Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Season greetings folks.....

I have just noticed on my 320 that 5 of my six tuners are embossed Kluson Deluxe, however one says Ric Deluxe.

Somewhat perplexed, any ideas? They all look the same.

Is your 320 an early 80s model? Could have been made right at the transition from Kluson tuners to Rickenbacker-branded tuners. RIC deluxe tuners may well have been made by Kluson at some point, but these have been standard on guitars since about 1984, maybe shortly afterward. Basically the same as Kluson.

I see replacements like that a lot. Is there any way to know if it came from the factory like that? In other words, are you the original owner?

Thanks for the replies....no I'm not the original owner, but QK5068 is the serial number, which according to the Ric website makes it a Nov 1977? It looks no different to the other tuners, i.e. age wise, but its an anomaly I'm happy with!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all!

Koots wrote:Thanks for the replies....no I'm not the original owner, but QK5068 is the serial number, which according to the Ric website makes it a Nov 1977? It looks no different to the other tuners, i.e. age wise, but its an anomaly I'm happy with!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all!

My 320 is QH 3474 from August 1977. And all of the tuners are original Klusons.
The "RIC" corporation did not come into existence until the fall of 1984 when John Hall and his wife bought the various companies from his father F.C. Hall.

Rickenbackers in 1977 were manufactured by the Electro Strings Corp at their factory on Kilson Drive in Santa Anna.

So one tuner is not original!

Happy Christmas Eve from Canada.. Please share a picture or two of you 320. We never get tired of looking at them! lol

Replacement part IMO. The Ric deluxe came around in about 1990 with the John Lennon and late run RM. The early RM had the Schaller deluxe.