Do you guys ever change out the knobs on your equipment?

[Extremesam]

Hello all, I just wanted to ask anyone if they change out their knobs on older equipment. I'm going to post pictures of my stereo, but basically it came with some of the El chepo looking brown Fisher style knobs and I really didn't like them, so I had a Kenwood that I scavenged for parts and long story short I think the results look more "classy" note there are 2 black knobs just because I didn't have the extra 2 aluminum knobs, but I still think it looks better than before and I still have them set aside just in case! Just as a side note, what do you guys do to replace knobs that have 2, one for one channel and one for the other? Those are a little more tricky for me! First photo is the "new" knobs and second is the original ones!
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I prefer my knobs to match but if that is your preference, power to ya. I sure miss Radio Shack where I could get a variety of knobs easily. I have a Schitt audio Loki EQ and the knobs are too close. I hope they are standard size. I'm replacing them.

 

[AdamAnt316]

I am with you on this one, my PAS2 has all original knobs except the Volume knob, it came off a Ships switchboard we have sitting in the shop. That being said I only clean old gear and it never gets a cosmetic restoration, pits, chipped paint or wood all stay how its found in the wild. All my stuff is "rat rod" restored where it matters. To each their own.



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I was much more 'anal-retentive' when it came to my own PAS-2. When one of the tone control knobs went missing, I put it into 'standby' while I tried to figure out what to do about a correct replacement. Fortunately, I happened to come across a partial set of PAS-2 knobs at an outdoor flea market last year, and my PAS-2 now looks as it should:

 

[GChief]

I was much more 'anal-retentive' when it came to my own PAS-2. When one of the tone control knobs went missing, I put it into 'standby' while I tried to figure out what to do about a correct replacement. Fortunately, I happened to come across a partial set of PAS-2 knobs at an outdoor flea market last year, and my PAS-2 now looks as it should:

Awesome, but having a mixed bag of whatever’s never has bothered me. I really only anal about work stuff.

 

[AdamAnt316]

Awesome, but have a mixed bag of whatever’s never has bothered me. I really only anal about work stuff.

For me, it depends. Seeing a piece of gear at a flea market or swapmeet which is missing a knob may well be a deal-breaker for me, unless I either think it's a good deal anyway, or if I think I can find a suitable replacement for it. When it comes to mismatched knobs, it depends on how well it was done. My Dynaco PAS-3X has had both the balance and blend controls fitted with non-standard knobs, but they match each other well, and look relatively close to the other (correct) knobs on the front panel, so it doesn't bother me too much.
-Adam

 

[GChief]

@AdamAnt316 so you may of hated it when I had a tiny pair of vise grips as the volume knob?

 

[AdamAnt316]

@AdamAnt316 so you may of hated it when I had a tiny pair of vise grips as the volume knob?

I didn't say your installing a non-matching replacement knob was bad. It's not what I'd personally do unless I could find another matching knob to replace the source selector knob with, at the very least. If worse had come to worse with my own PAS-2, I probably would've bought a matching set of non-original knobs in appropriate sizes to replace all of its knobs. As luck would have it, I managed to find exact replacements.
-Adam

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Most people don't change knobs. Big exception, many McIntosh owners in the old days, when they had newer gear, and older gear coexisting in the same system, some owners would buy the new style knobs and install them on their older McIntosh gear, so the knobs would be the same on all their gear.

 

[AudioFeline]

...my own [Dynaco] PAS-2. When one of the tone control knobs went missing, I put it into 'standby' while I tried to figure out what to do about a correct replacement. Fortunately, I happened to come across a partial set of PAS-2 knobs at an outdoor flea market last year, and my PAS-2 now looks as it should:
[pic visible in quoted post]

Sounds like you were very lucky!
Even though I would want a matching set of knobs, I would live with a similar but non-matching knob while I try to locate an identical replacement or similar replacement set.

 

[AdamAnt316]

Sounds like you were very lucky!
Even though I would want a matching set of knobs, I would live with a similar but non-matching knob while I try to locate an identical replacement or similar replacement set.

Yeah, it was totally unexpected, especially since it happened at a regular flea market rather than a swapmeet or hamfest. Looked on a seller's table, and in with playing cards and the usual flea market stuff was a (partial) set of familiar-looking brown knobs with brass 'brights'. My only bummer was that there was no sign of the PAS-2 preamp which the knobs had been 'borrowed' from in the first place..........
-Adam

 

[mjw21a]

When I have vintage gear, I prefer to keep it stock.

On the other hand where I've bought DIY, boutique or Chi-Fi gear and find the original knobs look either cheap or tacky I'll buy a full complement of solid machined aluminum knobs off eBay....

Unfortunately I often buy about 5x various colors and sizes as well so I can ensure the best match is installed. They often look different in person to online photos.

Updated knobs on a couple Macs to newer style McIntosh knobs - mainly to match the MPI4 scope on top. View attachment 1542284 View attachment 1542285

My vote definitely goes to the vintage knobs there. Looks much better

 

[Pio1980]

I bought a nice WW-2 era SigCorps Hammarlund gen coverage commo receiver, missing the unique bandswitch knob with it's model specific band marked skirt from a surplus shop I frequented. As a salvage yard, he had boxes of assorted knobs from decades of scrapped items, but not that one. My compromise was to find the largest Dakaware knob in the same exact matching style as the others on the panel and use it. It has better turning grip and feel than the smaller original and is otherwise unremarkable. Fwiw, this size knob is a better fit for the radio and what Hammarlund should have specified, skirt or not. Anyone that has operated one of these Super Pros would know what I mean concerning the band switching effort.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

I bought a nice WW-2 era SigCorps Hammarlund gen coverage commo receiver, missing the unique bandswitch knob with it's model specific band marked skirt from a surplus shop I frequented. As a salvage yard, he had boxes of assorted knobs from decades of scrapped items, but not that one. My compromise was to find the largest Dakaware knob in the same exact matching style as the others on the panel and use it. It has better turning grip and feel than the smaller original and is otherwise unremarkable. Fwiw, this size knob is a better fit for the radio and what Hammarlund should have specified, skirt or not. Anyone that has operated one of these Super Pros would know what I mean concerning the band switching effort.

Agree highly with that. The knob you installed on your example, is actually a more sensible, functional choice. Hammarlund should have used that knob instead.

 

[AdamAnt316]

Agree highly with that. The knob you installed on your example, is actually a more sensible, functional choice. Hammarlund should have used that knob instead.

Yeah, Hammarlund was notorious for questionable knob choices. The otherwise excellent HQ-129X receiver from 1946 is a prime example:

Almost every example you'll see will have had those cheesy little rounded Main Tuning and Band Spread knobs replaced with something better. Here is an example from the page I linked to above:

 

[Ohighway]

 

[Poultrygeist]

I hang on to knobs from broken gear as I never know when I might need to come up with something original. This TPA3118 Volt board from allo.com needed a stem extension and this knob from a car radio plus a facet washer worked. The layout of the board required a side volume control which you don't see everyday thank goodness.

 

[Michiganamps]

Michiganamps, unfortunately there are some, but thankfully not many, horses arses on this site. You learn to ignore them or laugh at them. I generally go for a mix of both.

As to knobs, I tend to go with what's there, never really felt the need to change any. I also on occasion build my own amps, which gives me freedom to make the right choice up front.

Thank you sir I appreciate your r

I am with you on this one, my PAS2 has all original knobs except the Volume knob, it came off a Ships switchboard we have sitting in the shop. That being said I only clean old gear and it never gets a cosmetic restoration, pits, chipped paint or wood all stay how its found in the wild. All my stuff is "rat rod" restored where it matters. To each their own.



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You are definitely right about that! It has a chrome plated chassis and I started to polish it with some mother's chrome polish, and whew it is really tough I will definitely not do that again! It's worth it to me, but damn it's taken me about an hour and a half each day I have done it and still have about 1/4 of the chassis that still isn't polished !

 

[Poultrygeist]

I should be partial to chicken head knobs.

 

[Michiganamps]

That's v

I am with you on this one, my PAS2 has all original knobs except the Volume knob, it came off a Ships switchboard we have sitting in the shop. That being said I only clean old gear and it never gets a cosmetic restoration, pits, chipped paint or wood all stay how its found in the wild. All my stuff is "rat rod" restored where it matters. To each their own.



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That's very nice! I like the layout of that a lot! That's a pre amp isn't it?

 

[Michiganamps]

I'm heaving a hell of a time trying to get under some components, so after this lesson learned! I will not be doing cosmetic restorations in the future!!!

 

[Poultrygeist]

Love these knobs from Radio Shack as they have a set screw and will fit most stems.