70s Rick/Grover tuners revisited

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 10:11 pm

Hey Jim, welcome to the forum. Most hardware stores should carry a 5 minute epoxy that will bond metal, plastic and leather. Make sure you mix together equal amounts of the main epoxy and hardener. Mix them well, and mix up quite a bit more than you know you will use. For some reason it will just set better if you mix up a larger amount than you need. Apply the mixed epoxy to the 4 posts very carefully and sparingly with the tip of a tooth pick. Be careful not to get any on the gear or inside the gear housing. attach the box to the plate and hold it tight for a couple of minutes. Then let it sit for at least an hour on it's back before installing it back on your 4003. Also be careful that you don't lose any of the washers that go on the shaft of the winding key. Should be as good as new. Let us know how it went when you are done.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sun Oct 12, 2003 1:08 am

I tried expoxy - wont work (dosent last) you must drill and tap, or for really bad ones that just drop apart, you must re rivet them. thats what i had to do.

As the tunng pegs are only held on by the covers, tuning your bass will eventually split the epoxy

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sun Oct 12, 2003 6:00 am

Yes, there is a possibility for the epoxy to fail, like if the epoxy comes in contact with moisture or the grease that is inside the tuner, or of the holes in the plate or the posts on the box are very worn. The epoxy may also fail if there there is no pressure applied as it sets.
Mine have held up very well since the end of May with several string changes, many gigs and a couple of round trips from Los Angeles to NY.
You can also instead try Loctite Black Max 380 Adhesive, which is a black latex reinforced cyanoacrylate adhesive. It's a bit expensive and you might have to special order it. It is very strong.

jimd · Post by **jimd** » Sun Oct 12, 2003 6:01 am

Thanks for that info, guys. I'll try that as a temporary fix. I rarely get my Ric out of the case anymore because she's kinda heavy and my back can't take the weight. But she's a keepsake and I want to keep her in tip top shape with no mods. She's a 1984 4003, azure-glo, one owner, low mileage.

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:09 am

Hey guys, does anyone know if the 4-per-side grover butterfly tuners can be taken apart and converted to 2-per-side? I might have a line on some but they're 4-per jobbers.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:47 pm

Rob, yes they can be converted, but after you get them apart, you gave to be careful not to lose the little washers that go on the key, then you have to deal with keeping the whole assembly together

jal · Post by **jal** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:34 pm

This has been very interesting because I'm thinking of putting the Grovers that came w/ my Dan Armstrong back on it but I need to fix that one tuner so it looks like I may have to try epoxy, I'd like to drill & tap but that's beyond my capabilities I'm afraid