MIMF

I recently removed a neck from one guitar and transplanted it to another body. Originally it was on a body I had built for steel stringing, but the tuners I modified couldn't handle the tension. I mounted them similar to the originals - with the worms below the posts (which I know is poor practice). it tore up the cogs in short order. I replaced the cogs and restrung it in nylon. Mechanically this worked O.K. but the sound of the guitar suffered. It has a sassafras soundboard which gives a sound midway between spruce and mahogany.
The Donor:

The recipient :

This was the guitar I mentioned in Chuck Tweedy's post that originally sounded terrible. I guess it took a little while for the neck to wake up in a new body. It sounds quite nice now. It is kind of a crossover with a narrower nut width than a classical and a radiused fretboard.
I used a "fan X" bracing that I have used on both steel and nylon strung guitars. Overall I have been happy with the results - it seems to give a more balanced sound (bass/treble) than the Torres style bracing.

I like that head stock. Are the enclosed tuners traditional or something you came up with?

Did the donor get a new neck?

Hi Karl,
The enclosed tuners are somewhat traditional with that style of headstock. The original guitar I have has a plate on the back. Some used a plate on the front and some used tuners similar to "banjo" straight through friction tuners. The original tuners were made a little differently than modern tuners and used tiny cotter pins to hold things together. I think Johann Georg Stauffer originated the design, but others have used it for the past 150+ years.

P.S. The line of holes in the cover plate that run through the "medallion" I believe were for oiling the gears.
The donor guitar will be getting a new neck with tuners that can take the strain of steel strings.

Hah! That is something that will bear some reading up on. Thanks for the extra photos Clay.

Rodgers will make you a set for $850.
I modded mine from an $8 set of Chinese mandolin tuners. They aren't quite as nice. Here is a picture of them in the old original peghead I copied.