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Does anyone have information on the geometric-shaped string tuners on Mosrites from like 1969-1971.

They are really unusual. I have them on my 1971 VI (#V0231).

The only other guitars I have seen them on are late 1960's Standels & Harptones.
Seems like Mosrite stopped using them in 72-73 and went back to Klusons.
I think Kurt Cobain had them on his Gospel.

Does anyone know who manufactured them, & does anyone else have them on their Mosrites?

Thanks,
B52

I have them on my '71.When I bought it used, the last owner had put on black Dimazio's which didn't look right at all.I thought I needed a set of Klusons but when I found out what I really needed I knew I was in for a battle.Noone here in Australia had any and so I kept watching US ebay, but in the last twelve months since I bought the guitar I've only seen one set - which I snapped up for $100 US.The problem is that they're so stiff I needed both hands to turn them.Most people told me they were useless and to chuck 'em out but I tried putting a few drops of oil on the threads which helped a bit - but they're still hard to turn.Good luck finding some, although it's worth the search, if only for having the guitar look right.

They are on my Maphis octave neck (see the For Sale page or eBay) and they are Japanese.

Are you guy's talking about these?



I soaked these over night in mineral spirits sloshed them around real good and now they are real smooth operating.

So I'm not the only one who had a bunch that were hard to turn eh?I wonder if it's a charactristic of their design or just sad coincidence?I might take them off and try the mineral spirits.It would be good to have them work right.

Hey Guys,

Yeah, that's them. And yes I did notice them on the Maphis octave currently listed on ebay.
It's a fact they can be tough to deal with at times; I got used to the peculiarities of mine on the 71 through the years. I almost changed them in the late 1980's but thought better to leave it all original.

It seems they are a product of Japan, but no-one seems to know the manufacturer; they are heavy and well made units. I guess they speak to the challeging years post-Ventures deal and getting the company up and running again in the early-1970's.

It seems the Klusons came back around #V0350 or so. Again, mine is V0231.

Thanks,
B52

B52 posted:

It seems they are a product of Japan, but no-one seems to know the manufacturer; they are heavy and well made units. I guess they speak to the challeging years post-Ventures deal and getting the company up and running again in the early-1970's.

I'm guessing they might of been made by either Ping or Gotoh?? And that's just a guess
I've got them on my 70's Celebrity III, and yes, they were a PAIN until I took them apart
and did the the SAME THING a few years ago that Danny did. So far, they have been fine.....

I've got a full set of these on my Japanese Beatle copy guitar ( a Regent, I think). I'd sell 'em if they were worth anything to a Mosrite restorer.

And another example pops up; the wrecked-up Combo just listed on Ebay gives a couple of good shots of these odd-ball Mosrite tuners. It seems Semie used them, here and there, on almost all models in the late sixties and early seventies.

I will try the mineral oil on mine, as a couple of you guys suggested.

Thanks,
Al. (B52)

B52 wrote:I will try the mineral oil on mine, as a couple of you guys suggested.

Thanks,
Al. (B52)

Keep in mind that the mineral oil bath is only a cleaning agent, it is not a lubricant. Seperate the back cover to expose the gears, let it soak for about 24hrs to soften the grime and dried grease, then use a stiff brush to brush away loose particles. You can then relube the gears with a very small dab Vasaline and reassemble.