4003 - Tuner rattling?

[winterbass]

Hello,

After gassing for a Ric for 25 years, I finally aquired a 1992 Jetglow 4003. It is beautiful. New strings and a neck adjustment and it sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, two of the tuners (open gear, Rickenbacker stamp) rattle. The elephant ear keys are a bit loose- just enough to vibrate. I dissassembled the tuner and bent the thin tab a bit, but it worked itself loose again after a few minutes. Does anyone have any other suggestions for tightening up the tuning key?

Thanks in advance.
Eric

[johnallg]

Hello,

After gassing for a Ric for 25 years, I finally aquired a 1992 Jetglow 4003. It is beautiful. New strings and a neck adjustment and it sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, two of the tuners (open gear, Rickenbacker stamp) rattle. The elephant ear keys are a bit loose- just enough to vibrate. I dissassembled the tuner and bent the thin tab a bit, but it worked itself loose again after a few minutes. Does anyone have any other suggestions for tightening up the tuning key?

Thanks in advance.
Eric

Well, that's a new one. All I can suggest is to tighten the slot the ear is in. Maybe a little super glue....

And welcome to the forum!

[rickaddict]

Could you take a photo? Maybe your bass has aftermarket tuners? I've had at least 10 Rick basses with the chrome Schaller tuners (which is what your bass would have come from the factory with) and they have all been rock solid.

The old nickel plated Kluson reverse tuners (used until the early 1980's) will rattle if the post screw gets too loose, but the Schallers are a different design and I've never had one rattle.

Maybe someone put incorrect ferrules on your tuners? Maybe your bass had different tuners on it at one time, the post holes got drilled larger for the new tuners, and when the old tuners were replaced, the ferrules didn't fit anymore?

A pic is worth a thousand words.