Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

Mike D

New member
Quick question...

If I wanted to put Grover Rotomatic Locking Tuners on an '09 Les Paul Custom, would they be a direct replacement/fit for the Grovers that come standard in Les Paul Customs? I do not want to alter the guitar in any way.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

I believe adding any type of grover tuners to a Gibson guitar would require some sort of drilling to the headstock for the tuners to fit. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong :)
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

They drop into regular production models that have the wider holes, but not into historics which use the vintage size thin posts; those require reaming. Yours should be the fatter ones and no problem. Just pull one and confirm. The bottom screw hole of the Grover will line right up too, and the unused hole at the top will be partially covered by the Grover housing.

Yours should have a fat base, with a thinner post sticking out about 1/2 way out like these. Grovers should drop right in for these (they have for me on numerous Gibsons).

tk%20pmmh010b.jpg



If they have skinny posts all the way down like these, Grovers will not fit without reaming the hole (that sounds nasty, LOL). However, they should not be like this unless its an historic model.

clone_machinehead_50ni02.jpg


I added them to my R7, which did need reaming as explained, but I just wanted to show how the screw holes look when you're done.

R7_SN_7_5074.jpg
 
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Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

OK. I know the Customs come with Grovers already (just not the locking ones), so I am hoping that they are a direct swap.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

you should be fine. i also added grovers to my gibson, albiet an SG faded, and it fit exactly as tatooed carrot explained. if you're replacing grovers with grovers there shouldn't be any issues.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

Beware of the older locking Grovers that do not have the thumb wheel. The posts are extra long and tend to look disproportionate sticking out of the headstock. The internal locking cam also isn't the best and can sometimes lose its grip when tuning down even as little as half a turn. The newer style with the Sperzel-like thumb wheel are much better.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

Beware of the older locking Grovers that do not have the thumb wheel. The posts are extra long and tend to look disproportionate sticking out of the headstock. The internal locking cam also isn't the best and can sometimes lose its grip when tuning down even as little as half a turn. The newer style with the Sperzel-like thumb wheel are much better.

Yes, those are the ones I plan on getting. I can't seem to find them with keystone knobs though rather than the kidney-bean style.
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

I didn't even think about maybe just swapping out the knobs... maybe I'll order the Grovers (with the thumb wheel) and deal with the knob change later...
 
Re: Gibson Les Paul Custom and Grover Tuners

I didn't even think about maybe just swapping out the knobs... maybe I'll order the Grovers (with the thumb wheel) and deal with the knob change later...
The new thumb wheel versions came on my new LP Trad Pro and I like them a lot. And they also very much retain the traditional Grover look. The only reason I didn't buy them for my V projects was they are pretty new tuners so they aren't floating around used and new they are like $80!! I got the Sperzels for $49 new.
 
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