Ric volume & tone knobs

fab4 · Post by **fab4** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:34 pm

Hello, I just got a grab bag of knobs for some restoration work I'm doing and this set was in the box. They look like early Ric knobs and I was wondering if they are original or reissues and on what models they would have been used.
They are marked Taiwan on the underside rim and have the numbers 2,5,and 6 inside the pot. Thanks inadvance for any and all replies.

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:58 pm

They are similar but are not genuine RIC knobs. The RIC knobs have white dots, not a continuous index line. The RIC knobs also say bass volume, treble volume, bass tone and treble tone on the chrome tops. As far as where the RIC knobs are made...?

fab4 · Post by **fab4** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:15 pm

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. PLease take a look at this 2001 - 360-12 reissue the knobs look like they have lines on them as opposed to dots?

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:23 pm

Len,

Those are the old-style knobs on the guitar. Note that they are solid black (i.e. without the chrome center).

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:07 pm

The correct knobs are US made, not from Taiwan.

bayoucount4 · Post by **bayoucount4** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:55 pm

Does RIC make anything in, or have anything imported from, another country?

I was under the impression that they are one of the few companies where "Made in U.S.A" actually means such.

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:20 pm

If I remember correctly, everything on every Ric is USA made except for the tuners (at least on the basses), which are German. Other than that, all-American.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:10 am

And the beauty of it is that the owners come from everywhere!

bails · Post by **bails** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:48 pm

What about the solder covered C-series pots? Aren't they Taiwanese?

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:13 pm

The ABM bridges are also from Germany.

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:16 pm

The vintage knobs do have lines, one of the reasons I prefer them. It is much easier to see the lines on a dim stage when I want to make an adjustment.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:55 pm

Both the vintage-style Rick knobs and the newer-style, with the spun aluminum center caps, are open stock manufacturers' items, as of course are the so-called "oven" brown knobs.

Vintage and newer-style knobs are available at Radio Shack, believe it or not. RS's vintage knobs are identical except for one difference not visible to the naked eye once they are mounted. Newer-style knobs from RS have generic spun caps with no "bass volume" (etc.) markings.

The difference between RS and gennie Rick vintage knobs? Vintage knobs from Rick have the bottoms ground on a disc sander, whereas from RS they are as-molded.

chris_scruggs · Post by **chris_scruggs** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 7:40 am

I thought the (original, atleast ) pearloid fretboard inlays on 360's and 4003's and such came from Japan. I thought I read something where Mr. Hall said the new inlays look slightly different because the Japanese supplier they had used since after the war had either changed it or stopped making it, and that's why new inlays don't look the same.

It was on the Rickenbacker website under "most frequently asked questions" or something like that.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:05 am

Back in '64 and in part of early '65, the metal top knobs had no writing on them. ( No bass volume, bass tone, treble tone, treble or matt preble).

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 6:46 pm

My '73 4001 has pots made in MEXICO!

Cole