How to see knob position???

I use the set screws. I like to know the volume before I play the first note of a song. This doesn't mean I don't fiddle around with it during the song.

 

I soOOoo want to steal the knobs off a Les Paul Peace



I know, man, not cool, not cool.

 

To the OP, I put a line on a set of mine with a sharpie to use for reference.
On knobs with set screws, I orient the screw so that 10 is lined up with the pickup switch, that way the range I usually use is in easy view.

 

+1

Normally the adjustments needed have to happen quickly, so no time to look down.
More often than not I will be knocking the tone back when using the bridge pickup and volume back when playing chord parts

 

That's the way I set mine, too. Nice to have a reference. I set my amp set so I'm usually playing with the volume knob screw pointing somewhere around straight up, so it's easy to see where I'm at before the song starts, then adjust from there as needed.

 

As much as I love the look of beefy, heavily knurled knobs, they aren't practical for me. I use volume and tone a lot and with chicken heads I can quickly see and feel the positions. Not the prettiest and probably no good for swells, but otherwise more useful.

 

Maybe you need a Muddy Water's signature tele

 

I never look at 'em on my Teles but I'm glad I read this thread. I got my Strat out today and happened to look at the knobs and noticed I had the volume knob where the neck tone knob should be. Switched them around way better tone now out of the neck pickup!

 

This.

 

I have set screws and use 'em. The Sharpie trick sounds like a winner - better than buying a new set.

Good to know about the Calahams though - thanks.

 

If yours do not have set screws, you could drill and tap through the side of each knob and put in a faux set screw.

Hey, set screws at ACE are cheap.

 

I love set screws because I can feel 'em, don't really look much. Mine are set up = full on but I use the tone rolled all over the place just by feel (and ear). That's on my AV62.

My CVC has a painted stripe my wife put on the knobs & my Strat has the regular Strat knobs but I really prefer feel of the AV set screws.

 

I use the set screws as well.

On the point of using ears and feel, using a visual benchmarker is not a weakness. It is a matter of practicality. Sometimes you do what you can because other factors prevent you from relying on the other options. If you put all of your eggs in the subjective basket you will be floating in a vacuum without a means to navigate north-south-east-west. That is why amps and pedals have benchmarkers.

 

+1. Use your ears for tone adjustments, not your eyes. This is the point of unnumbered knobs. One of the best features of the Tele.

 

+1

 

Been playing reels for thirty yrs. Never worried about knob placement.it's all about feel!

 

+1, except that I have the set screws facing the floor (with the Tele in playing position) at the zero position. That way, I have a better feel for where I am on both the Volume and the Tone settings.

 

I set mine with volume set screw pointing up towards headstock on full, so when at 3/4 where I usually play, leaving the other 1/4 for a lead boost, it points up at me. For tone knob, the set screw points at floor when on full, so that when I back off the usual 1/4 on tone, it also points up towards headstock. everyone does it different, but that works well for me.

 

Yup, me too but didnt the OP say his didnt have set screws ?