Andy, I recommend selling these for $1,000,000 dollars. Joking. I had a set of these fron an old Di Mauro which I bought recently. They weren't working well so I dumped them.
I don't think they were ever more than adequate. Made in quantities but down to a price, there were some funny references to M. Delaruelle in the Pierre Fontaine interview in Vintage Vertigo some years back.
I don't know if they made a difference to the selling price but I do know that similar Di Mauros (for example; the same may apply to other brands) could be supplied with the basic Delaruelles, some better covered types from l’Huillier et Massicot, or probably more expensive still the SB Salvatore Bilardi tuners.
But yes, there are some who value originality as a priority and these can be made to work ok. As they are not that strong if they take a bump they can easily get slightly bent, just enough to make them tighten up which in turn will wear the gears fast. If the gears are ok, the rest can be gently worked back into shape such that they turn easily AND stay in tune but that can be a lot of fiddly work to get right and that is before you go looking for matching yellow buttons, so for most people replacing them with new tuners is a better bet. If I have enough parts to make a good working set, I do, but they are not really worth going to any trouble for, better to get some new ones.
New replacements could be the way to go, as I have already said, but.......first check the hole spacing, they did vary.
I have a set of original Delaruelles here on a Di Mauro that has the tuners 36.5mm apart. The standard today is 35mm, so if yours are anything other than 35mm, rather than getting a new set of three-on-a-plate and having to plug and redrill the holes, it would be easier to use a set of separate tuners.
Likewise, some old Sicilian guitars have the holes closer together, about 33m if I remember right. Same fix applies.
Comments
Ciaoee , @elianu - I will send you the incomplete "set" of 2x3 (top pic), totally free of charge.
If you want the full set of 2x3 (lower pic), the guys in this thread will help me set a nice cheap price.
There are a few angled buttons on the better set, very useable but not perfect.
[ Help me set a price, guys - I've no idea!! 100% of proceeds to charity ]
Auguri
-Andy-
Andy, I recommend selling these for $1,000,000 dollars. Joking. I had a set of these fron an old Di Mauro which I bought recently. They weren't working well so I dumped them.
I don't think they were ever more than adequate. Made in quantities but down to a price, there were some funny references to M. Delaruelle in the Pierre Fontaine interview in Vintage Vertigo some years back.
I don't know if they made a difference to the selling price but I do know that similar Di Mauros (for example; the same may apply to other brands) could be supplied with the basic Delaruelles, some better covered types from l’Huillier et Massicot, or probably more expensive still the SB Salvatore Bilardi tuners.
But yes, there are some who value originality as a priority and these can be made to work ok. As they are not that strong if they take a bump they can easily get slightly bent, just enough to make them tighten up which in turn will wear the gears fast. If the gears are ok, the rest can be gently worked back into shape such that they turn easily AND stay in tune but that can be a lot of fiddly work to get right and that is before you go looking for matching yellow buttons, so for most people replacing them with new tuners is a better bet. If I have enough parts to make a good working set, I do, but they are not really worth going to any trouble for, better to get some new ones.
ok @elianu , you can have them ALL , free of charge.
Message me your name & address & I'll get them sent off to you.
<edit> tuners have been posted
Why not just put on a brand new set of tuners? Those originals don't look all the great quality?
New replacements could be the way to go, as I have already said, but.......first check the hole spacing, they did vary.
I have a set of original Delaruelles here on a Di Mauro that has the tuners 36.5mm apart. The standard today is 35mm, so if yours are anything other than 35mm, rather than getting a new set of three-on-a-plate and having to plug and redrill the holes, it would be easier to use a set of separate tuners.
Likewise, some old Sicilian guitars have the holes closer together, about 33m if I remember right. Same fix applies.