Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just picked up a 73 4001JG serial# ML6323 and was wondering about the tuners on it. I have 2 concerns.

Are these the original tuners for a late 73? Also both sides are backwards. Both sides tighten clockwise. I've never heard of such a thing! It does not have checkerboard binding, FWMOP or a toaster. It's missing 2 guard screws and all 4 jack plate screws. Does anyone want to donate some dirty, vintage screws?

yep a 1973 4001 either came with the ****** grovers or the stupid backwards tuners ... you can put brand new 4003 tuners on there and sell the old ones to a collector on ebay ...

The original Kluson tuners are backwards. New Ricky ones should drop in but the originals are good machines. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I think Jeff must have stock in the machine shop that makes Ricks tuners; he keeps trying to get people to change out their old ones...
Jess kiddin wit'ya Jeff..

Thanks for the info guys. I was just curious.
Upon further investigation of the bass after I got it home I noticed that the neck is separating from the fret board about three inches down the neck. A hairline crack is visible and moves when I twist the headstock.

It's a good thing I only paid $300 for it with original case. Dale Fortune said he could replace the nut(it needs one)repair the separation and refinish the neck for less than I paid for it. Not a bad deal I think.

Ben you remind me of all the reasons that I converted from playing a 4001 bass to playing a 4003 bass ... I had some of the old basses with the backwards tuners ... and the 4001 neck can have the fretboard separate when improperly adjusted ...

the old 4001 basses play nice and sound wonderful ... but the design flaws can be deadly ...

those backwards tuners ****** me off every time I tuned the bass ...

Sure they have flaws but if you treat 'em right, they will treat you right. The neck issues are only a problem if the person doing the adjustments has two hams for fists and little more than a brainstem to control them.

please send you ****** G or D grover tuners to me... Send your weak-neck ****** low output 4001's to me also. Real junk... I will even pay for shipping fees and 'recycling fees' for your old 4001's.

Junk, just junk.

I'm used to reverse tuners now and have trouble with regular ones!

Ted is right, the older basses are just fine when used and maintained. I can't call it a 'flaw' of the design when someone doesn't know what they're doing. If you purchase an older bass, just educate yourself on their specifications as an added bonus.

And these days, with Internet access and resources like the RIC site and this wonderful forum, there is simply no excuse for a tech not knowing the correct technique for adjusting the older rods. The info is just a Google away.

I have an excellent guitar guy who still doesn't own a computer. He checks his email once a month at the library. Hey, that's just how he rolls.

Grover tuners on a '73 MCxxxx



I think they are better than the "regular" ones.

I LOVE the old grovers. It's not that they're inferior, it's just that the pins usually weren't swaged properly at the factory, so they fall apart over time. Anybody can fix them with a hammer and a sharp punch.

Are those "wavy" Grovers?

Nobody For President!

Sorry, wrong "wavy"...those are indeed the wavy ones...I have 'em on my '74. It was on this forum that I learned about the 'swaging' issue (maybe from you, Rob, I can't recall).

It's clearly a case of the minimum swage needing to be increased over time...