Questions: 3 String Balalaika Tuner

by Francis Kosheleff

Originally published in American Lutherie #71, 2002

 

Bob Mussro from cyberspace asks:

I’m trying to find replacement tuners for a three-string balalaika. Would you have such or know of a source?

Francis Kosheleff from Los Gatos, CA responds:

The easy solution to the problem is to remove the old tuners, plug the three holes , and get single tuners like Schaller or Gotoh. Drill a hole on the treble side of the peghead for one tuner (steel A string ). Do the same on the other side for the two nylon E strings.

The hard solution, if you absolutely need a perfect, identical, replacement is to send somebody you trust to Russia to search for the craftsman or the factory who made your instrument and buy the replacement
tuners. (Good luck!)

Another (expensive) solution is to have somebody (professional) build a copy of your tuners. And finally you can alter two of the three tuners by making a longer shaft (a small length of thin tubing) that will reach the edge of the peghead from the existing holes. It’s not too difficult to do. I have done that a couple of times. ◆