Tuner Upgrade Options ??

anthon_74

Hi all !

I recently purchased a Selmer style guitar made by Alta Mira. It plays and sounds AMAZING (at least compared to my Gitane DG 300), but it has VERY cheep looking tuners (A step below the Gitane deluxe tuners).

I would like to upgrade the tuners to match the original Selmers, and I've noticed that the only option seems to be the dupont DM tuners for $350.
Is there a knock off for less than that but that still looks like the old selmer tuners ?

OR does anyone have a used set of Dupont DM's for sale ?

And will they fit on pretty much any selmer copy ?

The specs of this guitar match that of a Manouche Latcho Drom Nuages - Indian Rosewood back and sides / Spruce top / walnut neck / ebony fretboard. U shaped neck. Normal scale.

THANKS!!!
Anthony

Craig Bumgarner

You might look at the new Schaller Selmer Classic Deluxe tuners.

http://guitar-machine-heads.com/hp30524 ... -Liste.htm

I seem to recall they expected to go for less than $150, but not sure if anyone is carrying them here in the US yet. Schaller makes great tuners and I would not expect these would be any less.

CB

constantine

Anthon - in what ways is it better than your gitane?
Where did you get that guitar?

crookedpinky

I bought a set of the new Schaller Selemr tuners - they're very good and look the part at less cost than other makes. I'd also recommend the Saga Deluxe tuners sold by Michael here on Djangobooks.

As far as I know the Alta Miras are made in China but are making a good name for themselves as lower end guitars. A friend of mine imported a no name Chinese made guitar and it looks very similar to the Alta Miras - it was also a very good guitar for the money - even after import duties.

seeirwin

I have heard from a few reliable sources that Alta Miras are made by a guy named
Hansen Yao and that these guitars are rebadged as the Manouche Latcho Drom. I played several at the NAMM show this year and they looked/felt/played just like my Latcho Drom. They are great guitars.

redblues

Samuel C Lees playing an Altimera here, really nice sound for the price

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dRNnvub5IU

MichaelHorowitz

Timely discussion, both the Altimira guitars and Schaller tuners will be available in the DjangoBooks store soon!

anthon_74

Hey Ya'll !

Thanks for the responses !! Right now, I'm waiting for Michael to get the Shaller tuners in, though since I can't afford to go to DFNW (MUCH to my chagrin) I'm considering splurging and getting the Dupont DR tuners and putting them on my guitar. I don't know, is it me, or do the Dupont DRs have that aged look, while the Shallers are shiny and new looking.

And yes Seeirwin, I do believe, with the exception of the tuners, this is essentially the same guitar as the Manouche Latcho Drom Nuage model.

Consantine - It's FAR superior than the DG 300 in these ways so far as I can tell (mind you I'm a novice in this style beyond rhythm )

1) It has a crisper and louder rhythm "bark" than the 300.
2) The Rhythm sound is more authentic sounding (definitely more treble/upper register, which says a lot since I have lighter strings on the dg 300).
3) The Mids have that Django like tonal quality in far more abundance than the DG 300's.
4) the neck, while U shaped, is thinner (not narrower as in from 1st string to 6th, but thinner as in from the fretboard to the necks under curve). This makes it easier to play by far.
5) The only downside is the tuners as I said, AND it has no fret inlay dots on the side of the neck ! this bugs me a little because I'm so used to having them. I will have to have some put on. not sure what it will cost, but it's that or get some stickers which I feel will cheapen it's look.

Craig Bumgarner

anthon_74 wrote:

....it has no fret inlay dots on the side of the neck ! this bugs me a little because I'm so used to having them. I will have to have some put on. not sure what it will cost....

Dots on the side of the neck are easy to do and should be fairly inexpensive to have done. If you are interested in trying it yourself and want some help with how it is done, email me.

CB