The screw that holds the cog on one of the tuners on my wife's acoustic guitar has disappeared. The others are M3, black, phillips or pozi, raised countersunk, length is 8mm overall (but the length of raised csk ignores the raised bit). I haven't been able to find a supplier for small quantities - any suggestions? (If all else fails I'll replace the complete tuner head)
Not even eBay?(*) If you have to buy 100 flog the rest on eBay in small quantities, say packs of 10 probably for the same price per pack (inc postage) you bought 100 for...
(*) Quick search found black A2 stainless round head allen socket 10 mm £4.67 delivered from a seller with 30,000 100% feedback. Do you have a file?
Have you tried eBay? Normally my first port of call for such things, and very seldom disappointed.
You might not find a black one, and you might have to trim it to length. Does it really have to have a raised countersink? Or you could replace them all with standard countersink. That will give you the choice of pozi or hex.
Watch out as the "obvious" search will also give you 3.5mm electrical screws, which are raised dome.
Self tappers, machine screws ?
B&Q will sell bags of four or five for the sort of same price as boxes of 100 from Screwfix or such.
Do not get too caught up in what type of screwdriver is needed pozi/hex/slot etc.
What sort of amount are you willing to spend? Are the head types (countersunk, pan, cheese) vital?
ebay or amazon
These people who appear to be UK based (all prices are in ?) do single screws along with other bits for guitars etc.
As the screws you are after will be a fairly standard part - same as the cogs etc. presumably they can supply what you need.
michael adams
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Really? On a nicely crafted item like a guitar, I'd think that important.
The above seem to fit the bill although slotted, despite no size being given, as they offer 10mm brass "machine head locating screws" on page 2 at 28p each. Presumably the "locating screws" are the screws used to affix the brass plates which carry the machine head mechanisms to the sides of the wooden body. And there seem only two types of screw in use in a classical guitar machine head.
michael adams
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Indeed. So he'll maybe want order 6 screws instead of just one. Just so as to not upset anyone such as yourself who might peer too closely at the back of his wife's guitar, and notice one of the screws doesn't match. And obviously word would soon get around.
michael adams
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Thanks, but those are to attach the plates to the head rather than the cog to the "spindle" (for want of a better name). They don't stock the screw I need
Thanks, but I have (as always) spent time on eBay, Amazon, some fastener suppliers and some luthier specialists. The screw needs to be raised countersunk.
I've looked in all the obvious places, without success, hence asking here.
You are correct.
I only worry what I'd think. Looking at something with the wrong type of screw fitted. Like some antique fixed to the wall with Pozi. But each to their own...
As I pointed out in my follow up post
" they offer 10mm brass "machine head locating screws" on page 2 at 28p each. Presumably "locating screws" are the screws used to affix the brass plates which carry the machine head mechanisms to the sides of the wooden body."
Which are presumably the screws you are referring to there.
And as I further pointed out
" there seem to be only two types of screw in use in a classical guitar machine head."
But you're probably quite right. Why throw 39p of your hard earned on a screw that definitely isn't going to fit ? Your wife clearly has a unique design of guitar and so a stockist of guitar parts is unlikely to carry any screws that would fit. That does of course raise the question as to where exactly you're going to source "the complete tuner head" which you suggested as your fall back option. As presumably it wouldn't be the same place as you'd first look for spare screws as otherwise you wouldn't be asking your question.
michael adams
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Ideally when fixing anything to a wall, whether antique or not. things should be so arranged that the fixing is hidden, behind whatever it is that;s being supported.
Whereas IMHO, with musical instruments the most important thing is the sound they produce rather than what they look like. Unlike say antiques which some people apparently find it becessary to screw to the wall. (As with MFI wardrobes and cupboards of old)
michael adams
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Contact the secretary of your local model engineering society (There's one in every county or major city) or even the master society, the SMEE in London, and perhaps someone there will make one for you as a gesture of goodwill.
From what you describe, it would only be a matter of a few minutes to lathe one up for you.
"michael", why the aggressive attitude? As I have said: those screws are not intended to attach the cog to the "spindle".
in the limit why not buy a whole set?
"type machine heads acoustic guitar" into google or Amazon
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