Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi, I am sure this has been covered, but I haven't been able to find it. I'm looking at getting a 330 soon, likely a 2008. What klusons/kluson style should I get, if I wanted to change tuners? Will the ones RIC sells work, with a coversion bushing? Any advice would be appreciated, besides "why on earth do you want to take off the Schallers??"

No advice, but it does beg the question...would you care to enlighten us?

Is it really so strange? I mean, as to the the question... why put a bigsby and bowtie on a $3500.00 c58? I like the look, I have klusons on my 1962 Mustang, and it's always in tune, very stable. I've had them in th past on SG's, I have them on one of my teiscos. If I bought a Fender, I wouldn't buy one with Schallers on it, I *hate* the look... and yeah, some people hate Klusons but I haven't had any problems with them, so why not?

I'm not planning on getting a Ric, and removing the tuners first thing. But it's on the list of things I would like to do. IE, if there was an option for stock Klusons, I would check that box.

You're the one to use the word, "strange".

As for me, try "curiosity", OK?

I don't hate Klusons, and have them on many of my vintage geetars. They look, well, vintage. But Schallers are, simply put, superior in build quality and engineering, though they look more contemporary.

If looks are important, and you must have Klusons, that's cool. You'll have some holes to fill and there will probably be footprint impressions from the Schallers on the back of your headstock, when you remove them in order to get the look of Klusons. That may not look too cool. And you'll need adaptor bushings, too. No problem there.

Sorry if I came off overly defensive, not my intent.

So apart from the imprint of the schallers, and filling the small holes from the screws, it only needs conversion bushings to work? Just making sure that by "holes to fill" you don't mean any kind of filling to the post holes, with wood plugs, etc.

I mean, It's possible that I will get it in and love it just like it is, but from afar the schallers are the only thing that irks me, aesthetically.

Well, if they look better, then...

I prefer to retrofit my guitars with Klusons when possible, most recently with "Big Red". I like the slot-topped post/Safe-T-Post Klusons.

paologregorio wrote:Well, if they look better, then...

I prefer to retrofit my guitars with Klusons when possible, most recently with "Big Red". I like the slot-topped post/Safe-T-Post Klusons.

Are these made by Gotoh? May I ask where you bought them?

I personally would not go from Schallers to Klusons, though I also would not move away from the Kluson style on a vintage or vintage reissue guitar that came with them. That's the only JL mod I didn't make to my 320, which remains with the original Schallers.

But this is a topic of current interest to me. Two of the Klusons on my 1997 are in need of replacing. I'm not wild about Klusons, so I tried a standard Gotoh Kluson style only to discover that the shaft on the original "Ric Deluxe" tuners are longer than the Gotohs (not to mention I would have had to drill the holes for the larger Gotoh bushings). I looked into the Tone Pros Kluson only to be told by them that I would have to use a bolt on style due to the required shaft length. So I broke down and today ordered a replacement set of Klusons from the RIC Boutique. If there are better options I would really like to hear them.

houblues wrote:I personally would not go from Schallers to Klusons, though I also would not move away from the Kluson style on a vintage or vintage reissue guitar that came with them. That's the only JL mod I didn't make to my 320, which remains with the original Schallers.

But this is a topic of current interest to me. Two of the Klusons on my 1997 are in need of replacing. I'm not wild about Klusons, so I tried a standard Gotoh Kluson style only to discover that the shaft on the original "Ric Deluxe" tuners are longer than the Gotohs (not to mention I would have had to drill the holes for the larger Gotoh bushings). I looked into the Tone Pros Kluson only to be told by them that I would have to use a bolt on style due to the required shaft length. So I broke down and today ordered a replacement set of Klusons from the RIC Boutique. If there are better options I would really like to hear them.

So if I did replace the Schallers, would the RIC klusons be the best bet, with a conversion bushing?

Here is what TonePros suggested - the bolt on type - http://www.marquisdistribution.com/stor ... 0c8abbc393

I love slot top Kluson tuners. I like the look and the way they work. A few of my guitars have Klusons on them (both types). I am not a big fan of the look of Schallers even though they adorn a number of my guitars. They work well though.

winston wrote:I love slot top Kluson tuners. I like the look and the way they work. A few of my guitars have Klusons on them (both types). I am not a big fan of the look of Schallers even though they adorn a number of my guitars. They work well though.

+1!!! The slot tops are my favorite. Here's a link: http://www.wdmusic.com/3_on_side_kluson ... srite.html

The website says they're "for Mosrite", but they work on Ricks. Note, the tuners do not say "Mosrite" on them, just "Kluson". I have them on one of my WBs, and will soon have them on another. Kenny has slot top post tuners on his six string 360 OS as well.

I also like Klusons. The 42-year old ones on my Gibson ES-335TDC still keep in tune just fine.

egosheep,
From all the way back when I first started playing guitar I had Kluson tuners on everything. I love them. I like them on everything. Yeah there have been some bad ones over the years but for the most part I've had extremely good luck. The new ones are even better than the old ones due to the machining tolerances. And you can even get "Tone Pros" Klusons through WD if you want.
But, for my Rick I got a set of Vintage style Rickenbacker Tuners from Mike Parks at the The Rickenbacker Pages
http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricpart.htm
Anyhow I did an immediate tuner change on my 07' 360 JG and have had absolutely flawless operation since.
Here's a link to my post when I did the conversion:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=379210&hilit=+tuner+conversion
I also did a toaster cover on high gain conversion at the same time and it worked fantastic.
Here's a pic with the toaster covers on and the set of vintage tuners:

If you like the look and feel as do I - Go For It.

ric330 wrote:egosheep,
From all the way back when I first started playing guitar I had Kluson tuners on everything. I love them. I like them on everything. Yeah there have been some bad ones over the years but for the most part I've had extremely good luck. The new ones are even better than the old ones due to the machining tolerances. And you can even get "Tone Pros" Klusons through WD if you want.
But, for my Rick I got a set of Vintage style Rickenbacker Tuners from Mike Parks at the The Rickenbacker Pages
http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricpart.htm
Anyhow I did an immediate tuner change on my 07' 360 JG and have had absolutely flawless operation since.
Here's a link to my post when I did the conversion:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=379210&hilit=+tuner+conversion
I also did a toaster cover on high gain conversion at the same time and it worked fantastic.
Here's a pic with the toaster covers on and the set of vintage tuners:

If you like the look and feel as do I - Go For It.

Wow, your conversion looks great! A few questions:

1. So, RIC drills a small hole in the top of the headstock, and a larger one on the bottom side, to accommodate the Schallers. Does this larger bottom hole need to be filled, or is it just covered over with the kluson? Is the small schaller screw hole that secured the tuners covered over by the kluson as well? So... no conversion bushings needed?

2. Is the sanding, polishing etc something that I could trust a guitar shop with? It's way over my head, but it's necessary for sure! By guitar shop, I mean a RIC authorized dealer in my area. I should be getting the guitar in the mail tomorrow, so I'm alternately excited and anxious about getting klusons in asap, without damaging the finish.