midiman56 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Ever since I got my Nighthawk, I'd been going back and forth regarding the volume and tone knobs on the thing. I have nothing against speed knobs, but I also like the classic reflectors and though they would look good too. Problem was, on a flat top like the Nighthawk, neither style did a good job of allowing you to pull up on the tone knob to access the coil split. I found myself trying to get a fingetnail under the knob to pull it up. So ... I went with the old, reliable tele-style knurled knobs. I think they go well with the rest of the hardware on the guitar and coil-splitting is now a breeze. Now I'm going to be on the hunt for a chrome switch tip to complete the "look"! Here's how it looks: Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 The knobs are from ???? I like the "stripes" on 'em......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 The knobs are from ???? I like the "stripes" on 'em......... Just "ProLine" knobs that we sell at GC. Simple push-ons that don't even require the tiny allen wrench. There the same knobs I put on my trans-blue Les Paul Plus-Top ... under $10 for a pack of two. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T17 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Jim, I really dig it. I tried amber bells early on and initially had no problems with the push-pull (and loved the look rather than the stock gold speeds). I found with time that it was hit and miss with gripping the bell to pull it out, and have been looking for something knurled. Epi was right to leave off the amber bells, but the gold speeds just looked out of place. I also like the grooves on these chromies, and intend to pick some up when I go down to GC to try out the new 61 SGs with P90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twanged Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Yup I kind of did the same thing but I replaced my PuPs and all controls and including the jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trelf Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Ever since I got my Nighthawk, I'd been going back and forth regarding the volume and tone knobs on the thing. I have nothing against speed knobs, but I also like the classic reflectors and though they would look good too. Problem was, on a flat top like the Nighthawk, neither style did a good job of allowing you to pull up on the tone knob to access the coil split. I found myself trying to get a fingetnail under the knob to pull it up. So ... I went with the old, reliable tele-style knurled knobs. I think they go well with the rest of the hardware on the guitar and coil-splitting is now a breeze. Now I'm going to be on the hunt for a chrome switch tip to complete the "look"! Here's how it looks: Jim Very nice - are the nighthawk's as good as the reviews say?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanatic Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Very nice - are the nighthawk's as good as the reviews say?? I have one like that pic, the tri color burst. And yes, IMO, it is. I DO have an issue with it in that i'm very much a player who relies heavily on using my volume knob with a overdriven amp to clean up. And i find thats it's only weakness. It's not great at that, and i have upgraded all electronics and added various versions of a treble bleed, different pickups etc etc. It just doesnt do that as well as i'd like. However, in every other respect it is IMO about as good a guitar as i've ever had. Build quality is flawless, tone is full and solid and resonant, light, neck profile like one of the most sought after gibson profiles ever, lots of tonal variety. Plays itself. Just a ridiculous value. And by the way, if you are good at modding and such, you can try most any pickup in the bridge. Most can be removed from thier plate and the coils screwed right to the stock pickup's plate. I've tried several and ended up with my fav hi output HB, the dimarzio super distortion. Oh, there IS one flaw many people talk about....it's neck heavy. So it's good to use a leather strap. they generally have suede backing so it sticks to your shoulder. I've done something to mine that made it about 50% better as that goes.....removed the metal tuner buttons which are very heavy and put white abalone style plastic ones on it. Makes the neck heaviness much less noticeable and also looks great and slightly changes the tone in a good way. Lastly, i feel the neck pickup is great for hi gain soloing, but for rhythm it is just much too hi output IMO. Doesn't get clean at all unless the amp is set very clean. Even when split it doesn't clen up much. So i put a dimarzio mini in it which is much better. All that said, note that i am VERY nit picky about any guitar, and ever one i have had gets a lot of changes usually. So don't take this the wrong way. the guitar is one of the most amazing i have owned. But being a dyed in the wool fender man and have been for at least 30 years, anything thats this far from fender land is almost impossible for me to bond with. The fact i can't see ever letting this one go therefore says a lot. And a lot of what bothers me may seem like nothing for anyone who is more of a gibson man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonesomeblues Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Just gotta say, I pulled my Nighthawk honeyburst out of the case, first time in six weeks! I've been playing my tele. It sounds amzing! Still in tune! I love that guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanatic Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Just gotta say, I pulled my Nighthawk honeyburst out of the case, first time in six weeks! I've been playing my tele. It sounds amzing! Still in tune! I love that guitar! I do that too. I have a tele i love, and i'll play it for weeks then pick up the hawk and think wow, what a guitar. Then play that for weeks then back to the tele. They're so different that when you get tired of one the other is waiting there for you to "freshen up" your motivation. They compliment each other perfectly. I think the NH however has got to be the best bang for the buck i've ever seen in a electric. I paid $350 out the door for what i feel is a better guitar than anything gibson offers up to a much higher price range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twanged Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I agree with you guy's on the playability of these Nighthawks. I purchased mine awhile back and as you can see in the post above that I posted with a picture of mine I gutted it and installed the seymour&duncan mini humbucker in the neck and the bridge with a 59 seymour&duncan. I installed all new pots with US made and installed a Switchcraft 5 position blade switch and a Switchcraft jack, removed all the wiring and installed new, and it did make the guitar sound alot better than it did believe me. I did a good setup and found several frets that needed some filing and smoothing up. Put new strings on her and WoW fantastic. If people are reading this grab one of these guitars and give it a go. To me they need some tinder loving care but they play and sound good if you tweek them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twanged Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Hawkfanatic: I am going to install some Callaham Vintage Styled Strat "CG" Saddles for 2 1/16 Spaced Bridge on my Nighthawk and see if the tone is different. I will tell you if it makes a difference, but I am sure it will because everything that I have done so far has. The saddles look like pot metal to me so changing them out should help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanatic Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Hawkfanatic: I am going to install some Callaham Vintage Styled Strat "CG" Saddles for 2 1/16 Spaced Bridge on my Nighthawk and see if the tone is different. I will tell you if it makes a difference, but I am sure it will because everything that I have done so far has. The saddles look like pot metal to me so changing them out should help. Before you do that, let me give you my thoughts on saddles. I have now tried the callahams and fender import saddles. I stuck with the imports. IMO the callahams were just mush too bright and the tone got very thin. I thought they sounded good at first, but after installing the fenders back i quickly realized how thin it sounded with the callahams. I then thought well if thats the case i better be sure the stock saddles aren't after all the better saddles. But upon reinstalling those i felt the fenders were the winners and thats what i'm using now. You may feel different, but i thought i should mention this in any case. By the way, my CTS volume pot is broken and do you want to know why i'm HAPPY it is? Today my piece of junk guitar center stand allowed my hawk to fall face first onto the TILE floor !!! I screamed like a baby, but upon inspection it appears the volume knob and 5 way switch took the force of the fall ! The pot is ruined but even the knob is ok. The 5 way's knob split but who cares. I lost 7 bucks worth of parts but my hawk was spared ! I can't find even a slight scratch. Whatever you do, don't buy those house brand stands from GC. The back leg on some of them is angled too much and the stand and guitar sits almost straight up with hardly any back lean to keep the weight towards the back. I even had a rubber band across it so the guitar wouldn't come out of the neck rest, but the whole stand and guitar went over. Thanks guitar center for the garbage you sold me that almost destroyed my NH. Why i even go to that cr@ppy place at all i dunno. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twanged Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 So should I stick with the pot metal saddles on the nighthawk? Go with the Fender saddles? I would replace the 5way blade switch with a switchcraft it will be a lot better and for the pot if you change them out know that the knobs will not fit due to the USA made vs import. Sorry about your axe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanatic Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Well, like i said i kept the fenders and feel they are a improvement over the stock saddles. But it's hard to say what you or others will prefer. Some may even prefer the callahams. As to the 5 way, i already replaced that, and i replaced the volume pot with CTS. Not sure why yours won't fit unless yours may be the older koren made NH? But my knob fits fine on the quality CTS pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twanged Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 No I replaced all my controls with USA made CTS 500k pots that is why I had to change out my knobs the ones that were on it were imports and would not fit the CTS pots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanatic Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Well, I HAVE seen different versions of CTS pots, some sold by various guitar parts vendors under thier name and spec'ed to thier desires. I do recall several different shafts on them but i don't recall whether there were any differences in thier sizes. All i know is i have tried a couple pots in mine while deciding whether to use 500 or 250k, and they both fit the knobs. Could also be they changed the pots in the hawk and went to or from import pots with smaller shafts at some point. Thats not uncommon with cheaper guitars, as they often use whatever is available at the cheapest price point at any given time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigneil Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 That's a great looking mod Jim. Thumbs up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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