We’re big fans of Kluson Tuners here at Northwest Guitars and we’re not the only admirers of these iconic tuning machines. The industry’s biggest manufacturers have all used Kluson tuners, including Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Martin, and Rickenbacker, to name a few. Consistency and reliability lie at the heart of Kluson’s manufacturing ethos, which is exactly why they are favoured by the big brands.
Not content with resting on their laurels, Kluson have continued to innovate, re engineering their famous Deluxe series with improved ratios, more durable materials and a better manufacturing process. They also supply locking versions of all their tuners, keeping up with player demands for the new standard in machine head.
Kluson History
Kluson were founded in 1925 and began by supplying tuners, tailpieces, bushings, and various other parts for musical instruments. Kluson served all the big manufacturers during the guitar manufacturing boom from the 1940s through to the 1960s, playing their part in the golden age of guitar building. Despite their pivotal role in the evolution of guitar, there’s very little information around Kluson after this period, other than they closed their doors in the early 1980s.
The brand was reacquired in the early 90s and once again began manufacturing tuners, this time for the modern-era guitarist. Combining the best bits of their history with all the advancements of modern day technology and ppgrading the individual components of their tuning machines, Kluson have been rapidly reestablishing themselves as the go to tuner for a variety of instruments and continue to progress with each new iteration.
Kluson Tuner Guide
Kluson manufacturer plenty of different options for tuning machines including 3x3 for Les Paul style guitars, 6 in a line for your Strat and Tele guitars, and locking tuners for tremolo equipped guitars. We picked out four of our favourites for you to wrap your strings around.
Kluson MLT33N Locking Tuner
The MLT33N is a thoroughly modern Kluson locking tuner with a round back and ‘tulip’ style heads. A small rounded pin sits on a screw of each individual shaft, which is easily turned with the edge of a coin or a screw driver, providing the locking mechanism to help your guitar hold its tune.
The sophisticated clamp mechanism ensures that the lock stays steady, no matter how hard the vibrations, so you can rely on these tuners through the hardest playing and whammy bar abuse. They’re supplied with colour matched 10mm bushings and screws, so you’re ready to rock as soon as they arrive!
Kluson MC6LG Vintage Tuner
Kluson’s MC6LG Vintage style machine heads work brilliantly on Strat or Tele style guitars. They’re super lightweight, so great for builds where you want to save some weight, or to prevent your guitar being top heavy. These tuners are based on Kluson’s famous 60s design and have been manufactured to look exactly the same, all the way down to the double line logo on the rear housing.
We’ve sold plenty of these tuning machines and our customer’s are always raving about how good they are. They do an excellent job of maintaining your tuning stability and are supplied with colour matched bushings and screws. You can choose between 8mm or 10mm bushings for your tuner holes depending on your needs, so you’ll be hard pushed to find a 6 in line headstock these won’t fit.
Kluson MC33N Deluxe Tuner
The Kluson MC33N is a popular replacement for stock tuners on Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul’s. Manufactured to the same specs as the original 60s Kluson’s, these machine heads are incredibly lightweight, making them great for guitars that are prone to nose diving. With a ratio of 1:15 they deliver fantastic tuning accuracy and stability, making them the perfect upgrade for any 3x3 style headstock.
Many of our customer’s have upgraded their stock LP style guitars with these tuners and have found them to be a huge improvement. Their reasonable price notwithstanding, these tuners are an upgrade on any 3x3 tuners in terms of tuning stability and reliability, as well as adding plenty of vintage vibes with their green tulip buttons.
Kluson MVV3N Open Gear Tuner
Kluson MVV3N tuners deliver the good looks of open back tuners for 3x3 guitars. Made from high quality materials, the exposed solid metal gears have a ratio of 1:19 for incredible tuning accuracy with a smooth and precise tuning action. These open back tuners come with colour matched bushings and screws and will fit many guitars with 8mm tuner holes.
They add a touch of high-end class to any guitar they’re attached to and a zinc die-cast base plate ensures a stable platform that performs over and over again. Fit them on a semi-hollow guitar with a 3x3 headstock and not only will you have incredibly reliable tuning, but you'll have stunning good looks too.
In Conclusion
Kluson tuners were once the industry-standard guitar tuner and since their reincarnation have been taking all the right steps to return to the top of the guitar game. With a penchant for high quality construction and a storied history, Kluson tuners are rapidly re-establishing themselves as the top guitar tuner brand. As more and more guitarists look to modify their own instruments, we can only see these tuners getting back to the top.
Shop all Kluson Tuners.
Learn More
Get more in depth hardware info with our Guitar Tuner Guide.
Your Guitar Bridge goes hand in hand with your tuners, learn more about their relationship in our Guitar Bridge Guide.
Your Guitar Nut plays an important part in how in tune your guitar is, check out our Guitar Setup Guide for more info.