How old are these knobs?

[scottknouse]

I recently acquired an early 70's Custom and it came with these volume and tone knobs (see pic) instead of the witch hats. Anyone out there tell me anything about them? They certainly appear quite old and I'm not quite certain, but one looks like it doesn't quite match (the one on the far left.)

Thanks, Scott

 

[pit_s_xroad]

Hi...

no idea how old they are, but three of them look to me like mirror knobs on which the "mirrors" have been removed... so they might be original... I rather think that the vol.pot of the neck-pu is a normal black top hat knob and is a replacement knob... :hmm

PIT... :salude

 

[Tom Wittrock]

Hi...

no idea how old they are, but three of them look to me like mirror knobs on which the "mirrors" have been removed... so they might be original... I rather think that the vol.pot of the neck-pu is a normal black top hat knob and is a replacement knob... :hmm

PIT... :salude

Also known as "reflector top" knobs.

 

[325-at-2pm]

Also known as "reflector top" knobs.

+1

And...........also known as dish top knobs. :salude

 

[Wilko]

Probably made in the 60s/very early 70s.

 

[scottknouse]

Thanks for the comments guys. I've always seen witch hats on these older LP Customs and was always wondering if by any chance they could be the original knobs. I'm still looking for gold witch hats if anyone has any in an old parts drawer somewhere.

 

[325-at-2pm]

Thanks for the comments guys. I've always seen witch hats on these older LP Customs and was always wondering if by any chance they could be the original knobs. I'm still looking for gold witch hats if anyone has any in an old parts drawer somewhere.

I think they may have transitioned away from witch hats around 1975 and gone to the type of knob your guitar has with the gold inserts.

Also, I think that the few 1961 old spec Les Paul Custom guitars that were shipped, also used black reflector knobs with gold inserts................. :ganz

 

[Tom Wittrock]

Those knobs were available starting in 1961 and were still used throughout the 70s and later.
I see no way to date those particular knobs.

 

[325-at-2pm]

Those knobs were available starting in 1961 and were still used throughout the 70s and later.
I see no way to date those particular knobs.

Agreed about the dating........................they're the same throughout the run.

They sure look a lot better than the witch hat knobs. So much richer looking. A black LPC with those gold reflector knobs makes for a very high quality package. They look really good on the 1960s cherry Epiphone Sheratons and ES355s too. :salude

 

[MIKE20]

I prefer this look over the witchhats...'69 NOS reflectors on a '69...

 

[Tom Wittrock]

They sure look a lot better than the witch hat knobs.

:salude

 

[Billy Porter]

They may not even be Gibson. Didn't Ibanez et.al. have those knobs on their lawsuit stuff :ganz

 

[pit_s_xroad]

Also known as "reflector top" knobs.

I knew there was a different more established term... Thanks...

Cheers
PIT... :salude

 

[Tom Wittrock]

I knew there was a different more established term... Thanks...

Cheers
PIT... :salude

Coming to Oldenburg this November? :hmm

 

[Black58]

How old do want these knobs to be, sweetheart?

 

[scottknouse]

Thanks again to all who posted replies. I was just trying to find out if they could possibly be original knobs. From my own research, they appear to be prior to 1970.

 

[Tom Wittrock]

From my own research, they appear to be prior to 1970.

What evidence did your research turn up, to reach this conclusion? :hmm

 

[scottknouse]

The only evidence I found is not factual. I looked at old customs for sale on feebay and some of them have or at least look like they have these knobs. One actually was a '59. I also thought I saw them on that provide.net website that scopes out vintage guitars.

 

[Tom Wittrock]

The only evidence I found is not factual. I looked at old customs for sale on feebay and some of them have or at least look like they have these knobs. One actually was a '59. I also thought I saw them on that provide.net website that scopes out vintage guitars.

These knobs were definitely not available in 1959.
As mentioned, they have been available since the very early 60s. I see no evidence that these pre-date 1970.

 

[325-at-2pm]

Are you sure that you've correctly dated your guitar?

While we all know that people switch knobs on their guitars all the time, if this guitar is more from the mid-70s, the knobs could have been the original knobs. Witch Hats went out around that time, and as TW59 says, both the original all gold and the black and gold reflector knobs were used starting in 1960 for probably 20+ years. :salude