An homage to Old Black for dad (Neil content, but no Warmoth content...)

[Verne Bunsen]

My Google-Fu is failing me, I’m striking out trying to find them for 24-spline. I’ve reached out to a couple of places.

 

[rgand]

These CTS knobs should be 24 spline. You can always message the seller to find out for sure.

 

[TBurst Std]

How about these?

http://www.jatcustomguitarparts.com/product/jat-custom-guitar-parts-speed-knobs-2015-blacksilver-flake/

 

[Verne Bunsen]

These CTS knobs should be 24 spline. You can always message the seller to find out for sure.

The ones in the picture look to be 18 spline. From the item description it looks like the CTS spec they are referring to is the depth of the mounting profile?

How about these?

http://www.jatcustomguitarparts.com/product/jat-custom-guitar-parts-speed-knobs-2015-blacksilver-flake/

Those do appear to be 24-spline, but I don't think the silver flake is the right aesthetic. They are one of the sellers I messaged on Reverb inquiring as they appear to have everything else... I have been on-again-off-again looking at these from them:

https://reverb.com/item/731948-jat-custom-guitar-parts-speed-knobs-metallic-silver-black

 

[rgand]

You're right, the ones in the oicture do look like 18 spline. But! I have found pictures to be misleading especially if a seller has several models of something all somewhat similar. Best to verify that before purchasing.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

You're right, the ones in the oicture do look like 18 spline. But! I have found pictures to be misleading especially if a seller has several models of something all somewhat similar. Best to verify that before purchasing.

True story! Which brings us back to a recent conversation here on the forum: why won’t sellers post this critical spec for knobs? I had an exchange with one Reverb seller last night about this and couldn’t get anything more than “The manufacturer indicates 6mm” out of him. Rather frustrating...

 

[rgand]

True story! Which brings us back to a recent conversation here on the forum: why won’t sellers post this critical spec for knobs? I had an exchange with one Reverb seller last night about this and couldn’t get anything more than “The manufacturer indicates 6mm” out of him. Rather frustrating...

Remember, most vendors don't actually use the stuff they sell so that kind of information doesn't seem important to them. Most guitar players don't know there's a difference, either, so they'll just buy any old knob and jam it on somehow. People who put them together in a non-production environment, like the ones on this and a few other forums, are the only people who run into this as they get one of this part and three of that.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I think that Justin over at JAT Custom Guitar Parts is going to make me a set, so we shall see!

 

[rgand]

Cool. A solution at hand.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

In a 1992 interview with French music mag "Guitare & Claviers" (http://thrasherswheat.org/ptma/Frenchguitar492.htm), Neil was asked why he stuck with the Bigsby when modern vibratos could stay in tune better. His answer is one of my favorite Neil quotes:

"Fantastic! Stay in tune! Brilliant! You were in tune before...it makes no sense to stay in tune!"

I believe that I can speak for dear old dad and say that his position on tuning stability is a bit different  :toothy12: To that end, this guitar has a few tuning stability enhancing features:

Grover 502 lockers (with transplanted Tulip buttons...)

Tone-Pros roller bridge and a sealed bearing front roller for the B7 from Brick's Biggs Fix. In instances where you don't need or want any additional break angle, I've come to prefer these front rollers over the Callaham roller. Also kind of visible is the Vibramate V7 plate used for installing the Bigsby. The Vibramate plates for B7 and B5 installations on TOM/STP guitars are fantastic, just by the by.

Callaham string-through main shaft! Perhaps not a tuning stability enhancing feature in itself, but it does make a guy more inclined to change the strings when it becomes necessary  :laughing7: Also visible is the Callaham 360 arm bracket which is a great mod as well.

That interview (linked above) is worth a read. Another epic quote from it:

"I can't play fast. I don't even know my scales. I know that most of the notes I play aren't where I play them. They're simply not there. So you can play any note you like."

 

[rgand]

That is looking good. The tuners are a good part of the look, as is the Bigsby. I love the way it's coming.

Thanks for that link. I hadn't read that before. I enjoyed reading it.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Not a particularly exciting update here, but hey, they can't all be soldering irons and shiny go-fast hardware....

As I stated, the old jack plate was junk. Cracked, broken, just barely capable of performing its function.

Replaced with a proper beefy metal plate. Future disaster averted.

The knobs are in the mail, the shiny go-fast hardware is in the mail, maybe this is a more exciting update than I initially gave it credit for. I'm heading out of town tomorrow but look forward to coming home and completing this baby.

 

[Cagey]

That's common on those plastic plates. They also get knocked silly from setting guitars down wrong on straight plugs. Put a metal plate on like you have, and the next time something hits the plug nice and hard, the plug will break instead. That'll teach it.

 

[mayfly]

In a 1992 interview with French music mag "Guitare & Claviers" (http://thrasherswheat.org/ptma/Frenchguitar492.htm), Neil was asked why he stuck with the Bigsby when modern vibratos could stay in tune better. His answer is one of my favorite Neil quotes:

"Fantastic! Stay in tune! Brilliant! You were in tune before...it makes no sense to stay in tune!"

I think that Neil was just taking the piss with this guy.  Don't forget that Neil travels with no less than 5 Conn strobe tuners on stage that are always running.  He must care about being in tune somewhat 

 

[Cagey]

That's a helluva tuner setup. Must've been a maintenance problem all by itself. Plus, no clipping that one to the headstock  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

It could be argued that one cannot be truly cavalier about going out of tune if one isn’t properly in tune to begin with... but yeah, I see your point :laughing7: Still a great line!

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Well, I believe the knob situation is settled. Thanks for the idea Rgand, I think they're absolutely perfect!  arty07:

These were made by Justin over at JAT Custom Guitar Parts, and I highly recommend him. He makes them himself, is great to deal with, and the quality is superb. These knobs were "off-menu" items and he still had them out the door in just a couple of days. Price was $25 bucks in case you're wondering. Seems steep, but, well, look at 'em!  :icon_biggrin:

In other news, I have a package here from Mr. Dangerous Doug, more on that as it develops.....

 

[Cagey]

I agree, those knobs were a great choice and complement the rest of the guitar quite well. I don't believe I've seen silver versions of those before. And $25? I think that's a good price, even if you mean apiece, since they're custom made and really match up well.

 

[Logrinn]

Those knobs look great.
I too received knobs yesterday for my next build(s).

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I agree, those knobs were a great choice and complement the rest of the guitar quite well. I don't believe I've seen silver versions of those before. And $25? I think that's a good price, even if you mean apiece, since they're custom made and really match up well.

Just for clarification, it was $25 for the set. That said, I'm with you. Sometimes you have to look past the actual "intrinsic value" of an item and look at it from the perspective of, "How much is it worth to me to get what I'm after?" $25 for 4 plastic knobs? A little steep. $25 to awesomely compliment the aesthetic of this guitar? A steal!