early 80s 360/12 grover tuners?

[Blomp]

Hi

Does anyone know if the 360/12 ever shipped from the factory with grover tuners in the early 1980s?

I have seen a 360/12 on a private sale that appears to be from the early 80s, all the details match up to other photos of unmodded, stock 360/12s from around 1981-83 (shiny black topped hi-gains with 'button top' polepieces, "model 360" stamped under "made in usa" on the TRC, the old style bridge, etc), except it has some interesting grover tuners with a star logo and a "pat pend." stamp on the back, and smaller buttons and bushings than the standard grovers I'm used to seeing.

From what I can tell from the photos these tuners are either original or match the 'footprint' of the tuners they replaced, as the front and back of the headstock are both very clean with no exposed screw holes or outlines of other tuners or larger bushings present.

I know between the transition from Klusons to Schallers where Grovers were used for a short time in this early 80s period but I've only ever seen them on a 6 string - every 80s Ric 12 string I've seen previously either had Klusons or Schallers.

I'll try to get some photos off my phone if I can figure out how!

[doctorwho]

Not sure about their use on 12-strings models. They were using Grovers on 6-string models at least until 1986. My former September 1986 320 RED BT had them.

[Goingblankagain]

My 1986 360/12 has Grovers. My 1986 360/6 with the same production month has the Schallers.

That headstock with the Grovers is so heavy. Anyone know if I could swap them cleanly with Schallers or Klusons (or the Ric vintage deluxe keywinds) and lighten the load?

[jdogric12]

Yes, "Star Grovers" were about 1983. Followed by non-star ones, iirc.

[8mileshigher]

My DoubleBound 1981 370WB (six string) has Grover Star tuners original from the factory.