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Knobs
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 1:21 pm
by GavRL
Forgive me if this has been covered already, but I couldn’t see it….why have Ric switched to the all black knobs? Is it just me who thinks that it’s an awful decision? I really don’t like the new ones at all. Were I to buy a new one, the silver topped knobs would be ordered faster than you could say “those black knobs are ugly”.
Am I alone here?
Re: Knobs
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 1:44 pm
by collin
Just a matter of preference.
It's less expensive to keep one style of knobs on the guitars and they already need to stock the all black knobs for vintage reissues. Might as well keep them consistent. Or possibly it's supply issues (as are common everywhere these days).
Personally I am a traditionalist and I like the silver topped knobs on all but pre-65 Rickenbackers (or reissues of pre-65 Rickenbackers) but that's just me.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:39 pm
by jps
I prefer the vintage, lined knobs for a variety of reasons. Except for my current two 4004 basses, I have always put (if they didn't already have them) vintage style knobs on all my instruments.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 11:02 pm
by lumgimfong
I think the black knobs look cool. I have silver capped ones on my 4003 though. Stock. I used to have chrome cylinder flat top knobs for a while.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:57 am
by espidog
I hadn't realised that RIC had started doing this. Whatever they do, they're going to please one bunch of people and displease another. FWIW, my personal preference has always been for the vintage black knobs. I love the look of them, and IMHO the line on top makes it easier to see what position any given control is set to. Each to their own, though...
Re: Knobs
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 1:38 am
by doctorwho
espidog wrote: ↑Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:57 am
I hadn't realised that RIC had started doing this. ...
Look at the pictures of the Rickenbacker booth in the NAMM 2022 Pictures thread (Sets 12-14, second page of thread).
I like both styles ... some guitars look better with one style rather the other, but it's all good for me.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:40 pm
by Korladis
collin wrote: ↑Fri Jul 01, 2022 1:44 pm
Just a matter of preference.
It's less expensive to keep one style of knobs on the guitars and they already need to stock the all black knobs for vintage reissues. Might as well keep them consistent. Or possibly it's supply issues (as are common everywhere these days).
Personally I am a traditionalist and I like the silver topped knobs on all but pre-65 Rickenbackers (or reissues of pre-65 Rickenbackers) but that's just me.
I definitely also prefer the silver topped knobs. At least on most finishes.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 11:27 pm
by lumgimfong
Re: Knobs
Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:00 am
by Uffingdon
When I ordered my 4003S I asked the dealer to fit vintage knobs before it became “a thing”, for the “S” models I think it looks right. On the more “blingy” 4003 the the silver tops seem more appropriate IMHO.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:02 am
by lumgimfong
Good idea! I'd go a step further:
Ric could bring back the 4004 with its modern knobs and leave the 4003s series with vintage knobs and the 4004 with silvertop knobs. And all 4003/s models could be marketed as vintage reissue models since the pups are based on 60 year olde technology.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:16 pm
by andyenobs
Just bought a new 360/12 Walnut and the old style knobs look awful on it mainly because walnut is pretty drab anyway so I will be putting the silver topped ones on it. I used to have a 660/6 and 660/12 both in Mapleglo and the all black knobs looked great on them especially with the gold pickguards but on the walnut a definite no.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2024 9:51 pm
by collin
I've always preferred the silver-topped Kurz Kasch knobs, myself.
The black "vintage" knobs look right on certain models that are supposed to have them, but the silver topped look better on the rest. Cost-savings to have one knob type, I guess.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2024 8:31 am
by andyenobs
Why does it need to be cheaper for them ? Their guitars new carry a premium price in the UK and dealers sell a set of knobs for about £37 a set with their profit in that price. Come on Rickenbacker put a spare set in the case as an option.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2024 10:45 am
by kennyhowes
My Rick guitars I gig with the most: Silver knobs, but the blend knob swapped out for a "vintage" with the line, so I can see it under stage lights. Go figure.
I agree with Collin, both that the silver tops are cooler, and that it's probably a supply issue.
Re: Knobs
Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 7:31 pm
by andyenobs
Just changed the knobs on my 360/12 Walnut today from the all black retro knobs to the silver capped ones and the guitar looks a million times better now.