Would current production 4003 tuners fit a vintage 4001?

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Stablemate
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Would current production 4003 tuners fit a vintage 4001?

Post by Stablemate »

The '75 4001 I'm restoring currently has replacement flat-topped schaller tuners that aren't era accurate and kinda ugly.

I want to get some clover leaf style tuners, as these feel accurate to the 70s aesthetic, plus I love how they look.

It seems the current production 4003 tuners look exactly the same as the vintage 70s type. Would they fit in terms of width/length of stringwind pole and bushing size? Also, where can they be ordered from? Screw hole placement isn't any issue, as I have to get this 4001 professionally refinished due to considerable paint damage. Old screw holes can be filled and new ones made.

I know Hipshot HB5 or Schaller BM tuners are good options, but the tuning key shaft is slightly too long and they seem to stick out too far? Genuine 70s vintage is also an option, but people are asking crazy money for those.

Thanks in advance.
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pag
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Re: Would current production 4003 tuners fit a vintage 4001?

Post by pag »

As long as the ferrule/bush hole width is the same (which I think it is on mid ‘70s 4001 basses) as the hole for the current and original tuners then you should be ok to go ahead with a set of modern Rick tuners.

I prefer the 4001C64 tuners which are very similar to the 60s ones but without some surgery to reduce the size of the hole Im reluctant to fit them on my CS...One day perhaps.

If your repairer can do that job and you can get a set of C64 older vintage style ones I would go for that look.

Best of luck with the refin.
Jetglo?
Stablemate
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Re: Would current production 4003 tuners fit a vintage 4001?

Post by Stablemate »

Thanks Pete! No, not Jetglow - it's a white tuxedo 4001.
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aceonbass
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Re: Would current production 4003 tuners fit a vintage 4001?

Post by aceonbass »

Having worked with both the standard 4003 RIC/Schaller tuner and the C64 tuner I can give a bit more info. The current tuner, while very similar to the original Kluson, is metric. You'll need to dowell the 4 mounting holes to use it. You'll need to use your original tuner bushings though as the hole in the headstock is just a bit smaller. The C64 tuners are accurate reproductions of the original reverse wind Kluson tuners made by Gotoh especially for Rickenbacker, and are a drop in. I've never tried to mount them in place of original Klusons, so I don't know if the tuner bushings are the correct size for the hole in the headstock though, but I suspect they will interchange with the original plastic bushing or earlier metal bushing.
Peter, if you dowell the original four tuner mounting screw holes for each of the tuners on your 4001CS, you can mount these tuners if you use the rubber gaskets that come with them. Although these gaskets are a direct replacement for the original plastic gaskets used in the 70's, gaskets weren't used in the 60's or on your CS. The gaskets are used because since the tuners are exact reproductions, each one has two pairs of tabs folded over on the back that secure the tuner key retainers. These protrude on the back, so you'll need to either use the gaskets (as in the 70's) or drill two pairs of shallow relief holes per tuner (like in the 60's) so the tuners will sit flat. Also, the C64 bushings will not fit your CS or any modern headstock, so you'll need to use your original tuner bushings. If you'd like them to look like the bushings in the 60's did, you can chuck them up in a drill by the knurled shoulder and spin them against the surface of a file until their flange is the same size as the C64 tuner bushings, which have the same narrow flange as the original.
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pag
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Re: Would current production 4003 tuners fit a vintage 4001?

Post by pag »

Thanks for the technical info on the C64 tuners!
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