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Topic: Hey! Atlanta area Rickenbacher owners/experts! |
Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 9 May 2013 3:25 pm |
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I have a sweet new (to me) '46 or so Rick Panda, and would like to replace the tuning keys. The originals are about to go south, and I want to use some that have a higher gear ratio. Got a set that almost match from Stew-Mac, (Golden Age) but the mounting screw holes are just a tad out of position to the originals, requires drilling new holes, possibly filling and tapping them for machine screws as the bakelite isn't wood-screw friendly. I normally tackle all these jobs myself, but I'm wondering if anyone knew of anybody reasonably local who has or can do this with the proper tools. I've found a local luthier who thinks he can do it, but 3 weeks before he can even get to it and I need the guitar. Thanks for any help.
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 9 May 2013 4:22 pm
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I don't see why a machine shop couldn't do it - (probably better than a luthier)
Someone recommended a jewelry repairman once for brazing some fender tuners - Who would have thought?
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'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 9 May 2013 4:44 pm
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| Tom Dodson or Donald Dunleavy. |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 9 May 2013 5:17 pm If my memory is correct..................
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I believe Ric Aiello of the SGF dealt with this problem and found some easily adaptable tuners; possibly from Mandolin hardware?
I do remember the last words were: "Don't drill the g'tar!" |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 9 May 2013 5:18 pm
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Don't drill and tap the Bakelite ... Simply elongate the holes in the tuning machines ...
I've done this many times ... Using a small drill press/drill bit ... Insert it in the tuning machine hole and apply pressure in the appropriate direction.
I've done this on Grover Vintage Sta-tites and Martin Vintage Butterbeans ...
To get the post to fit into the Bakelite hole ... A few passes with a small round file will do it ... No need to drill ...
Trying to drill and tap the headstock to accommodate the new tuning machine is a mistake ... Reaming the actual tuning machine is the way to go ...
The screw head will hide the elongated holes in the tuning machine ... You'll never tell that it's been modified. |
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George Macdonald
From:
Vancouver Island BC Canada
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Posted 9 May 2013 7:18 pm B6 tuners
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| Mark, Just this last week I had a set of "Golden Age" tuners put on one of my old Ricks. Our local guitar guy just elongated the small holes in the new tuners to fit the machine hole screws in the guitar.He use a small diamond file rather than a drill, but it didn't take much. Wish I could post pics and I'd show you the finished job. They look very close to the originals. We used the antique nickel ones. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 9 May 2013 7:36 pm
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George, that's exactly what I have, but it looked like if I elongated the hole on one end I'd run out of turner before I got the hole in the right place. First thing I thought of. I'll have to take another look.
Thanks for ideas, guys.
_________________
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 9 May 2013 7:47 pm
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i did the same mark. my tuners are martin branded single open gear waverlies , i think.
they were close enough that i elongated the holes with a small drill. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 12 May 2013 1:33 pm
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Trying to drill new holes close the old holes in bakelite would spell disaster ! 
A cheap set of jeweler's files from Harbor Freight is handy for pulling the holes over on new tuner plates..... |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 12 May 2013 4:30 pm
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Yup, took my time and just elongated the holes, with a few tweezes it worked out fine. Thanks for all the suggestions! On a related note, I'm guessing that bakelite dust is way toxic. Wasn't there a British government official who was assassinated by a Russian with an umbrella and some Panda Powder?
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 13 May 2013 8:50 am
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| Mark van Allen wrote: |
| Yup, took my time and just elongated the holes, with a few tweezes it worked out fine. Thanks for all the suggestions! On a related note, I'm guessing that bakelite dust is way toxic. Wasn't there a British government official who was assassinated by a Russian with an umbrella and some Panda Powder? |
The 'umbrella' was reworked to be a gun... the pellet was hollow, and contained ricin. Ricin's been in the news lately, you may have heard. It's made from castor beans... yumm! The assasinee was Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian dissident writer...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgi_Markov
AFA 'panda powder', it's mildly toxic, since the phenol and formaldehyde leach out.
Toxic Properties of Polymers and Additives: Directory
(edited by E. Inglis, S. Dunstall)
http://tinyurl.com/cby96z6
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Too much junk to list... always getting more. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 13 May 2013 9:43 am
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Thanks, Stephen, being a student of things Fortean and, um, interesting, the umbrella assassination was on my radar. Very Ian Flemingish, no? Just my attempt at levity.
The bakelite article going into my archives, though. I wonder if those gravel filters are made out of ground-up telephones?
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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