Slippery Amber Top Hat Knobs? Solution!

JimFog · Sep 13, 2018

Hey,

I prefer the look and size of the amber top hat knobs on my Les Paul. Just looks right. Maybe it’s just me, but I find them hard to turn fast and get a grip on, though. Is that an issue for you, ever?

If so, I think I found a cool solution. I bought a bunch of these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/X-Rings-Si...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

….and they slip right over the top hats. I put 2 on each knob. It feels like the knobs Ibanez uses on their archtops, which I always liked…….but are expensive, after-market.

I guess the trick will be if they loosen up and fall off as they get older.

They don’t look too bad, either, I think…….

Black58 · Sep 13, 2018

JimFog said:
Hey,

I prefer the look and size of the amber top hat knobs on my Les Paul. Just looks right. Maybe it’s just me, but I find them hard to turn fast and get a grip on, though. Is that an issue for you, ever?

If so, I think I found a cool solution. I bought a bunch of these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/X-Rings-Si...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

….and they slip right over the top hats. I put 2 on each knob. It feels like the knobs Ibanez uses on their archtops, which I always liked…….but are expensive, after-market.

I guess the trick will be if they loosen up and fall off as they get older.

They don’t look too bad, either, I think…….

View attachment 8323 View attachment 8322

What, the pots are stiff to turn?

JimFog · Sep 13, 2018

Black58 said:
What, the pots are stiff to turn?

No......I just find amber top hats to be harder to get a quick grip on than speed knobs (which I dislike the look of), or really, most any other standard knob.

I know some other people feel the same way.

If you don't? Cool. Nothing you'd be interested in.

Black58 · Sep 13, 2018

JimFog said:
No......I just find amber top hats to be harder to get a quick grip on than speed knobs (which I dislike the look of), or really, most any other standard knob.

I know some other people feel the same way.

If you don't? Cool. Nothing you'd be interested in.

Ah, I see. I guess I'm just used to them.

thejaf · Sep 13, 2018

I dated a very slippery Amber once.

As for the top hats, it's mostly just the friction of the stock pots. Cool that you found an alternative to replacing the pots.

J T · Sep 13, 2018

Good idea. Hope it works for you. Keep an eye on them and peek underneath once in a while to make sure they don't react with the plastic knobs. Remember how guitar stands would "melt" guitar finish.

Black58 · Sep 14, 2018

Ya know, looking at the photo, I've never seen bonnet knobs that close to the top. :ganz .. Is that an Epi? :hmm

corpse · Sep 14, 2018

They sell those at Home Depot- I think to protect wires going in to a metal box.
I use them for polishing frets- wrap them with a piece of 4/0 steel wool and it makes a good profile for dressing/cleaning frets.
BTW- folks are right here- keep an eye out for long term reaction with this CN made fake-crap rubber. You have no idea what it might do esp in a closed case. I would try and maybe hit the knobs with the steel wool to roughen them up before I would do this.
Shaking my head- knobs are too slippery. Just wow. Do you make them take the brown M&M's out of the bowl in your dressing room backstage?
Just joking.

Bob Womack · Sep 14, 2018

One of my favorite guitarists, Andrew Latimer, uses the fade-in violin soumd like Dickey Betts used quite a bit. He uses a Burny Supergrade LP copy and found the knobs slippery. He simply tracked down another guitar company's knob that had a rubber insert and installed one to his neck pickup volume control. Done.

Bob

chasenblues · Sep 14, 2018

Bob Womack said:
He simply tracked down another guitar company's knob that had a rubber insert and installed one to his neck pickup volume control. Done.

Bob

Ibanez Sure Grip Knobs?

Black58 · Sep 14, 2018

corpse said:
Shaking my head- knobs are too slippery. Just wow. Do you make them take the brown M&M's out of the bowl in your dressing room backstage?

:rofl .. I mean, really?

renderit · Sep 14, 2018

Thanks for the tip! Kinda cool! Ignore these buffoons. I like that it kinda personalizes them myself. Two thumbs up!:dude::dude:

Bob Womack · Sep 15, 2018

chasenblues said:
Ibanez Sure Grip Knobs?

Yes I think so.

Bob

Black58 · Sep 15, 2018

God forbid, someone suffers. :rolleyes

JimFog · Sep 15, 2018

renderit said:
Thanks for the tip! Kinda cool! Ignore these buffoons. I like that it kinda personalizes them myself. Two thumbs up!:dude::dude:

Thanks.

Yeah, I don't get the f'n attitude. If it's not an issue for you, move on. No one's forcing anyone to try it. There are plenty of ideas that people have around here that I think are idiotic.........but if it doesn't affect me, why should I care?

BTW, I did 2 gigs today and tonight, and the knobs worked out REALLY well. I do a LOT of constant adjustment of my volumes, and I found this helped immensely.

Maybe for the "set it and forget it" types who rock out at Madison Square Basement, it wouldn't make a difference.

corpse · Sep 15, 2018

Jim- I sincerely meant no offense. It is a clever solution you found there.
I have a serious peeve in this same vein- how do you get a slide off your finger to go back to complex fingerings in a hurry?

renderit · Sep 15, 2018

I think they was just havin' fun. No worries there. I should be the LAST to cast stones...

Black58 · Sep 15, 2018

Just bustin' yer balls, man. :salude

TM1 · Sep 15, 2018

chasenblues said:
Ibanez Sure Grip Knobs?

I was just going to say Ibanez.. Also Fender in the `80's used some knobs on their "Elite" series that had rubber inserts..

chasenblues · Sep 15, 2018

TM1 said:
I was just going to say Ibanez.. Also Fender in the `80's used some knobs on their "Elite" series that had rubber inserts..

Don't think the Ibanez(Import/course spline shafts) would fit on Gibson pots though..:hmm

Slippery Amber Top Hat Knobs? Solution!

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