Loose tuners on 2000 370/12

[radioactive]

My 370/12 is about 8 years old and has not been played that much; it still looks brand new. It's a very nice instrument but one thing that is very bothersome are the tuners; they feel very loose. I'm constantly adjusting them to bring strings up to pitch, It's not limited to one or two tuners, it feels like all of them are loose. My 30 year old Indian sitar with 20 crudely made wooden friction tuners stays in tune much better than the 370. The tuners on the Rickenbacker are stamped "Ric Deluxe". I know how to set-up strings on tuners, so they set in properly and don't slip; I use the old Danny Gatton trick of tugging on each string several times when you change them so there's no slack and they're locked tight against the shaft.

Is there a simple way to get them tightened up so the knob and shaft don't slip, or is it best to buy a new set. If replacement is the answer will I be limited to buying the same brand that are on the guitar, possibly with the same problem down the road?

[Don Miller]

Diagnosing things long distance is often a good way to get things totally wrong...
If there is slop in the tuners I'd replace them.. The tuners on my 370-12 appear to be schallers..which are good quality tuners....Id try to completely rule out any bridge-neck issues first.

Don Miller
Anc Ak

[radioactive]

Thanks for the response on the tuners. I've checked the bridge, nut, etc. From what I can gather, the tuning knobs on 4 of the 12 tuners have about 1/8" of play, the tuner knob can move that distance without any effect on the string shaft, in other words the guitar string will remain tuned to pitch but the knob has substantial play in it. My guess is that there's a gear inside maybe made of nylon or even brass that is worn, or not screwed down tightly to the shaft.

[deaconblues]

Your guitar did not come from the factory with RIC Deluxe tuners. The original Schaller tuners - with a more modern design - work much better, but if you were to replace them now you'd be left with visible holes from the Deluxes.

I have both kinds on my Ricks, and prefer the look of the Deluxes but love the stability and accuracy of the Schallers.

[radioactive]

"Your guitar did not come from the factory with RIC Deluxe tuners."

I think it did; John Hall had it built for me back in 1999/2000. Maybe I should have clarified that this 370/12 has an interesting background. The Rickenbacker factory apparently used an instrument from the CW run to finish out this order. They must have had some in the 3 PU 370 configuration and had it finished in Mapleglo.

I originally wanted a 370/12 Mapleglo McGuinn model, which JH couldn't do, lack of compression circuits and legally; although it was never specifically identified as a CW at the time, I found it on the guarantee paperwork and hangtagsfrom Ric

[deaconblues]

Well, in that case, I stand corrected. Gorgeous guitar!

You might have some luck replacing the tuners with some other kind of Kluson reissue tuner. I've heard good things about Gotoh.

[radioactive]

Glad you like it Dan. I'm going to pry open the tabs on one of the slack tuners and see if there's a screw that tightens the shaft onto the main gear. It might be a simple fix. The again some replacement Gotohs might be the way to fo, as they'll probably match the footprint and look close to the Ric Deluxes, and they've improved their quality from years ago.

[BobKat]

There was a run of bad tuners from the supplier in 1999-2000; I remember it well. Of specific issue was a batch of 1997s that got them, but some CWs were affected as well. You probably got a set out of that batch. If you replace them I am sure you will be happy.

[radioactive]

There was a run of bad tuners from the supplier in 1999-2000; I remember it well. Of specific issue was a batch of 1997s that got them, but some CWs were affected as well. You probably got a set out of that batch. If you replace them I am sure you will be happy.

Thanks Bob!! That seems to make sense as I just got another 360/12v64 two days ago, and it was made in May 98 according to the serial number decipher. Guitar is relatively clean, but it has the identical tuner problem as the 370/12. So I bit the bullet and spent the money for replacements.

Just last week I had to get the speedometer/odometer sensor repaired on my car, It turned out after reading a technical repair forum on the internet that there was a batch of bad electro magnetic sensors that VDO, the speedometer instrument company, released on the market. It wasn't cheap top repair as my mechanic had to try four of them until he got one that worked. Such is the state of manufacturing these days, if it's defective, dump it on the end user, they deserve the screwing.

Did you buy that '60s Rick that Freddie had? I don't remember what model and the details on it.

[jingle_jangle]

I use the old Danny Gatton trick of tugging on each string several times when you change them so there's no slack and they're locked tight against the shaft.

Now this is credited to Danny Gatton and is a "trick"? It was SOP when Gatton was a kid, according to my uncle, who showed me in 1964 and had done things this was since the early '40s.

Maybe he got it from Buddy Emmons, who got it from...

[radioactive]

Yup, Danny gets in there and tugs on the string with both hands in his setup video. maybe got it from Charley Patton?.
Paul... is there a way to repair these tuners instead of replacing them?

[jingle_jangle]

The Charlie Patton patented Cheese Slicer Tug Technique.

Got it.

[BobKat]

Rob, that '65 360/12 was nice, too rich for my blood. Especially with the new baby...

[radioactive]

Congrats on the new Baby!!