Position-indicating knob for tone pot

[rpjazzguitar]

I'm playing a Comins GCS-1. I find that I need to move the treble control a fair amount while I'm playing. But, since the knob is round, I can't tell by feel where it's pointing. This is a minor inconvenience. Also, on this guitar most of the variation is in maybe a quarter of the knob's rotation.

I was thinking about replacing it with a chicken head knob, which may not look that great.

I was wondering if anybody might suggest a better solution.

[sgosnell]

You can buy knobs with a line on the top. I have some ebony knobs with a thin maple strip, which makes it fairly easy to see the setting if there is enough light. Barney Kessel wanted to be able to tell the setting without looking, so he put chicken head knobs on both pots on his guitar. I don't think they look that bad, and I still have a set somewhere, having taken it off a guitar I sold, and most of the guitars I play now don't have knobs at all.

[John A.]

Maybe try putting a strip or two of correction tape on top of the existing indicator line, which will raise it above the surface of the knob a little. I did this with the knobs of a guitar that had no line or numbers.

[Doctor Jeff]

Gibson Accessories Historic Knob Pointers - Nickel (4-pack) | Sweetwater

[John A.]

Gibson Accessories Historic Knob Pointers - Nickel (4-pack) | Sweetwater

OP is asking about solutions for feeling the position of the knob without looking at it.

[vinnyv1k]

Do what Barney Kessel did and use pointed knobs.

[jads57]

Not trying to be smart ass, but use your ears first and don’t worry about how it looks.
Another consideration is replacing the pots or capacitor to give you the tone you prefer.

[Woody Sound]

Not trying to be smart ass, but use your ears first and don’t worry about how it looks.
Another consideration is replacing the pots or capacitor to give you the tone you prefer.

Maybe glue a little piece of something to the side of the knob that you can feel. Or conversely, cut out a notch.

[rpjazzguitar]

Maybe glue a little piece of something to the side of the knob that you can feel. Or conversely, cut out a notch.

I was thinking about that too. Something like a tiny piece of toothpick would work.

[Doctor Jeff]

OP is asking about solutions for feeling the position of the knob without looking at it.

Ah I see. I mean don’t see.

Well one easy solution is to take the pointer linked to above, and glue or tape it to the bottom of the knob instead of inserting it under the nut holding the post on.

Another possibility is to notch any standard knob with a 3-sided file so that you can feel for the notch.

Yet another possibility is to get a knob with a set screw, and get a small screw that is a bit longer so it will stick out and be easily felt by your finger.

Final thought—I just came across this and think it looks very cool. Unfortunately sold out right now, but maybe can be found on Ebay or other locations:

PK-3252 Set of 2 Pointer Knobs — Allparts Music