Lighter weight tuners than Rotomatics

[Mike Perez]

Hello,
I'm looking for recommendations for some good tuners that will replace my 40 year old Grover Rotomatics.
Something like the Gotoh vintage (Kluson style).
They Grover's make the guitar so neck heavy. I am open to open geared tuners also.
If I need to tap and re-drill I will. I think there are bushing that will take up the extra space????
Thanks.

[Barry Daniels]

I've been replacing them with Waverly tuners. A bit pricey but they are very well made. They have larger bushings as an option. A set of Waverlys are half the weight of Grover Rotomatics. The only downside is that the Waverlys do not include a washer under the bushing so you have the old washer impression exposed. So, I ream out the old Grover washers and polish them to reuse them with the Waverlys.

I have also recently been making small delrin bushings to support the lower end of the Waverly tuner shaft. Makes for a solid connection.

[Mike Perez]

Thank you Barry.
I'm not worried about the impression left by the washers as I'm adding a new headplate.

[Barry Daniels]

Here are a couple of 70's era Martins that I am currently working on with the Waverlys installed. You can see that the Waverly covers the footprint and screw holes of the old Grovers on the back of the peghead adequately.