Your Favorite Knob....

[cerebral gasket]

Pointers are great for peeling eggs.

 

[cerebral gasket]

Interesting that even Gibson doesn’t reproduce them correctly, at least not vintage correct.

It's not just knobs, but also guitars.
Most reissues are not replicas of originals.
There's always going to be inconsistencies.

Historically correct or not, does not bother me.
Things that I point out are just observations.
The guitars, I just play them.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

I have those on my Les Paul. They work well on the LP pots, which are fairly stiff to turn, not like those on the 339 which need barely a touch.

This was my deciding factor on knobs. None of my ideal choices are on the list for knobs I would prefer on Gib style SG, LP, ES type guitars.

However if customary Gibson types were the choices and I had to pick, I would do so, by purely practical reasons. You see, I feel that CTS pots on Gibsons are stiff to turn, so I pick Speedknobs and Witch hats as these function the easiest in my fingers while adjusting volume and tone knobs.

Having said that, I also must say I own 6 Gibbys with all of the choices in the poll except Witch hats. When I got my first of 4 SG's, it is the 3 knob 1987 Special and has the dome shaped non reflector type knobs. These turn pretty well with the pots in that guitar. Contrast this with my SG Classic with Reflector knobs, with the PCB setup. Stiff. The Gib CTS pots in my SG Special Faded with the same Dome type as my 3 knob were also stiff. However, I put new Bourns pots in there and they turn so easily, it is great and I like those knobs on that guitar too. If it had Reflector type, I would like them on Bourns potted guitars too.

This brings me to my Ideal knobs. Knurled P bass type RULE. As do Jazz Bass Knobs and even a mixture of Fender styles on Gib guitars

 

[SatansGwitar]

Must have pointers. The cheapest and easiest and best mod for your SG.

Seriously, without the pointers how exactly would I know if I am on 8 or 9 or 7 or 8.4? Knobs and the numbers on them do not matter unless you have pointers.

Egg-xactly...and I have them on all my guitars specifically for recording purposes

 

[NMA]

Egg-xactly...and I have them on all my guitars specifically for recording purposes

Yeah, no kidding around the pointers do serve a real purpose. I don't need memory or constant fiddling about to get the tone I like. I just go to the numbers I always go to.

I don't understand why those cheap little parts are not stock on the SG.

My other guitars do not have pointers. Most don't even have numbers on the knobs. And let me tell, you -- it is a royal pain to find the sweet spots on those guitars without pointers.

 

[SatansGwitar]

those look great! You have a source for those?

right here...
but you'll need to wrap a lil tape around your pots for a proper fit.

 

[laza616]

Guys, what do you think my knob of choice is?
Hint: i was unable to pull off the knobs from the Epi (far right on the picture)

 

[donepearce]

Guys, what do you think my knob of choice is?
Hint: i was unable to pull off the knobs from the Epi (far right on the picture)

Did you want to pull them off? Speed knobs work well for me, but they aren't strictly necessary for an EPI with its easy-twist pots.

 

[laza616]

Yeah i wanted but they must be glued or something so i gave up. Eventually i got used to them. They are alright

 

[donepearce]

In the end they are just a handle for twisting. You can get used to anything, and then it becomes the best.

 

[dasherf17]

[/QUOTöE]

That's an inventive display! Laughing myself silly!
Thanks for getting my day off to a good start!
MY favorite knobs are the stock knobs for the era, but slightly aged, if on an older guitar (Gibson 'Pauls and , of course, SGs). Speed knobs for hot rod modded types with classy finishes (stock knobs for a "sleeper" look).
I do get a kick out of the Greeny/Moore/Hammett
Les Paul with the mix of '50s/'60s knobs.
Those red "aged" things have to go...do they really go red like that?

 

[dasherf17]

Reflectors have silver inserts.
Top Hats do not have silver inserts.
I've also seen both referred to as Bell Knobs.

Pictured below are Reflectors:

Pictured below are Top Hats:

Back when I started playing Gibsons in the '70s I knew of top hats and bell inobs that referred to the '60s and '50s knobs, respectively. I have seen those references flipped occasionally..."reflectors" is kind of a new, yet more accurate, way of describing what I knew as top hats.

 

[ruster1]

My take is that SPEED knobs work the best when playing live for quick palm use roll offs.. reflectors are vintage and witch hats I just prefer the look and the feel.. I dont play live.. so what the heck.. I like the way they feel and look.. numbers are easy to read.. and I love the late 60's look..

 

[dasherf17]

thanks for voting, I’m aware of the subtle distinctions the guy pointed out, but decided to keep it simple, hence the picture i posted. That and the top hat (non-reflector knobs) dont look like tophats to me, just curved speed knobs really. All good.

Understood...I've heard tape measures called "yo-yos" too...buuut, they don't 0lay the same way...

 

[dasherf17]

I try not to be too "precious" about knobs... I must confess a secret fetish for the venerable "chicken head" even though I don't have any on my guitars. I do have them on some of my other gear though much to my delight. I draw the line at wrapping 20 or 30 layers of tape around the pot shaft (which I have seen more than once) but pretty much anything else is fair game. If it actually looks cool, well, that is a bonus. I can certainly deal with any OEM knobs I have seen on a reputable manufacturer instrument. Give me a handful of radio knobs from the '20s, '30s, and 40s, and those puppies are dang sure going on something!

When I was building my LP kit I acquired a bunch of chicken head knobs at work (University waste mgmt/resale warehouse). Tried them on...freaky looking sight...

 

[dasherf17]

i love all the retro knobs like the chicken heads and radio knobs. I would love to find a beat up Sg, LP or any Gibson really to do a odd ball funky build

(...after my own heart...)

 

[Mdefusco64]

I spent twenty years with my main squeeze being a '74 Kalamazoo Small Script Standard with gold reflectors (gold inserts). Got used to them.

I suppose I prefer reflectors.

Bob[/QUOTE
Sweet - Those look like the knobs that came with my 1966 Barney Bessel.

 

[Mdefusco64]

Picked up a 2017 Pelham Blue SG. Just ordered Top Hat Reflectors to replace the speed knobs since they just look "right" on the SG (in my opinion). After seeing these posts I'm gonna have to buy pointers as well. I am also getting back my 1980 Tobacco Sunburst SG I bought new and sold 30 years ago. When it returns, I will keep the original speed knobs on that one.

 

[VSG]

Looky here...TOP HATS

 

[NMA]

In the end they are just a handle for twisting. You can get used to anything

So true.

My Rickenbacker has actual oven knobs on her. Oven knobs!