The Chetboard

I want to oil the keys on my new 5120 because I believe that gears otta be lubricated to prevent wear. Can someone recommend a good oil that won't run all over the place (like onto the neck etc.) 3-in-1 oil comes to mind, but perhaps there is a better one for keeping nice instruments nice.

Thanks, Alan

I may be wrong but the gears on a 5120 should be sealed tuners and pre-oiled from the factory for the life of the instrument with no problems.....

I wish they were sealed tuners Wes but the tuners on my 2008 G-5120 aren't sealed. The tuners that came with my 5120 leave a lot to be desired. They really aren't the best tuners for that guitar.

In answer to his question though according to my guitar repair manual put out by the staff of Guitar Player Magazine, repairmen are divided about whether to lubricate machines or tuning keys. Some say that oils can wear certain metals. Others claim that regular lubrication is necessary to keep them functioning properly.
They say in the repair manual that the best bet is to lubricate them monthly with a light oil such as Three In One Oil. Some machines such as Grover and Schaller are lifetime lubricated as Wes has pointed out. Just make sure that the oil does not run on to the finish. Wipe it off immediately. Myself, I think that lubing tuners once a month is too often.

I normally use a machine oil on a Q-tip to keep the oil from running all over the place. Use your string winder to work the gears around so that the oil will be fairly evenly distributed. I hate open back tuners myself, but my 6120DE has them - as did the CGP.

My original Gretsch Tenny had open backs. Soon as I could afford them I put in Schallers. Same with my old Dobro. Kept busting plastic buttons on the d___ed thing so I shopped around and found some sealed gears that, after I had a machinist drill the shafts, did the trick.

I do not subscribe to the "keep it original" school of thought. A guitar is a gadget people make music on and if sealed gears make it work better then sealed gears it shall be...

Hey Norm. I use BIG BEN'S NUT SAUCE on my open back tuners on my G 5120. It comes in an injector pen that you squeeze onto your nut, bridge slots and tuners.It works great for me. It's transparent and looks like clear jelly and doesn't run.You can smear it around if you want with a Q tip No mess. Hope you try it. It has many uses on any string instrument. All the best joeb

Paul Yandell told a story about one of Merle Travis's Super 400's losing a plastic tuning button just before a show and they had to get pliers to tune the thing.

Ridiculous that one of Gibson's most expensive guitars should have plastic tuning buttons on it.

I have a friend who owned a Scheerhorn Dobro. The things sell for around 3 K.
It had plastic tuining key buttons on it and to my touch felt stiff. I nagged at him to just get some all metal tuners but he put it off and one day, sho' nuff, one of the plastic buttons crumbled on him. That made him buy all metal tuners.

Not sure what the makers are thinking unless it's just "saving money".

Some saving when a critical part breaks on a gig.

I just googled the Super 400 and it looks like they use all metal tuners now.

joeb's suggestion of 'nut sauce' seems good but I think lubing open backs more than once a year and then only lightly should be enough. If they start getting stiff and a touch of lubricant doesn't smooth it out, replace them.

Like I already said. If it was mine they would already be all metal sealed gear units.

Norm, I agree with you that making sure that a guitar works better is preferable to "keeping it original".

http://www.bigbends.com/nutsauce/agora. ... auce&xm=on

Hey norm check out some of the Big Bends prouducts. You will find everything you need here. Take care. JoeB