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Rarest and most obscure Gibson knobs of the ‘50s and ‘60s

Frutiger

Active member
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
727
This lap steel is indeed a Royaltone, version 2, after the one Wally mentioned.





And there is a black version of these knobs out there.
Shown in the Gibson Steels book by A. R. Duchossoir.


Yes Tom, it's the second variation of the Royalton, in the 'sun gold' finish. IIRC this particular version was very short lived.
 

58dutchie

New member
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
602
Another question about the early knobs: do they ALL have to glow under blacklight? No matter what model? I've seen two guitars lately with the early higher barrel knobs (5/8" tall, clear, numbers) that seemed original but did NOT glow under blacklight. Fake?
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Another question about the early knobs: do they ALL have to glow under blacklight? No matter what model? I've seen two guitars lately with the early higher barrel knobs (5/8" tall, clear, numbers) that seemed original but did NOT glow under blacklight. Fake?

I don't know about blacklighting knobs.
But, I have seen repros of those taller knobs for many years. Some obviously not vintage and others that are close.
 

Wally

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
thanks for that info, Tom. Is that an instrument that you own? I have no need for it, and I still want it.
 

Wally

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
PSA:
BTW folks, if you have a Tortoise shell bobbins on your lapsteel pickups, I would highly recommend checking them as mine on my 1948 BR-9 went open do to the off-gassing of the material. The gasses from the Tortoise shell ate through the copper wire enamel coatings. My early pickups use six slugs and two long magnets like in a regular P-90 but the bobbin is slightly longer. A P-90 will not fit the cavity in a BR-9 as it's too short.
Does anyone have any speculation of the type of wood used in the BR-9's? My old catalouges say "Hardwood".. Looks alot like Limba/Korina to me. Course I ain't no wood expert, but I've seen enough Korina over the last 50 years.

tough one on the deterioration, there TM1. Mine shows no indication of deterioration of the celluloid. The BR-9's I have seen were not limba. They had closed pore wood....covered by what to my eye is possibly the ugliest finish Gibson ever put on anything prior to the Sonex guitars.....a mix of what Crayola used to call Flesh and desert sand???? But...I haven't seen all of the BR-9's they made. I would like to have a BR-9 in natural limba/korina.
My mid-50's Consolette doubleneck table is korina....natural finish as on the Moderne series guitars.
 

S a m

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Messages
181
I've seen clear speed knobs with no markings on an Ultratone.

Here's two variations on those:

DSCN5231~1.JPG


DSCN5233.JPG

Here's a third: Clear with line indicator for the phase and ohms switches on 1970s Les Paul Signature guitars. GFAO as they say!

csgcy5xte7hqeziqju5q.jpg
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Tom, how is it that some Norlins have the earliest version of the reflector? Left over?:hmm

Left over would be the most likely explanation. Maybe some were "lost", then discovered around the time of Norlin's purchase?
It makes no sense to change back to that design for a very short period.
 
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