Anybody know about this Magnatone?

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

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Andy DePaule
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Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
State/Province: Oregon
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Tuners machines are hard to find for this model

Post by Andy DePaule »

These 3 on a strip tuning machines are hard to find for this model.
First off these are slotted posts with a hole down the center of the post for the cut string end.
As it turns out my tuners have the string posts spaced at 1.5" on center.
The only replacements found so far are 1.25" and 1&3/8"
There would be no way to re-drill the holes in the aluminum & plexiglass without ruining the peghead.

Spent about an hour in the local music shop with one of the owners who had dozens of old used sets.
Found several sets that were the same with the enclosed gears, but not one set had the right spacing! :whoa: :x

He was nice enough to give me the e-mail address for a guy in Shreveport, LA who he thinks will have the right ones.
Price might be high for old tuners I expect.
In the time being I will start to make the buttons with the clear red plexiglass I already bought.
Wish me luck to bring this one back to original condition. :roll: :wink: :D
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
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Andy DePaule
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Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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No Luck yet?

Post by Andy DePaule »

No Luck yet getting an e-mail back from Don Opperman at in Shreveport at Shreveport Music for replacement tuning machines?
Maybe someone knows him or another person who deals in those kind of older parts, new or used? :roll: :D
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
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Andy DePaule
Posts: 2616
Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
State/Province: Oregon
Country: United States

Got some good advice

Post by Andy DePaule »

Well now thanks to the forum and a PM from Jack Hanson for another fellow who has a huge stash of old parts I now will have the plates I need at what is a fair price these days.

The member who had them was Jim Dulfer who sent two photos of Kluson Deluxe sets with the same spacing. One of the sets was identical, but for being clear while I need the clear red. First two photos.

I thought it best to let him keep the clear set for someone who may need just those in the future.

There was a fellow on eBay who wanted almost as much for the almost right set, but rusty and in crapy condition. Also not the slotted kind I need. 3rd and 4th photos.

Now if any one has experience putting the plastic buttons that I'll make on I'd love to get some good advice?
I'm planning to try drilling the buttons I'll make and then heating the shaft a little and pressing them on. But if you know a better way, I'm all ears?....

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Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
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Andy DePaule
Posts: 2616
Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
State/Province: Oregon
Country: United States

Well I come to find out....

Post by Andy DePaule »

Well I come to find out why it was so hard to find these Kluson tuners with the 1.5" string post centers. All I could find was the 1&3/8" string posts...

Turned out that the Magnatone company didn't use 1.5" tuners.
When I took off the original tuners I found out they had machined the holes for 1.5" and then jammed the 1&3/8" tuners into them making tuning the 1st and 3rd tuner buttons extra stiff and eventually causing them to fail. :x

I will have to put the guitar on my milling machine and elongate the 1st and 3rd holes by 1/16" so that the tuners will fit and operate smoothly.
I expect I will also need to try to find some nice small chrome or stainless washers to hide the elongated holes. :roll: :idea: :roll:

Can't for the life of me understand why a company like that would have made such an error in good common sense! :eek:
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
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Jack Hanson
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Post by Jack Hanson »

Andy, have you checked out the Allparts/Gotoh TK-0901-001 Vintage Adaptor Bushings, used to turn 13/32" (10mm) peg holes into 1/4" vintage size peg holes?

Barrel size = 7.5mm
Outside diameter = 10mm
Inside diameter = 6.75mm
Face = 14mm

They may (or may not) work for your application. Good luck!
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David Venzke
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Re: Well I come to find out....

Post by David Venzke »

Andy DePaule wrote:I will have to put the guitar on my milling machine and elongate the 1st and 3rd holes by 1/16" so that the tuners will fit and operate smoothly.
Andy,

Rather than modifying the guitar, maybe you could separate the three on a plate tuners and use screws with larger diameter heads (Truss heads) in the two center positions, or maybe a small washer of some sort. Just an idea ...

-Dave
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Andy DePaule
Posts: 2616
Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
State/Province: Oregon
Country: United States

Post by Andy DePaule »

Jack Hanson wrote:Andy, have you checked out the Allparts/Gotoh TK-0901-001 Vintage Adaptor Bushings, used to turn 13/32" (10mm) peg holes into 1/4" vintage size peg holes?

Barrel size = 7.5mm
Outside diameter = 10mm
Inside diameter = 6.75mm
Face = 14mm

They may (or may not) work for your application. Good luck!
Thanks Jack,
I'll check them out when I get back to the US late this month.
That may just be the perfect answer.
Andy
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
User avatar
Andy DePaule
Posts: 2616
Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
State/Province: Oregon
Country: United States

Re: Well I come to find out....

Post by Andy DePaule »

David Venzke wrote:
Andy DePaule wrote:I will have to put the guitar on my milling machine and elongate the 1st and 3rd holes by 1/16" so that the tuners will fit and operate smoothly.
Andy,

Rather than modifying the guitar, maybe you could separate the three on a plate tuners and use screws with larger diameter heads (Truss heads) in the two center positions, or maybe a small washer of some sort. Just an idea ...

-Dave
Thanks Dave,
Good thought kind of like the fender 6 in line way, but I want to keep it as original as possible. I think what Jack Hanson wrote might be a better way to go?
Best wishes,
Andy
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.