Drop in replacement tuners for MCI

[Jim Pollard]

I've got a Waco MCI with the Grover "star" tuners which are starting to become unsealed. Wondering if anyone's already done the work and found a set of replacements I can just order. I see the Grover 210 series but they have a pin that I'm not sure will work with the headstock even if I am able to remove the threaded allen bolts that are currently installed to allow tuners that have screw holes.

[Bobby D. Jones]

I suggest you remove 1 of the keys. Get measurements of shaft housing diameter and measurement of distance between mounting holes, Center to center. Then call Musicians Friend or other large suppliers. Get someone with a cell phone and send them the measurements and pictures. To help find the right key.
I put a new set of Grovers in a MSA Classic. The keys I ordered looked perfect,!!!! Wrong. They had went from 3/8" to 40mm on the shaft housing. I had to drill out every shaft housing hole to replace the keys.
Good Luck in this project, Happy Steelin.

[Jim Pollard]

Thanks Bobby. I did end up taking off a key and assailed it in all ways possible with my caliper. I've found what seem to be the exact same tuners (same vintage too) and have a message in with the seller requesting measurements of what they're selling. That should buy me a bit more time to either find a direct replacement or as close as I can get. I don't have the access to machining resources or experience to drill out the headstock myself. Which brings up another question you might know the answer to. How difficult is it typically to remove a steel headstock?

[Bobby D. Jones]

Most key heads, Have screws that come up from under the body to attach the key head. Some times the screws are blocked by cross shafts, Or pull rods. (Milwaukee makes some hex drive bits with small diameter shaft which help in tight places. Some key heads also have screws that hold the key head to the neck also, Or alignment pins, That the key head must be slid off of.
Be sure to keep the nut rollers in order, And return rollers to same slots.