1979 360/12 tuners

[jeffkaplan]

hi all, i just purchased my first rickenbacker, a 1979 jetglo 360 12 string. i've been reading as much as i can but there seems to be little about that era and i'm told few were made in that year since they were out of favor. here's what i'm wondering, it has kluson keysone pearl double ring tuners that appear to be of that era. i've not seen pictures of any ricks with these tuners. one very informed source said that since so few were made they may have just put on whatever was available. they appear to me to be original but since i've never seen another with them i'm questioning it. any input from you all is appreciated. the guitar plays well and that's my main interest but i am curious. here are photos:

[ken_j]

Welcome to the RRF Jeffery. Then tuners on your 360 12 JG are Gibson or Gibson replacement tuners. RIC has never used keystone bottons on their tuners as far as I know. These tuners do have the same footprint as the Kluson & reissue tuners so you can go back to original at any time without drilling new holes.
Great looking Rick!

[doctorwho]

Welcome to the RRF Jeffery. Then tuners on your 360 12 JG are Gibson or Gibson replacement tuners. RIC has never used keystone bottons on their tuners as far as I know. These tuners do have the same footprint as the Kluson & reissue tuners so you can go back to original at any time without drilling new holes.
Great looking Rick!

+1, on all counts!

[jeffkaplan]

thanks for the feedback. the tuners work fine so i'll just keep them on for now. would these work as replacements: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guit ... b=Pictures. here are the specs: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guit ... ?tab=Specs? i assume all 12 tuners the same on a 12 string?

[doctorwho]

thanks for the feedback. the tuners work fine so i'll just keep them on for now. would these work as replacements: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guit ... b=Pictures. here are the specs: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guit ... ?tab=Specs? i assume all 12 tuners the same on a 12 string?

Good plan, if the tuners work fine, keep them on. I have the same tuners (original) on my 1967 Gibson ES-335TDC and they still work fine.

Those Gotohs look like they would be acceptable replacement tuners. IIRC, all the tuners are the same, but as a caveat, one should make sure that the spindles turn 'the right way' on the octaves (i.e., I'm not sure that a left tuner turns the correct direction when mounted as a left octave tuner).

[jeffkaplan]

what a coincidence. i also have a '67 335TDC. same tuners. mine's red. i love that guitar but rarely play it. thanks for the advice. here's my 335:

[doctorwho]

Wow! Close to having twins here!

[chefothefuture]

I have been looking for replacement tuners for a 360/12B that I just scored.
I've only been able to find "single line" deluxes, though WD shows a double line
oval button with a solid shaft , but they're "sold out".
Rickenbacker also has the "single line " deluxe, but you'll
likely need the "Short Shaft" as the long shafts are a bit too long
for the older "non Schaller" headstocks....

[iiipopes]

Try the Tonepros Kluson style tuners. Underrated. Expensive. But worth it, and they also have the same footprint. Or, just leave the current ones on there and let them tell the story.

[fabandgear]

I really would replace those Gibson machines. Gibson tuners on a Rickenbacker is like Pontiac hubcaps on a Dodge pickup truck. If you replace your Gibson machines with the correct ones, you may consider breaking the Gibsons up into two sets and selling them on eBay. That will defray the cost of your replacement keys.

[chefothefuture]

Try the Tonepros Kluson style tuners. Underrated. Expensive. But worth it, and they also have the same footprint. Or, just leave the current ones on there and let them tell the story.

IIRC, the Tone Pros require a 10mm peg hole like the Schaller/ Grover Kluson knock offs.
I could be wrong, but if I'm not, they would not be a drop in replacement.

[iiipopes]

Try the Tonepros Kluson style tuners. Underrated. Expensive. But worth it, and they also have the same footprint. Or, just leave the current ones on there and let them tell the story.

IIRC, the Tone Pros require a 10mm peg hole like the Schaller/ Grover Kluson knock offs.
I could be wrong, but if I'm not, they would not be a drop in replacement.

Yes, you are wrong. They have that model, and I have a set of them retrofitted to my J45 which came with Grovers.

But they also have the traditional models as well, in both chrome and nickel:
http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... e2e46f19a2
http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... e2e46f19a2

Or for a change of pace you can go white plastic buttons:
http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... e2e46f19a2

[chefothefuture]

Try the Tonepros Kluson style tuners. Underrated. Expensive. But worth it, and they also have the same footprint. Or, just leave the current ones on there and let them tell the story.

IIRC, the Tone Pros require a 10mm peg hole like the Schaller/ Grover Kluson knock offs.
I could be wrong, but if I'm not, they would not be a drop in replacement.

Yes, you are wrong. They have that model, and I have a set of them retrofitted to my J45 which came with Grovers.

But they also have the traditional models as well, in both chrome and nickel:
http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... e2e46f19a2
http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... e2e46f19a2

Or for a change of pace you can go white plastic buttons:
http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... e2e46f19a2

Well, I stand corrected. However, from the pictures, it looks as if the baseplates on the Tonepros have a boss that would require the same size peghole as the bushing, or 8.5mm, 11/32".
The side mount tuners on an older Rick 12 are @ 9/32" (maybe 5/16")to fit the string post only. If that is the case, than a counter bore would be needed much like the modern Rick 12s.
A special ream would be needed to ensure not splitting the peghead(available from StewMac...) as your standard twist bit might do.

[iiipopes]

All I can say is what is in the literature, "... and requires absolutely no modification to your headstock!" Remember, they use the same picture for more than one model, and the picture may not even be of the model.

[chefothefuture]

All I can say is what is in the literature, "... and requires absolutely no modification to your headstock!" Remember, they use the same picture for more than one model, and the picture may not even be of the model.

Right you are, and for the string shafts that use a press fit bushing, not the side mounted, an 8.5mm hole is drilled straight through, so no mod is needed.
The side mounts are a different matter. They use a smaller peghole so that the string post has something to bear against.
Tone Pros does picture different tuners for the different styles and it is very clear as to which ones use the 10mm peg hole and which ones use the 8.5mm.
The 10mm boss is longer to accommodate the threaded bushing. The 8.5 is shorter and has a closer "fit" around the string post.

For pictures of both types, I went to several vendors as some use their own photos of the actual product, or they use photos taken at different angles.

Here are two auction pages that show the two different types fairly clearly, though they are Keystone buttons not oval...

10mm Screw bushing
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/NEW-TonePros-TPK ... yWDg4MQ==/$(KGrHqVHJCkE8fnY0OdGBPsbjHBn9!~~60_57.JPG

8.5mm Press fit-
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/NEW-Tone-Pros-Kl ... 3WDg4Mw==/$(KGrHqN,!lEE-k5F2,nHBPsedt4i4Q~~60_57.JPG