Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Perhaps I am wrong, but I thought I noticed in the last couple of weeks, a mention of different types of control knobs (Bass, Volume, etc) on the 4001 basses (the silver topped ones).

I must be honest, on the silver topped knobs, I did not know that there was a difference.

What are the differences?

What is different from the mid-60’s knobs to the early 70’s knobs. What is different from the knobs of today’s?

Does anyone have any example pictures to post, ???

the silver topped plastic knobs from the late 60's to present are virtually identical ...

1968 knobs



2001 knobs

Thanks for the pics.

Jeff, that's what I thought.

Someone also once told me that there was a difference in "white dot" size and shape.

No,there not

The one on the right is 60s early 70s slash no dot.

Thanks Ken;

Jeff ……..rebuttal???

I don't see a difference ... I have a bag full of knobs from 60s, 70's, 80's 90s ... they all pretty much look the same to me ... from year to year the text has changed slightly ... and the old ones are usually dirty ... and the white dot on the old ones is usually yellow ...

Hey Jeff, I need a Bass Vol and Treb Vol for my 75. (really!)

Well, I checked all of my old basses. All the knobs were as Jeff said, except for one treble knob on my 4005. So in 1967 were the the dots and slashes mixed? Do I have have non-origianal knobs, on what I thought were 100% factory stock?

You have to go back to 1964-65-66 to see some big differences I believe. There was a period when there was no lettering on them at all, and dashes on the tip and the skirt of the knob. The earllier knobs with lettering on the cap have a slightly thinner script to the screening....

I just checked my stash of extra knobs ... 9 are all pretty similar and one has fatter dots ... there is some difference in the silver top and some the text is a little bolder and some lighter ... one set is off of a 70's ric and the white dots are yellowed ...

57-62 chrome- tv knobs on guitar and basses 63-65 black vintage knobs on everthing 66-72 deluxe basses slash at top dot on the bottom 73-modern day dot on top dot on bottom.all 4000s,4001s-black vintage type knob until 70s........

This is what a vintage deluxe knob looks like from 65-73,The reason they had slash they were a vintage regular black knob with the top routed for the stainless disk,the regular black knobs look like this.see they just chopped the top off the regular black knobs back then.

When they did away with the regular black vintage knobs in the 70s they went to the dot on top dot on the bottom.So YES Dave your knobs have been replaced. the slash knobs are about $20-$30. a piece there hard to find.