Just going through my parts drawer and found a set of vintage two band tuners. After cleaning off the crud I find they are branded Gibson. Only info I can find on line seems to suggest they were used on Bella Voce and Granada banjos in the twenties. Not being a Gibson guy I`m not sure of the desirability of these machines. I think they would be better used to complete a Gibson rather than me using them on an English `jo which is more in my wheelhouse as they say. Any suggestions ?
Hello Derrick - I suspect the tuners you have are actually made by Schaller, and they were used on most of the Gibson banjos from about 1970 (or thereabouts) until around 1984. Those are the only tuners I'm aware of that were used on Gibson banjos and actually said "Gibson" on them. Actually I guess the name was engraved or stamped onto the back side of the case of the tuner body. These tuners are actually very good tuners indeed; they were available in both nickel plated and gold plated. If you have a few pictures of them the banjo hangout community will comment on the manufacturer and can be more certain.
What Gregg said.
Here's the peghead of a 1970s RB-250 showing the GIBSON-stamped two-band tuners. Both of those details are a bit hard to see in the photo, but that's what these are. If your tuners say GIBSON in all-caps on the flat part of the housing and if the shafts are off-center, then you might have 70s tuners.
I agree with Gregg they were probably made by Schaller. The square shaft and beveled trim washers strongly suggest that to me.
1920s Gibson tuners did not have Gibson stamped in them.
Thanks guys, the consensus (of a small sample admittedly) that these are likely `70`s issue would seem likely to me, the buttons look similar to the pics, sorta squared off looking unlike the vintage oval buttons, offset, and the GIBSON is stamped in caps on the front face. they do seem pretty smooth in operation.
These are Gibson tuners from the 1970's. Back then, you could buy them "as parts" (as well as on banjos)...
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