Which has the greatest effect on tone -- knob knurl or pickguard color?

[Chris S.]

I go back and forth. The knurl on the knobs obviously has mass and affects the tone to some degree. But the pickguard covers such a large surface area on the face of the guitar that the varying reflectivity or absorption of different colors must be (pardon the pun) coloring the tone as well.

I'm stumped. What do YOU think? CS

[getbent]

I'll go knurl... if you can easily grab and use the knob with 'the instep' of your pinkie... it makes doing swells and small variations in tone control adjustments easy.. therefore, the knurl makes the difference....

[P Thought]

Not if the glare from an ill-chosen pickguard prevents you from finding the knob. I got to go with the pickguard.

[w3stie]

You guys crack me up.

Seriously, we all know it's the capacitor that makes all the difference.

[Cymro14]

It's the colour of the strap that affects tone. Everyone knows that!!!

Don't let Ron Kirn see this thread!!

[Flakey]

Well I think we need to take into account the set screw for the knob as much as the slots and composition of the pickguard screws. Not to mention what direction of the slots of said screws are positioned in.

[boneyguy]

The type of knurl on a knob can make the difference between a high pitched squeal or a primal gutteral growl. Both results, although quite different, are equally desireable.

[DrBanana]

Well, I put some amp knobs on my tele and now I sound exactly like Muddy Waters!

[elelpe]

Will my tele sounds like les paul if I use Gibson knobs?

[Chet Johnson]

Clearly the holy grail is a one ply white guard with heavy knurl knobs. Tone monster.

[nickd]

don't do it! detrimental effect on the tone

[Donelson]

I played my tele once with the pickguard & knobs removed, when I was working on something, and it sounded so strange & different I put it all back together again, quick.

[Boblets]

As a hip postmodernist I have of course moved on from tone, to atone - like wow!!

[Telemarkman]

I'm deeply shocked!

I didn't know you were a troll, Chris ... ?

[dan79]

Originally Posted by Telemarkman

I'm deeply shocked!

I didn't know you were a troll, Chris ... ?

Yeah - he should ban himself immediately!

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by Cymro14

It's the colour of the strap that affects tone.

Don't be daft! It's the strap button that makes the difference.

[chezdeluxe]

I find that a beveled edge on the pickguard can offset the effect of the knurl on the knobs but YMMV.

[Ronkirn]

You guys, you guys, You guys....

Can’t you see it was a trick question…. No where is it specified the relative position of the planets… You gotta know the gravitational effect has to be factored in…..AND, further convoluting the situation… where on the Planet will the guitar be played…

At higher elevations, the gravity’s pull is diminished, simply due to the distance to the center of Earth, so gravity would pull harder in, say New Orleans, than in, Colorado…

It is this effect that is responsible for the heavy penetrating tone of New Orleans’s Dixieland or Zydeco sounds, as compared to the open airy tones of someone like, John Denver.

I hope y’all are taking notes so ya don’t get “caught” next time.

Ron Kirn

[Abu Twangy]

Gotta be the pickguard color.
Tortoiseshell is best followed by black followed by white.

I think that the white guard was the reason I never bonded with my first Strat. Teles seem to be less affected by pickguard color.

[GuitarJonz]

Actually, the type of strap pegs used have WAY more effect on tone than knurl or pickguard. The larger mass Dunlop strap pegs, while being superior to all other locking systems to begin with, add depth and general gravitas to any tele's tone. The little washers/connectors that get permanently installed on your guitar strap only accentuate this effect, I just don't know why Fender doesn't include this as stock equipment on every new tele?