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Post by karpetking on Feb 21, 2010 10:08:49 GMT -5
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Post by betweenthees on Mar 1, 2010 0:35:37 GMT -5
sounds like you need a speed knob that has an adjustable screw on the side to snug up against the shaft- I dont think "they" make em, but you might be able to:) could drill a hole in the side of a knob and run a small bolt/screw down it, or maybe drill a hole and mount a nut inside then use that to hold the bolt.
just throwin some ideas around.
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Post by sumgai on Mar 1, 2010 2:27:30 GMT -5
kk, The switch you ordered will come with a solid shaft alright, and with smooth sides to boot. No Gibson knobs of which I am aware will stay on this shaft design. Certainly not all guitar knobs ever made were meant only for knurled shafts (split or not), but by far the vast majority of 'em are. Knobs with set-screws are common, just not in the guitar world. You can look around at other sources and try to find a knob that closely approximates the speed knob, but make sure it has a set-screw, or you won't be able to use it. Or you could procure an "extra" speed knob and modify it, per adgb's suggestion above...... If you do this trick, be sure to take pictures and post 'em! HTH sumgai
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Post by karpetking on Mar 1, 2010 8:55:45 GMT -5
cheers! yeah, i found that most basses and a few fender guitars (various teles, mustang) have solid shaft pots, but i can't find any that resemble speed knobs, so i might have to have a go at modding... i'll definately post a picture if i get something that works and looks good, but i'm not holding my breath on that one.. i might just have to get some other sort of knob that doesn't look too bad - but the speed knob design would look the best on this particular guitar.. i'll have a go, anyway!! cheers!
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Post by wolf on Mar 1, 2010 23:32:58 GMT -5
Gibson must have used a set screw on the guitars that included the Varitone™ circuit - (Blueshawk and Lucille) www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/ES/Gibson-Custom/BB-King-Lucille.aspxIf you wish to be a true Gibson fan, it might be worth finding out just what that knob is. (I believe Gibson has a forum you could join). Here is a site that is dedicated to the Blueshawk model: www.blueshawk.info/intro.htmThe person who runs that site lives in England. Maybe he's your next door neighbor? That looks like another good place for information.
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Post by sumgai on Mar 2, 2010 3:36:32 GMT -5
That Varitone switch has what we call a standard "chicken head" knob on it. There's a set screw, accessed from the broad end of the thing.
Every Varitone switch I've ever personally seen had a "flat spot" on the shaft, so the set screw held the thing firmly. It's certainly possible that Gibson may have used a normal shaft (no flat spot) version of the switch somewhere along the line, I wouldn't know....I can only relate what I've personally observed.
sumgai
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Post by karpetking on Mar 2, 2010 5:27:49 GMT -5
I didn't know about those! cheers! but in all the pictures, they do seem to have chickenhead knobs on... I also heard that some PRS guitars had 5 position pickup selectors on, which may be rotary.. does anyone know which models have these, or what kind of knob is used?? cheers!!!
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Post by ashcatlt on Mar 2, 2010 13:11:27 GMT -5
I've got switches very similar to yours in three of my guitars. The shaft is not only smooth and solid, but also a tad bigger than those on the pots we usually use. I've had to drill out the inside of the knobs to get them to fit. Strat knobs work okay if you make the hole exactly the right size and jam them on real good. They'll start to slip if you try to turn the switch past the end, but there's just enough gripping power to work the switch normally. I do expect that they will eventually wear out if removed and replaced too often.
Tele style knobs tend to come with a set screw. I'd suggest drilling these to be a touch bigger than the shaft. The one on my LP required some beating to get it on, and I'm not sure I'll ever get it off.
Standard Gibson type knobs are usually made of a harder, smoother material, which I would not expect to grip as well as the strat knobs. It's certainly worth a try, if you've got a knob you can spare.
Now, the pots on my Rickenbacker are exactly the same what's as my switches, and those knobs (with set screws) work perfectly. If you can live with the "top hat" look, this is an option.
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Post by Runewalker on Mar 2, 2010 14:38:30 GMT -5
Gibby speed knobs (I never got why they called them 'speed' knobs, as I have had several and find them a tad slippery being so slick -- I call them 'slip' knobs), are a traditional aesthetic and personal preference for some. Dime Bag supposedly had rivets installed on his 'speed' knobs for better traction: 2:44/5:35 I typically convert my 'speed knobs' to Tele style dome knobs which mostly have set screws. Their knurling makes for very positive traction. Love the Tele knobs but not the planks. Vendors have them now in a multitude of colors and styles. In my HBD project, a black SG, the 4 knob cluster is a little tight for speed knobs, although those were whats was on it. I replaced it after the mod with black knobs that had black pearl domes. Very nice. Perhaps that is an option for you, unless you are wedded to slip knobs.
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Post by wolf on Mar 3, 2010 1:01:14 GMT -5
The reason I mentioned the Gibson Lucille™ and Blueshawk™ was that I thought karpetking wanted to use a genuine Gibson™ knob, which I now believe wasn't his original intent. Anyway, using sumgai's suggestion of never having seen a perfectly round Varitone rotary switch, I think that would be a good solution for karpetking. Do you have access to a grinding wheel, karpetking? Putting a notch on that rotary switch would no doubt make the control knob have a much better grip on the switch. Looking at the above image, I'm using the suggestion made by betweenthees about altering a speedknob so that a nut and bolt can be mounted on it. I'd say to mount the nut in the blue area (larger than the bolt area) so that the nut will be secured in place. The bolt would have to be of a certain length such that it won't stick out from the knob. The head of the bolt would need a countersink in the knob so it wouldn't interfere with appearance or rotation. Why did I think about all this? Because I hate the chickenhead knobs and I like the idea that karpetking wants to substitute a "cooler appearing" speedknob.
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Post by karpetking on Mar 3, 2010 9:08:27 GMT -5
thanks for all the replies, everyone! yeah, the original idea was to make it appear like standard les paul control setup, but having looked in more detail at a speedknob, i'm not sure that i have the skill, or tools (including grinding wheel) to make the modification - there isn't much room to hide a screw, i think!, so i may have to go with a different knob.... may be worth a go anyway, though!! i'm quite surprised that they aren't already available, tbh! I thought about forcing one on after widening the hole a bit, but i'm sure that this will only lead to bad things!! cheers!!!
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Post by sumgai on Mar 3, 2010 14:24:00 GMT -5
kk, No, no, no, don't think we're done yet! After all, you didn't come back out of hiding after more than 4½ years!!! just to learn that it can't be done..... or did you? I think if you procure some non-Gibson speed-knob-looking things, you can experiment to your heart's content without sacrificing the real thing. It's not that hard to drill a hole straight through from the outside to the inside of cylinder, although you might need a bit of practice, at first. At least over here, we can get 3-40 sized Allen headed screws (like what adjusts a Strat saddle's height), I'm sure you can get something close enough to that over there, can't you? After that, I would also file a flat onto the shaft surface, just to give the screw some stability. It doesn't need to be nearly as much as the "big boys" make it, but even just a small flat will help immensely, in cases like this. Don't be bashful! Keep us posted on what you finally end up doing, and take pictures!! HTH sumgai
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Post by wolf on Mar 3, 2010 14:36:14 GMT -5
Using an Allen screw to secure the knob? Good idea sumgai. This would eliminate the need for making a countersink in the speedknob.
And as far as putting a notch on the rotary switch, another solution (besides a grinding wheel or a file) would be using a hacksaw with the rotary switch shaft held securely in a vise.
See? The ideas just don't stop around here.
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Post by sumgai on Mar 3, 2010 21:07:54 GMT -5
Geez wolf...... Right now my head is full of Ray Parker: When an idea breaks out, Who ya gonna call?One of us had to stop smoking that Wildwood Weed! .... ...... Toss ya for it! ;D sumgai
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Post by newey on Mar 3, 2010 21:35:01 GMT -5
Of course, with the semi-clear plastic of some of these style knobs, inserting a bolt or nut is not going to be completely invisible. The black ones wouldn't show it, however.
The countersunk nut is an elegant solution. My "down and dirty" solution would be to use a fine jeweler's drill to drill a hole all the way through the pot shaft, and all the way through the knob. A steel pin of equal diameter could then be slid through the knob and through the pot shaft, holding the knob in place. If the knob is drilled a hair smaller than the diameter of the pin, the plastic should be resilient enough to hold the pin tightly.
One could drill through only one side of the knob, and halfway through the shaft, to accomplish the same thing, but then the pin wouldn't be removeable- by going all the way through, the pin could be pushed out the opposite side for knob removal.
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Post by karpetking on Mar 4, 2010 9:27:30 GMT -5
ok! my switches have finally showed up! and they ARE solid shaft, and the shaft IS wider than the pot shafts, just as you said! yep, 4 1/2 years! and I'm only just getting around to doing what i asked when i first joined! I guess i'm gonna have to have a go after all this help and pressure that you guys are giving me! so the main problems are:- hiding the allen screw in transpaent plastic - should be possible somehow! and making a hole for fitting a bolt in there somehow - this will be my main issue, i reckon! any idea how i put a hole there on the inside of the knob?? i did think of drilling into the shaft - but again, i don't have the tools!
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Post by wolf on Mar 4, 2010 16:00:11 GMT -5
karpetking To make the Allen screw as disguised as possible, why not get a dark colored one? Also I'd say inserting it in the space between 10 and zero would add to its camouflage.
As far as mounting a nut on the inside of the knob, rather than drilling a hole it might be easier to dig a notch with a very small chisel. I'm sure other folks will be along with their own suggestions.
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Post by karpetking on Mar 8, 2010 10:30:28 GMT -5
Whoa! I'd dismissed the idea of trying to make such a small hole by hand - but there may well be no other way, i suppose! Instead of speedknobs, I'm sort of leaning towards having the Gibson style reflector top bell knobs - but these also seem to be unavailable with set screw.... i'm gonna have to try and mod one when i've sorted the electrics..
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