[tomb]

The fact that there's a slot there implies a press-fit knob.  However, none of those type of knobs seem to fit the "quality" of the pot.  Further, unless the knob hole is perfectly matched to the shaft diameter, a slotted shaft causes even more wobble when the set-screw is tightened.  With the length of shaft that several of us have established as the Head-Fi DIY standard (RK27, 50K, 25mm shaft), most of the time the slotted portion is cut off, anyway.

 
Just an FYI, but AFAIK - all the 50K ALPS RK27's are a special manufacturing order (iow, high volume).  This is further complicated by the Japanese tsunami.  The ALPS factory was hit.

 

 

[ModMax]

Here is the shaft on my 50K ALPS RK27 pot.  25mm long shaft with a 14mm long slot.  After trimming, I still anticipate some of the slot will remain.
 
 

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Here is the shaft on my 50K ALPS RK27 pot.  25mm long shaft with a 14mm long slot.  After trimming, I still anticipate some of the slot will remain.
 
 

I'm sorry.  You may think you have an ALPS RK27, but you don't.  There isn't a shaft like that anywhere in the data sheet for an RK27:
http://www.diyforums.org/Torpedo/template/RK271.pdf

 

[ModMax]

I'm sorry.  You may think you have an ALPS RK27, but you don't.  There isn't a shaft like that anywhere in the data sheet for an RK27:
http://www.diyforums.org/Torpedo/template/RK271.pdf

I'm pretty sure it's an ALPS RK27. Maybe because its old? Got it from a Millett kit from Glass Jar Audio back in 2008 or 2009.

 

[KimLaroux]

The RK27 in my Audio-gd NFB-12 also has a similar shaft. I doubt Audio-gd would be using knockoffs in their amplifiers...
 
Maybe these were special bulk orders at Alps.

 

[tomb]

OK - here's the ALPS factory site itself - every RK27 they produce.  None have shafts like that:
http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/HTML/Potentiometer/RotaryPotentiometers/RK271/RK271_list.html
Even their "other varieties" pages doesn't show a knurled shaft option:
http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/PDF/Potentiometer/MetalShaft/RK271/RK271_VARIETYOTHER.PDF
 
There are a lot of knock-offs out there for ALPS RK27's - always have been.  Here are what I would suspect are fakes on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-ALPS-RK27-VOLUME-Potentiometer-Dual-20K-Knurled-/220918121214?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item336fbf02fe
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-ALPS-RK27-VOLUME-potentiometer-Dual-100K-knurled-/320746881260?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item4aae0100ec
 
I think the stepped type have been known to be fakes for years:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALPS-100K-AX2-Stereo-Audio-Potentiometer-Step-type-/320965528399?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item4abb094b4f
 
This subject has come up before, too:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/512581/alps-rk27-ebay
http://www.head-fi.org/t/218942/alps-stepped-attenuators-pin-order
This one goes back to 2002:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/11313/alps-potentiometers-for-a-good-price
 
Just sayin ...

 

[Lil' Knight]

Pretty sure those RK27s with knurled shaft are fakes. I have a friend who runs an audio store and stocks those, admits he imported them from China and they are not the genuine ones.

The fact that Audio-Gd uses them doesn't say anything... the company itself locates in China.

 

[scootsit]

I've actually heard rumblings that some of the fakes are as good or better than the real ones. I mean, it makes sense that if you're going to make a pot, you make it resemble the top seller. I bought my Millett kit from glass jar and then modified it after. I have a smooth shaft, but it could well be a fake. I notice no channel imbalance, and there is the tiniest bit of scratchiness in one channel at very, very high volumes. I guess what I'm saying is, if it ain't broke don't fix it...

 

[ModMax]

Quote:

OK - here's the ALPS factory site itself - every RK27 they produce.  None have shafts like that:
http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/HTML/Potentiometer/RotaryPotentiometers/RK271/RK271_list.html
Even their "other varieties" pages doesn't show a knurled shaft option:
http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/PDF/Potentiometer/MetalShaft/RK271/RK271_VARIETYOTHER.PDF
 
There are a lot of knock-offs out there for ALPS RK27's - always have been.  Here are what I would suspect are fakes on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-ALPS-RK27-VOLUME-Potentiometer-Dual-20K-Knurled-/220918121214?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item336fbf02fe
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-ALPS-RK27-VOLUME-potentiometer-Dual-100K-knurled-/320746881260?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item4aae0100ec
 
I think the stepped type have been known to be fakes for years:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALPS-100K-AX2-Stereo-Audio-Potentiometer-Step-type-/320965528399?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item4abb094b4f
 
This subject has come up before, too:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/512581/alps-rk27-ebay
http://www.head-fi.org/t/218942/alps-stepped-attenuators-pin-order
This one goes back to 2002:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/11313/alps-potentiometers-for-a-good-price
 
Just sayin ...

 
Quote:

Pretty sure those RK27s with knurled shaft are fakes. I have a friend who runs an audio store and stocks those, admits he imported them from China and they are not the genuine ones.
The fact that Audio-Gd uses them doesn't say anything... the company itself locates in China.

 
Bummer.  Tom, do you have any RK27's in stock at Beezar?  I'll order if you do.  Shouldn't be too difficult to replace in my Millett.  Though it's not broke, I still would like to fix with a genuine part since I have already put so much into the kit to date.  Plus, cutting and fitting a knob to the solid, single-diameter shaft should be a bit easier than the knurled shaft.
 
Wonder if Glass Jar Audio knows that the ALPS he was shipping were possible fakes?  I'll send Jeff a message to ask about this...

 

[tomb]

Quote:

 
 
Bummer.  Tom, do you have any RK27's in stock at Beezar?  I'll order if you do.  Shouldn't be too difficult to replace in my Millett.  Though it's not broke, I still would like to fix with a genuine part since I have already put so much into the kit to date.  Plus, cutting and fitting a knob to the solid, single-diameter shaft should be a bit easier than the knurled shaft.
 
Wonder if Glass Jar Audio knows that the ALPS he was shipping were possible fakes?  I'll send Jeff a message to ask about this...

Yes, of course - I have plenty of the genuine article.
 
I agree that you should send a note to Jeff.  I've even ordered from AMB and Tangent before when I've run out of stock.  You see, you have to order several hundred from ALPS to have the 50K ones manufactured - and it takes a couple of months, at least.  Last time they made me order twice as much as normal because their factory was hit by the tsunami.  Beezar's cash flow still hasn't recovered.

 
So far as I know - only AMB, Tangent, Beezar, and Justin at Headamp sell the real thing at 50K.  (I think Justin's was a temporary over-stock situation for awhile, don't know if he's still selling them or not.)

 

[KimLaroux]

Wow that's scary... to think that Audio-gd would be using fakes in their products. At least their topology does not make the audio signal go trough the pot.
 
The 50K I bought from parts connexion seems to be genuine. But these guys have been selling fake Hakko stations without knowing they were fake, so who knows...

 

[ModMax]

Quote:

OK - here's the ALPS factory site itself - every RK27 they produce.  None have shafts like that:
http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/HTML/Potentiometer/RotaryPotentiometers/RK271/RK271_list.html
Even their "other varieties" pages doesn't show a knurled shaft option:
http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/PDF/Potentiometer/MetalShaft/RK271/RK271_VARIETYOTHER.PDF
 
There are a lot of knock-offs out there for ALPS RK27's - always have been.  Here are what I would suspect are fakes on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-ALPS-RK27-VOLUME-Potentiometer-Dual-20K-Knurled-/220918121214?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item336fbf02fe
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-ALPS-RK27-VOLUME-potentiometer-Dual-100K-knurled-/320746881260?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item4aae0100ec
 
I think the stepped type have been known to be fakes for years:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALPS-100K-AX2-Stereo-Audio-Potentiometer-Step-type-/320965528399?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item4abb094b4f
 
This subject has come up before, too:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/512581/alps-rk27-ebay
http://www.head-fi.org/t/218942/alps-stepped-attenuators-pin-order
This one goes back to 2002:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/11313/alps-potentiometers-for-a-good-price
 
Just sayin ...

 
 
Here is another discussion online stating that ALPS says they've never made an RK27 pot with a knurled shaft.  
 
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=4374867&postcount=3
 
 
I just assumed since it came as a kit from a reputable online vendor, it must be genuine.  In any case, I have submitted an inquiry to ALPS to ask if my pot is genuine.  I have a feeling they will say it is not.

 

[ModMax]

Quote:

Yes, of course - I have plenty of the genuine article.
 
I agree that you should send a note to Jeff.  I've even ordered from AMB and Tangent before when I've run out of stock.  You see, you have to order several hundred from ALPS to have the 50K ones manufactured - and it takes a couple of months, at least.  Last time they made me order twice as much as normal because their factory was hit by the tsunami.  Beezar's cash flow still hasn't recovered.

 
So far as I know - only AMB, Tangent, Beezar, and Justin at Headamp sell the real thing at 50K.  (I think Justin's was a temporary over-stock situation for awhile, don't know if he's still selling them or not.)

 
 
Okay, I just submitted my Beezar order for a genuine ALPS RK27 pot and other goodies...  Thanks for pointing out my pot was not the genuine article before I went through the trouble of cutting the shaft and fitting the knob.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

 
 
Okay, I just submitted my Beezar order for a genuine ALPS RK27 pot and other goodies...  Thanks for pointing out my pot was not the genuine article before I went through the trouble of cutting the shaft and fitting the knob.

No problem - I think we all were advising you on how to cut the pot shaft with the best intentions.  However, when you posted the pic of that shaft, it kind of negated all the conversation up to that point.

 
Thanks for the order!

 

[scootsit]

Quote:

Quote:

 
 
Okay, I just submitted my Beezar order for a genuine ALPS RK27 pot and other goodies...  Thanks for pointing out my pot was not the genuine article before I went through the trouble of cutting the shaft and fitting the knob.

No problem - I think we all were advising you on how to cut the pot shaft with the best intentions.  However, when you posted the pic of that shaft, it kind of negated all the conversation up to that point.

 
Thanks for the order!

I wish they made a pot with that shaft. I have a gazillion of those knobs from old stereos I've junked for parts for other old stereos.