Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi People

I've just been given a set of Grover Titan machine heads. Would these fit the existing holes on a 4003, or would I need to drill a bigger hole for them??
Any help from the experts on this forum, would be gratefully received.
Thanks!!

As far as I can tell from a bit of Googling, they're both 11/16". 4003s have Schaller Deluxes.

The post on a Grover Titan is HUGE. I wouldn't put them on, personally. You'd have to drill out all the post holes of course and this will weaken the headstock. Tip your bass over and you're more likely to reduce your headstock to splinters. Not to mention that you might have to trim your TRC for it to fit around the bushings. Another potential problem is that your strings will be higher off the headstock. Your strings need a certain break angle over the nut to keep from rattling. Sometimes when you swap for big-post tuners, you don't have enough of a break angle and some of your strings will rattle.

The stock Schallers are excellent tuners.

rickaddict wrote:The post on a Grover Titan is HUGE. I wouldn't put them on, personally. You'd have to drill out all the post holes of course and this will weaken the headstock. Tip your bass over and you're more likely to reduce your headstock to splinters. Not to mention that you might have to trim your TRC for it to fit around the bushings. Another potential problem is that your strings will be higher off the headstock. Your strings need a certain break angle over the nut to keep from rattling. Sometimes when you swap for big-post tuners, you don't have enough of a break angle and some of your strings will rattle.

The stock Schallers are excellent tuners.

+1

Hi all.

Thanks for all the advice.
I think I will fit them. The stock Schallers are pretty good, but the Grovers are better IMO. As to the potential problems you mentioned, none of these should be a problem. Geddy Lee had Grovers on his Ricky, so that says it all really. Nut rattle could be a problem, but I usually take great care when putting strings on, making sure they are well down on the post. The headstock is angled back, not like the 4001. I don't think the headstock will be weakened at all. This IS a Rick after all. My friend has a 78 4001 with them on, and he's experienced no problems whatsoever.
If I do get any of these problems, the only person I can blame is myself.

Thanks again......

You shouldn't have any problems. I used to have a set of Schaller M4S tuners (similar in size to the Titans) on my '67 4005WB with no issues. Currently there are Hipshot Ultralites on it as these are much lighter in weight. Last year I got a NOS set of '60s Rickenbacker tuners that may eventually make it back on the bass but at the moment they sit patiently in a box.