Wooden control knobs anyone?

some young guy · « **on:** 11 May 2004, 08:30 pm »

Hey all, I've been making these "Thingamaknobs" for myself and other folks for the last couple years. I've decided to start offering them to all AC members as well. They can be made from almost any wood, with a number of different inlays, 1-4 set-screws and with either nylon or bronze inserts. Most "Thingamaknobs" run about $30 each and all you need to do is send me the measurements and I can usually turn them out in a day or two (depending on the finish desired). They are very effective for vibration tuning as well as static electricity control. Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions.

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 May 2004, 09:00 pm »

I've thougth about making some of these for myself. Where do you source your dowels?

TIA,
Josh

nathanm · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 May 2004, 09:13 pm »

Boy some young, you've gotta get with the program! You aren't charging nearly enough money for those. Try jacking it up by, oh say about $450 and then you'll be competitive with our thrifty pals at Reference Audio Mods! You could be on a tropical island retirement somewhere by now if you had a firm grasp on the wooden knob marketplace!

rosconey · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 May 2004, 09:24 pm »

no his should be more expensive because the are hand crafted, and anyone nows that price equils quality

maxwalrath · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 May 2004, 09:33 pm »

Come on Nathan, we all know he's not using 6 coats of $3000/kg laquer.

Maybe he should do lots of experimenting to see if they've got it right with the 6 coats...I'd love to be in on that A/B test. 5 coat vs. 6 coat shootout...and of course to see if diminishing returns really do start at the 7th coat!!

.

some young guy · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 May 2004, 09:33 pm »

Quote

Boy some young, you've gotta get with the program! You aren't charging nearly enough money for those. Try jacking it up by, oh say about $450 and then you'll be competitive with our thrifty pals at Reference Audio Mods! You could be on a tropical island retirement somewhere by now if you had a firm grasp on the wooden knob marketplace!

you're so right... special for you, $645 each. place your orders now and place them often

Quote

I've thougth about making some of these for myself. Where do you source your dowels?

most of the dowells i use are turned by a local wood worker friend of mine. the rest i buy from http://shop.woodcraft.com/Woodcraft/assets/html/homepage.asp?URLCheck=1

PhilNYC · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 May 2004, 10:17 pm »

Ok, so geek in me has to ask...do you find different woods having different effects to the sound of your system? The Blue Circle preamps that I sell have knobs available in oak and cherry (as well as stainless steel), but I've never tried the same preamp with different knob options...

nathanm · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 May 2004, 10:27 pm »

I can't possibly take a wooden knob seriously if it only cost $645. It's a well known fact that wooden replacement knobs only start performing good when you hit the $1000 mark. Anyone who tells you different is probably some loser who has never heard a top quality system or experienced LIVE, UNAMPLIFIED MUSIC like I do, 6 days a week for that matter. The average wooden dowel has not been treated for high tension hysterisis loss coefficients and axial grain compression matrixes like the true high end ones are. You are jeopardizing your sound with those cheap things, trust me!

I had this dresser when I was a kid that had knobs sort of like those on the drawers. And let me tell you, it was the best sounding and most static-free dresser ever! Unfortunately it was severely damaged in a flood and the insurance company did not accept the claim that it was worth $12,000. Some people just don't know a good sounding piece of wood when they see one!

Marbles · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 May 2004, 10:28 pm »

Quote from: PhilNYC

Ok, so geek in me has to ask...do you find different woods having different effects to the sound of your system? The Blue Circle preamps that I sell have knobs available in oak and cherry (as well as stainless steel), but I've never tried the same preamp with different knob options...

The ones made from sugar maple are said to sound sweeter

PhilNYC · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 May 2004, 10:34 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

The ones made from sugar maple are said to sound sweeter

I'm afraid to ask what they say about ones made from dogwood...

JoshK · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 May 2004, 11:17 pm »

anywho, back to the subject at hand.

I think that is a great price and I really like your ingenuity in thinking this up. I got the idea from you a while ago and had meant to do it. I just hadn't source thick enough dowels in nice hardwood.

some young guy · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 May 2004, 11:30 pm »

Quote

I can't possibly take a wooden knob seriously if it only cost $645. It's a well known fact that wooden replacement knobs only start performing good when you hit the $1000 mark. Anyone who tells you different is probably some loser who has never heard a top quality system or experienced LIVE, UNAMPLIFIED MUSIC like I do, 6 days a week for that matter.

no problemo nathan; name your price and i'll do my best to make you feel like it's worth at least as much. come to think of it, i have have a cryo-lab about fifteen minutes from me

Smeggy · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 May 2004, 11:31 pm »

Woohoo!

I'm gonna get me a new knob

No matter how much I twist the old one it just never seems to sound any better

some young guy · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 May 2004, 11:35 pm »

Quote

Ok, so geek in me has to ask...do you find different woods having different effects to the sound of your system?

when i orginally replaced the aluminum knobs with cherry, i heard a slight difference (a bit quieter background). since i added herbies tube dampers, it's not as aparent to me. maybe i should get some of that c37 laquer

some young guy · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 May 2004, 03:19 pm »

well, who knew? the responce to "Thingamaknobs" has been great! i'd like to thank everyone for your interest and just let you know that my family and i will be on vacation from may 25th-30th. so if i don't respond to your e-mails, that's why.

i'll catch up when we return.

some young guy · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Jun 2004, 11:19 pm »

Here's some pix of the Gabon Ebony Thingamaknobs with bronze inserts.

Smeggy · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 08:16 pm »

Man, those are lurvely. I wish I had more (any) spare cash!

some young guy · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Aug 2004, 01:48 am »

Here's a pic of the latest Thingamaknobs with new "Implants".

Thingamaknobs can make you this happy:

or you might do this:

http://c.myspace.com/00019/56/78/19558765_l.gif">
it's system dependant obviously, but you may also do this:

http://www.regionofdoomforum.com/Images/dancingtard.gif">

some young guy · « **Reply #18 on:** 8 Nov 2004, 09:04 pm »

Wayne does some beautiful work, and I was quite honored to make Thingamaknobs for his new preamp.

http://events.audiogon.com/i/dn2004/f/1098469648.jpg">