Knobs

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The fit of knobs for D and T18 pot shafts.
Knob with set screw on potentiometer.
Rogan knobs on a J3RK dual 258j oscillator module.
Davies Moldings skirted knobs as used in Buchla 100 & 200 series.
Cliff knob as used by EMS.
Sifam knobs as used by Cwejman and Intellijel.
Davies 1900h knobs used on Serge and Wiard.
Eagle 450-4010 soft touch knob, used by TipTop.
Eagle 450-BA761 on Mutable Instruments panel.

Knobs fit on controls, e.g. potentiometers or sliders, push button and rotary switches.

Use with potentiometers

T18 push on knobs fit splined pot shafts. Pots with with round or D shafts require knobs with plain holes that if not push fit, have set screws to hold them in place. Most spline shaft pots have a slightly smaller diameter shaft than round or D shaft. Usually splines are 6 mm while most round ones are 1/4" (6.35mm). So 1/4" setscrew knobs will end up slightly lopsided when tightened onto a 6 mm spline shaft. Knobs fastened by a collet require a box spanner to fasten them.[1][2] Note that knobs to suit D shafts come with different pointer orientations.[3]

Knobs in common use

Aries, Macbeth, Modcan B

Aries modulars used ridged knobs which these days are mainly used by Ken Macbeth and on Modcan B modules.[4]

Buchla

Buchla synths use Rogan knobs,[5] and also Davies Molding knobs on 100 and 200 series modules.[6] Available through group buys at Mod Wiggler forum or at:

EMS

The EMS VCS3 knobs were made by Cliff Components, part number CL1606. Available in two sizes, the cap insert was satin or shiny silver, or with any of nine colours. Cliff no longer produce the knobs with coloured inserts.[4] Available at:

Eurorack

BugBrand, Analogue Systems and Metasonix use Re'an Soft-Touch 16 mm skirt knobs for 6 mm T18 shafts, however these are no longer manufactured.[7][8][9]

Cwejman and Intellijel use knobs manufactured by Sifam with separate coloured caps.[10]

Doepfer, TipTop and Plan B use 16 mm wide knobs on 6 mm T18 shafts.[7] TipTop are Eagle 450-4010[11]

Frac

Blacet use Re'an Soft-Touch knobs for 6 mm D shafts, however these are no longer manufactured.[12][7]

MOTM

MOTM uses ALCO PKES90B1/4 knobs. Available at:

MU

Moog style "fluted taper skirt" control knobs also used by Synthesizers.com, STG Soundlabs, etc. are manufactured by Cosmo Corporation.[4] Available at:

Mutable Instruments

Mutable Instruments use Eagle 450-BA761.[13]

Serge and Wiard

Serge and Wiard use the Davies 1900H knob.[14]

References

  1. ^ knurled vs round shaft pots, Mod Wiggler forum, March 2012
  2. ^ Wikipedia: Control knob
  3. ^ Shruthi Knob Specs, Mutable Instruments forum, Oct 2013
  4. ^ a b c Control knobs, YuSynth
  5. ^ Rogan knobs group buy, Mod Wiggler forum, May 2011
  6. ^ Rogan Unskirted Knobs and Buchla Davies Knobs, Mod Wiggler forum, March 2013
  7. ^ a b c https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32814 Rean P300's are bags of win for Doepfer], Mod Wiggler forum, Apr 2011
  8. ^ eurorack widths of panels?, Mod Wiggler forum, May 2009
  9. ^ resolved, Mod Wiggler forum, Jan 2011
  10. ^ Intellijel Knobs, Thonk – DIY Synthesizer Kits & Components
  11. ^ TipTop knobs... what brand are they?, Mod Wiggler forum, Jul 2010
  12. ^ resolved, Mod Wiggler forum, Jan 2011
  13. ^ Knob sources, Mutable Instruments forum, Nov 2010
  14. ^ eurorack widths of panels?, Mod Wiggler forum, May 2009

External links

Suppliers