Nickle Grovers just look so "right" on an LP. To me they tune better and add a bit more sustain. However, that's a relative thing.
 

LiveOak

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
237
I switch between nickel grovers and the stock Gotoh (Kluson tulips) on my '06 Standard. Still undecided over here, but stock for now at least.
 

jalevinemd

Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
916
You don't need to drill out the holes to accommodate the Grovers on a Les Paul do you? I didn't have to on the SG.
 

pist0lpete

New member
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
849

its totally worth it though, I promise, and its not a big deal, I did it myself, and im not mechanically inclinded at all. Oh and I used to hate the way grovers looked on LP's until I realized how many of my favorite artists used them. Now I just cant picture les pauls without them.
ryannpeteatthehomeofthebluesbrot-3.jpg

ryannpeteatthehomeofthebluesbrot-1.jpg
 

Goodgrain

New member
Joined
Dec 15, 2002
Messages
377
Putting Grovers or schallers on a Les Paul changes the sound slightly also... Some can't tell the difference... That's fine, but in my opinion, it does change the tone. Best way to describe it for me, is a more FOCUSED sound. Basically, it changes the weight and dynamics of the guitar. I myself like it on some guitars... But if you are just doing it for cosmetic reasons, I wouldn't do it. If you do decide, you don't have to widen the whole tuner hole, just a portion of it from the bottom. I think the USA models are a tad bigger, thus some confusion...
 

Trans-Am

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
4,686
Personaly? I like 'em both Klusons/Grovers.....specially the Selfast/Wafflebacks.:jim

Depending on the model per say.


Peace:hank
 

The Shifter

Active member
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
3,397
First of all, man let's see some more pics of that guitar. Smokin'!

I grew up seeing Grovers on Gibson headstocks(my dad's guitar, others around town, Jimmy etc.)and I like the way they work, so it's always Grovers for me. That said, I still have the Klusons on my R4, but that's just me being lazy.

But, you GOTTA get old ones!

groover1.JPG


groover2.JPG
 

bigworm04

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2005
Messages
280
+1 on the grovers. Vintage USA ones are the only way to go, the new ones are junk. Shallers are badass too, never dealt with them until I got my oxblood. German made, so they are high quality. But you would have to drill an extra screw hole below the tuner and that might be a little much.
 

jalevinemd

Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
916
First of all, man let's see some more pics of that guitar. Smokin'!

Here's a couple pics I posted in another thread. I really want to put on the Grovers. I don't know...I'm just kind of a pussy about drilling into my guitar. What did you guys use to do the job?

hm10.jpg


hm7.jpg


hm2.jpg
 

trapland

New member
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Messages
322
I have a set of grovers that have keystone buttons like klusons. I've had them on and off of several guitars and never had to drill.

But, klusons are lighter and prettier. :)
 

Manolian

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2008
Messages
645
Last edited:

96 lppp

New member
Joined
Mar 2, 2005
Messages
774
The Grovers made a R9 I had shift to sounding more like a 14 pound 1977standard. After ruining a few guitars I consider modding a historic a good way to learn the meaning of "diminishing returns".
 

Guitar Whiskey

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
2,757
The Grovers made a R9 I had shift to sounding more like a 14 pound 1977standard. After ruining a few guitars I consider modding a historic a good way to learn the meaning of "diminishing returns".

I would worry about doing that irreversable surgery that could jepordize the tone of a good instrument. I think they look fine with stock tuners or with Grovers but to me it isn't worth messing with what is already a good thing. I've seen historics from the factory with Grovers but it bothers me to see historics that have been modded to add them. The stock tuners work perfectly for how I use a guitar. I can't see any reason personally to change them out and I would think it would diminish the guitar when it comes to resale if Grovers are added in place of stock tuners. To each his own though. Generally hot rodding a guitar is OK by me as long as it's reversible. It would be interesting to hear what Page's guitar would have sounded like if he hadn't had Grovers on it.
 
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