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A Journey Through Tuner History with Famous Brands 
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A Journey Through Tuner History with Famous Brands
Tuning an instrument is the first thing you learn when starting any instrument, and it's extremely important for playing.
While some instruments, like the piano, don't require the player to tune them, having notes that are accurately in tune is fundamental to any instrument.
Among the myriad instruments that exist, every conceivable tuning method has been developed, and the corresponding equipment and techniques have been employed.
This column will focus on electric guitar tuners and explore their history.
Before discussing electric guitar tuners, let's briefly cover the origin of the peg.
Originally, the " peg " ( a stake or fastener) was a cylindrical piece of wood onto which strings were wound. These pegs were then inserted into another piece of wood, using friction to secure the strings. This method is still used today on instruments like the violin.
In the world of electric guitars, "peg" is commonly understood in Japan, but it often doesn't translate well overseas.
The advent of metal strings led to the evolution of all musical instruments. This also brought about a major period of change in the world of guitars, where gut strings had been the mainstream.
Worm gear tuners, which were originally used with gut strings, were also used as tuners that could withstand even stronger tension, and they evolved in various ways depending on the strings and instruments.
Johann Georg Stauffer is famous as the forefather of guitar makers. Christian Frederick Martin, who trained for 14 years in Stauffer's Vienna workshop, founded the Martin company. After emigrating to America, Martin saw steel-string guitars become the standard as instruments evolved with music. This led to the current situation where "steel strings mean Martin, and Martin means acoustic guitars."
Martin also used various worm gear tuners. (Incidentally, the developer of the worm gear is unclear, but it is said to be either Archimedes or Da Vinci.)
Tuner used in Martin in 1834
1950 Fender Broadcaster
This manufacturer is indispensable when discussing electric guitar tuners. The manufacturer is Kluson.
John Kluson developed a tuner covering the worm gear with a metal cover around 1946. Later, atthe 1950NAMM SHOW in Chicago, the first solid-body electric guitar, the "Broadcaster," was unveiled, and it also used Kluson pegs.
Cruson was a manufacturer founded in Chicago in 1925. As mentioned above, while most tuners at the time had exposed gears, the "Cruson Deluxe" pegs, sold with covers, became wildly popular. The history of the electric guitar cannot be told without mentioning Cruson tuners.
While Fender and Gibson are the cornerstones of electric guitars, both brands used Kluson machine heads on their first guitars.
Now, a slight digression: when it comes to electric guitar tuners, Grover is also a well-known brand. Grover is a company associated with A.D. Grover & Son, founded by Albert Deane Grover.
Their famous tuner is the "102," which features a fully sealed gear mechanism. This design protects the gears from external dirt and dust, ensuring stable operation. The robustly housed tuner also shields the shaft, helping prevent excessive deformation from impacts.
Albert Deane Grover, born in 1865, was also a banjo player. He manufactured banjo tuners and reportedly held over 50 patents.
The company itself was acquired by Grossman in 1952, but the Grover name has persisted ever since.
Now, let's look at the tuners used by Fender and Gibson as examples.
When it comes to Fender's first solid-body guitar, it's the Broadcaster. However, since Gretsch owned the trademark for "Broadcaster," Fender was forced to change the name, resulting in the "Telecaster."
During the transition period from Broadcaster to Telecaster, guitars shipped with the Broadcaster name sanded off were called "No-Cast."
In fact, our shop has received a prototype No-Caster—already a rare find—making this truly a miraculous specimen.
Originally, most Kluson tuners were 3:3 ratio tuners designed for acoustic guitars.
Therefore, Fender initially adapted this by machining the Bass section of the pegs, which had mounting screw holes, to fit six-in-line pegs on a small headstock.
This allowed them to use only 7 mounting screws total, instead of the 12 screws that would normally be required ( 6 per side ), by sharing and securing adjacent pegs that were ground together with a single screw.
Initially, this peg machining was performed by Fender themselves.
The History of Fender Electric Guitar Tuners
1950 The earliest models (Kluson Deluxe)
Models with " KLUSON DELUXE " engraved in a single row on the cover (commonly known as Single-Row Kluson).
This "Single-Row Kluson" was also used on models from around 1956, but the major difference is that the earliest versions did not have the shaft tip piercing through the cover that houses the gears.
The retaining screw is a flathead screw.
Photo behind the broadcaster's peg
1950s Mid-1950s to 1952 (Krueson Deluxe)
It is commonly called "Non-Line" (No Line) because there is no engraving on the gear cover.
The shaft tip does not penetrate the cover that covers the gear, similar to the earliest models.
The retaining screw is a flat-head screw.
1952 Mid-year ~ 1956 (Kruesson Deluxe)
The gear cover lacks any engraving, making it a "no-line" model.
As a change, the shaft now passes through the gear cover.
The retaining screw is a flathead screw.
Back of the headstock on a 1952 Telecaster
Late 1956 Late 1956– 1963 Late 1963 (Kluson Deluxe)
The gear cover is engraved with " KLUSON DELUXE " in a single line (commonly known as Single-Line Kluson / Single-Line )
. The shaft passes through the gear cover.
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Back of the headstock on a 1960 Telecaster
Late 1963 Late 1960s to 1967 (Kluson Deluxe)
The gear cover is engraved with " KLUSON DELUXE " in two lines (commonly known as the Double-Line Kluson).
The shaft passes through the gear cover.
The retaining screw is a Phillips screw.
Back of the headstock of a 1966 Stratocaster
1967Mid-year to 1971Around 1971 (Early ) F--key)
A tuner commonly known as the " F-key " is adopted, as the letter " F " is engraved on the gear cover.
Starting this year, Fender's original tuners were adopted.
The reasons were twofold: to eliminate the labor of modifying and installing Kluson pegs, and to achieve more stable tuning by securing each tuner with two screws instead of the previous method of fixing seven tuners ( six pegs ) with only seven screws.
The early F-keys featured an overall rounded shape and were chrome-plated.
Race & Olmsted manufactured the F-keys.
Their factory was located directly across from Fender's facility, fostering a close relationship that led to their involvement in producing the tuners.
Even the established Gibson company did not manufacture its own pegs at this time. Fender's pioneering development and implementation of its own tuners stands as a clear testament to the company's development capabilities and execution power.
Back of the headstock of a 1966-1967 Jazzmaster
1971Around the age of ~ 1976Mid-period ( FKey Second Version)
This period features the second version of the F-key
. It is characterized by a more angular overall shape compared to the first version
. Only the gear cover and tuning knobs are chrome-plated.
Tuners with different internal structures can be seen during this period, suggesting the possibility of manufacturing by companies other than Rays & Ohmstad.
Back of the headstock of a 1970 All Rose Telecaster
1976 Early model (Schaller-made) F F-keys)
From the first half of 1976, F keys manufacturedby Schaller of Germany began to be used.
Since they were made in West Germany before reunification, the pegs were marked inside with " WEST" .
Back of the headstock of a 1976 Stratocaster
Here's a bit about Schaller ( Schaller )
The company was founded in Germany at the end of 1945 by Helmut Schaller ( 1923-1999 ). Reading the description, it's clear that Helmut Schaller, who advanced this business amidst the turmoil of rebuilding from the devastation of World War II, was a man of remarkable drive.
Helmut Schaller earned his radio technician certification in 1946. After the currency reform of 1948, he began selling radios again, which had become available for purchase. Remarkably, by around 1949, he was also manufacturing instrument pickups under the Franconian instrument manufacturer Fred Wilfer (Flamas). Imagining how much earlier all these developments might have occurred if this 26-year-old had not had precious time stolen by the war truly highlights the horrors of conflict.
Schaller, who manufactured Flamas's instrument-specific pickups and amplifiers, became the market leader in Europe's electric division, delivering results for everything demanded—from guitar parts like tuners and bridges to effects such as tremolos, volume pedals, echo, and reverb.
Regarding tuners , in 1966, the M6 machine head with fully enclosed gears was released. Among the many manufacturers using these pegs were famous names such as Ovation, Gibson, and Martin, and around 1976, Fender also joined their ranks.
In 1977, they jointly developed the double locking system brought in by Floyd Rose, and as soon as it appeared on the market in 1980, guitarists everywhere became captivated by the system.
In 1981, he developed the "locking pin," a system that securely connects the guitar and strap and prevents it from coming off easily. To this day, it remains the most popular locking system for securing straps to guitars.
The relationship with Schaller continued into the 1980s. While Schaller-made tuners were used, Fender employed tuners made to their own specifications.
WEST GERMANY engraving
Gibson electric guitar
Gibson's first solid-body electric guitar was released in 1952, later than Fender's. As a manufacturer with a long history in instrument making, Gibson's release of the solid-body electric guitar showed a strong competitive awareness towards Fender.
The name of Gibson's first solid-body electric guitar was Les Paul. Gibson, taking notice of Les Paul & Mary Ford who were topping the charts at the time, signed a contract with Les around 1950 stipulating he would use only Les Paul guitars in public performances.
Since Les had previously proposed ideas for a solid-body electric guitar to Gibson, the model heavily incorporated his input. Some accounts state the curved top on the Les Paul was designed to show off a difference, as Fender didn't have a wood carving machine at the time. The trapeze tailpiece and Goldtop coloring were also Les's ideas.
Les Paul & Mary Ford
The Gibson factory built in 1909
Gibson began with Orville Henry Gibson, who had been making mandolins and guitars on a small scale in Kalamazoo, Michigan, since the 1880s.Subsequently, The Mandolin Guitar Manufacturing Company, Limited was establishedin Kalamazoo on October 11, 1902. The company grew steadily , acquiring new land in 1909. By the time the Kalamazoo factory closed in 1984, it had undergone five expansions, growing into a large factory exceeding 120,000 square feet. It is common knowledge that Gibson has since grown into a manufacturer virtually unknown to no one involved in music.
Given Gibson's background in mandolin manufacturing and its specialized knowledge of tuners, we will explain what type of tuning pegs they adopted for their electric guitars.
The History of Les Paul Tuners
style="font-size: calc(17px * var(--proportional-font-size) / 100);"> 1952(When the Les Paul was released) The tuners installed were Kluson's " 320VP ". These were traditional 3-in-3 tuners with a gear cover, and did not feature the " Klusen Deluxe " logo.
This type features tuner knobs made of resin. They are also called " single-knob Klusons " because the base of the knob has only one knob.
1954(When the Les Paul Custom was released) Following the strong sales of the Les Paul, the Les Paul Custom was released as a higher-end model. The tuners adopted for the Les Paul Custom were, once again, Kluson's " 501VP ". While the resin knobs were similar, the cover over the gears was made of metal with vertical lines, and these tuners were also called "waffle pegs" due to their appearance.
1958to 1961(until production ended) Les Paul Customs from this period featuredGrover tuners. class="s1">102G will be adopted. Glover's flagship housing tuner " 102 " established its image as a "premium peg" by being used on high-end models from the venerable Gibson.
Its defining feature is the " PAT.PEND.U.S.A. " inscription on the metal cover.
1958Around 1958~ From around 1958, while still using Kluson's " 320VP " model, the resin used for the knob portion changed to a type that deteriorates very easily over time. Among vintage enthusiasts, these are called "shrink pegs".
Pegs used in 1959 in particular suffer from severe shrinkage, with many found completely crumbled. This is also a "single-knob Kluson".
Actually, around 1960, the single-cutaway Les Paul models that had been available up to that point disappeared. What happened to the guitar that had been selling so well?
Contemporary records indicate that while the higher-priced Les Pauls were selling satisfactorily, sales of the more affordable Junior model reached an all-time high in 1959.
According to Ted McCarty, "After pushing the Junior model for a while, the sales department started pushing us to make something new and modern, different from what we'd done before. So we created this new shape model and decided to discontinue the single-cutaway."
That new shape was the pointed double-cutaway design. This shape, later called the SG ( short for Solid Guitar ) shape, is clearly a hugely successful guitar to us today. It shows Ted McCarty, who made this bold change at the time, was a genius with incredible foresight.
Later, Les Paul, who had an endorsement contract, disliked the new shape of the guitar and terminated the endorsement contract around 1963. Consequently, the guitar could no longer use the Les Paul name and was renamed the " SG."
1961– SGShape Les Paul) The tuners fitted to the SG ( Les Paul ) from 1961 were Klusen's " 320VP " type, but featured a "two-knob" design with two rows of knobs at the base. The metal cover bore the " Klusen Deluxe " logo in a single row, leading to it being called the " single-row two-knob Klusen ".
1963– SG)Around 1963, the metal cover logo " Klusen Deluxe " changed to a two-row design, resulting in the " two-knob, two-row Klusen" tuner.
1968(The Resurrection of the Les Paul) Time passed, and in 1968, the Les Paul made its comeback at a Chicago trade show.
Despite declining electric guitar sales following the discontinuation of the Les Paul, demand for the discontinued single-cutaway Les Paul and market activity remained strong. Les Paul himself was sensitive to this movement. With a renewed contract with Gibson and new ideas, the new Les Paul model was reborn.
1968(Revival Year) The tuners used here were the standard Klusen " 320VP " models, identical to those used at the time. These tuners, commonly called " 2-knob 2-row Klusen," feature two knobs at the base ( commonly known as "2 knobs" ) and the " Klusen Deluxe " logo in two rows on the metal cover.
The Custom model uses the Klusen " 501VP " (waffle peg), the same as at the time.
Schaller Machine Heads M6
Gibson used a wide variety of tuners. Kluson alone produced many types, and numerous Grover peg models were also made specifically for Gibson.
In 1976, Gibson adopted Schaller tuners, just as Fender had done. Schaller tuners transcended national borders and currency differences, being used on guitar products across many industrialized nations.
Tuner Replacement and Parts
So far, we've traced the history of tuners through major manufacturers. Next, we'll briefly cover points to note if you want to replace your tuners and explain some tuner parts.
Peg Button ( Knob )
*The part you touch when turning the peg
Peg Post ( Shaft )
※Part where the string is wound
Peg Worm
※The shaft with buttons that forms the gear
Peg Bush
※When attaching the peg to the main unit, prevent interference with the wooden part by inserting it into the main unit.
Peg Bush Nut
※For pegs without bushings on the main body, secure the peg body by tightening the nut onto the peg body from the top after attaching it to the bottom.
Peg Cover
※Cover for the gear section
Worm Wheel
※Part forming the gear that meshes with the peg shaft
●Determine whether the tuners on the guitar you want to replaceare the6-in-line type or the 3:3 type( there are exceptions ). Stratocasters and Telecasters typically have 6-in-line, while Les Pauls and SGs often have 3:3. Generally, Fender-style guitars tend to have 6-in-line, and Gibson-style guitars tend to have 3:3.
●Determine the size of the hole in the headstock where the tuner is mounted, the outer diameter of the bushing inserted into it, and the inner diameter of the bushing.The head hole size can generally be determined by the bushing type. If the outer and inner diameters of the replacement tuner's bushing match, replacement is possible. If you want to install a tuner with a different bushing type, you will need to enlarge the hole. If the hole is too large, the bushing may not fit, requiring the hole to be filled and re-drilled, or installation may be impossible. Even if the bushing fits, the thickness of the peg shaft may prevent the peg itself from being installed.
●If the original tuner uses a bushing nut and you wish to replace it with a tuner requiring a bushing, verify that the outer diameter of the hole where the head tuner is mounted matches the outer diameter of the bushing to be installed. If they do not match, you may need to fill the hole and re-drill it, or installation may not be possible.
Pegs using the original bush nuts
●Check the tuner shaft length and the thickness of the guitar headstock where it will be installed. If the tuner shaft length doesn't match the headstock thickness or angle, installation might be possible but stringing could be impossible. Furthermore, tension issues might cause strings to stay on the nut only briefly before slipping off. This is especially important for guitars like Fender models with straight headstocks.
● Verify the mounting screw positions for the existing tuner and the tuner you wish to install. If the positions differ, additional mounting holes must be added. Even if the mounting hole positions match, if the screw hole pattern does not align with the screws for the new tuner ( e.g., if the original holes are too large ), the screw holes must also be re-drilled.
The original hole where the peg was replaced and is now visible
Peg has been replaced and the original hole is visible
●If the tuner you want to install doesn't require screws—meaning it's secured by clamping the top nut and tuner body onto the head—then you'll need to modify the dowel part attached to secure the tuner side. Even if the shaft length is sufficient for the head thickness, the bushing nut might be too short to secure it at all, so be careful here too.
The nut is engaged and locked in place.
State where the nut is not engaged and not stopped
※While this is a general overview, the most common issues I encounter involve the size of the guitar's mounting hole and screw position, the thickness of the head and shaft length, the tension applied, and often the head size itself not matching, leaving insufficient space for the desired tuner.
Many people purchase vintage guitars for playing, and originality is crucial for determining their value. However, these guitars often come with issues like bent shafts making tuning difficult, hardened grease inside making them hard to turn, or stripped screw holes causing wobbling.
In such cases, it's perfectly fine to keep the original hardware and replace the tuners with new ones.
In fact, many owners of Gibson Les Paul Sunbursts from1958to 1960, commonly called Bursts, especially those with 1959 Bursts they actually play, find the original tuners often shrink and become nearly unusable.
The Kluson and Grover tuners introduced this time are often original equipment, but they are also frequently replaced. Just as Schaller tuners from Germany were used by manufacturers worldwide in the 1970s due to their precision and quality construction, today Japan's GOTOH manufactures the majority of these tuners and dominates the global market.
Seeing actual guitars in use, where tuners from GOTOH Co., Ltd.—representing Japan, the nation of craftsmanship—have replaced the original tuners and are performing reliably, makes me feel a sense of pride. Am I the only one?
Guitar parts are numerous, and modifying them to your personal taste is incredibly enjoyable. Our shop stocks a wide variety of parts and, of course, we welcome consultations for part replacements. While we've focused on tuners this time, we'll continue to enhance your musical life with all kinds of parts. We also have a column on pickups, so please take a look.
Author: TCGAKKI Store Manager: Akira Matsui
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