Tuner Creak on Ric 4001C64

JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
I've recently had this up for sale on eBay during one of their free listing periods but made the fatal mistake of getting it out of the case and playing it - instantly in love all over again. I must say it's nice to get effortlessly correct pitched notes every time - frets are definitely useful. Anyway...

I'm noticing that when I tune it up (the strings were slackened off in the case as I hadn't played it in 3 months), the D string tuner creaks when tension starts to build up. It never used to do this. I've slackened off the string completely and examined the tuner, there's a tiny amount of play in the shaft, enough I think to perhaps make it rub against the bush. I've tried tightening up the large screw on the rear cog but it hasn't made any difference.

The tuners on this model are different to the standard 4003 current model, they have a thinner shaft apparently and wind the opposite way (?), so if I need to renew it I have to find the exact item (part no. 00576). Is there anything I can do to fix the existing tuner? It's working fine, holds tuning well but it's a bit alarming to hear it creak when tuning up.
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Comments

  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Grease it. Take the string off and put a little standard lithium grease in the gears with a toothpick, and wind it round a few dozen times until it's evenly distributed.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Hi!
    I think Hipshots are drop-in replacements.
    Vaseline is fine on tuners.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    ICBM said:
    Grease it. Take the string off and put a little standard lithium grease in the gears with a toothpick, and wind it round a few dozen times until it's evenly distributed.
    It's not due to the shaft (that the string attaches to) rubbing against the bush? I'll do as you suggest and report back. Thanks ICBM.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    prowla said:
    Hi!
    I think Hipshots are drop-in replacements.
    Vaseline is fine on tuners.
    Thanks, I'll check those out, just in case.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    Cured! Thanks @ICBM. I forgotten just how good this bass sounds, the neck toaster pickup is sublime. Think I'll hang on to it for now. Wish I could find a fretless that sounds this good, though I think that it's having frets which which imparts such clarity and definition to the notes.
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  • Lol. Shaft. Bush.
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