Knobs

General Rickenbacker discussion

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GavRL
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Knobs

Post 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?
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collin
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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jps
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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lumgimfong
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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espidog
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Re: Knobs

Post 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...
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doctorwho
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Re: Knobs

Post 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. 8)
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
Korladis
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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lumgimfong
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Re: Knobs

Post by lumgimfong »

DCD14A5B-35A4-4F65-A8C9-7F3ED076834D.jpeg
DCD14A5B-35A4-4F65-A8C9-7F3ED076834D.jpeg
For comparison
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Uffingdon
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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lumgimfong
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
andyenobs
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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collin
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
andyenobs
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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kennyhowes
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
andyenobs
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Re: Knobs

Post 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.
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