rosetree Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Hello all ... I am new here. I am the proud new owner of a 60s Epiphone Olympic double. According to an online serial number thingee it was either built in 1965 or 1968 in the good ol US of A. (I am north of the U.S. border by the way.) The bridge is NOT original. Most everything else appears to be. And this where I come to the "knob" question. This snazzy guitar has "witch hat knobs". Just about every picture I have seen of this era Epiphone has a different style knob. Although these ones look old I had assumed they were not original.. but some references to vintage Epiphone guitars in this forum suggests they were original to some guitars. There's a link to a picture of the guitar below. Can anybody help me out here? Thanks. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NzEU-GlUREQ/TDv-p2zCYQI/AAAAAAAAACE/3dCgTHi2Yv8/s1600/front+small1.jpg And here's a close up of the body. http://a.imageshack.us/img713/6258/bodysmall.jpg PS. I also have an Epiphone Dot and I have just ordered an Epi EL-00 and my wife has an Epi Beatle bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philpm Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I'm definitely no expert on this, but they look like they could be original, or a least long ago replacements. The ones on my brother's ET-290 from the early 70's look somewhat similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Hello all ... I am new here. I am the proud new owner of a 60s Epiphone Olympic double. According to an online serial number thingee it was either built in 1965 or 1968 in the good ol US of A. (I am north of the U.S. border by the way.) The bridge is NOT original. Most everything else appears to be. And this where I come to the "knob" question. This snazzy guitar has "witch hat knobs". Just about every picture I have seen of this era Epiphone has a different style knob. Although these ones look old I had assumed they were not original.. but some references to vintage Epiphone guitars in this forum suggests they were original to some guitars. There's a link to a picture of the guitar below. Can anybody help me out here? Thanks... Gibson did use Witch Hats on some models' date=' I had a couple of ES-330s that came with them. The typical knob for the Olympics looked like knobs from a radio: [img']http://www.gruhn.com/photo/EE1785.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosetree Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thanks for your suggestions. I have posted another picture in the original post. A close up of the body if that helps anyone help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Gibson did not start using witch hat knobs until around 1967 so if the Olympic is a '68 it is possible the kobs are original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thanks for your suggestions. I have posted another picture in the original post. A close up of the body if that helps anyone help me. Here's the 1969 ES-330 I owned: Notice that the writing goes across the silver insert' date=' not around the circumference. Since witch hats were not standard for Olympics, and these don't appear to be like the witch hats on my old 330 of the same vintage, I would conclude that your knobs are aftermarket replacements. Cherry became an option for Olympics in 1966, so yours would be a 1968 rather than a '65. BTW, nice guitar. I rebuilt a double Olympic a couple of years ago. It was in really rough shape when I got it, neck had been broken off and poorly reset, I broke it off and reset it again. I didn't have a pickguard, so I made one with cutouts for P-90 pickups since I didn't have the original Melody Maker pickups. [img']http://home.earthlink.net/~jkmcleer/Guitars/Oly_full.jpg[/img] I couldn't find the radio knobs for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosetree Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 Thanks for the info. They must have been changed a long time ago because they really do look old. There is a set of knobs on ebay but the bid is over 50 dollars so forget it. I have bids on a 1967 pickguard with the logo on it. I hope I win it.. but I may not put it on. I am not a builder/techy like you. I plan to take the guitar to someone I know to discuss the bridge and the screw holes filled below it to see if he can make some adjustments and clean things up without screwing around too much with the vibe. OR - I may just leave well enough alone. Guitar plays and feels GREAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosetree Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 And those are some snazzy looking guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Flick Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Thanks for the info. They must have been changed a long time ago because they really do look old. There is a set of knobs on ebay but the bid is over 50 dollars so forget it. I have bids on a 1967 pickguard with the logo on it. I hope I win it.. but I may not put it on. I am not a builder/techy like you. I plan to take the guitar to someone I know to discuss the bridge and the screw holes filled below it to see if he can make some adjustments and clean things up without screwing around too much with the vibe. OR - I may just leave well enough alone. Guitar plays and feels GREAT. I looked through some picture of my old guitars' date=' Here's a closeup of the knobs from a '68 Epiphone: [img']http://home.earthlink.net/~jkmcleer/Guitars/caiola%20knobs.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosetree Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 Yup... mine are different. Volume and tone written out.. and the writing hugs the outside of the circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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