Each guitar player will utilise the control knobs on their guitar differently; some will be use them to add extra dynamics and feel to their music while others will turn everything up to 10 and forget about them and only adjust the pedals (or not)! Let's talk about what those knobs are for.
Telecaster Control Knobs
Unless stated otherwise, you'll have a volume control knob and a tone control knob on a Telecaster style guitar that control the overall volume and tone of the guitar. You will also have a pickup selector switch that will determine what pickup is in use. In the bridge position, you've got the bridge pickup, while in the middle activates both pickups simultaneously. Switch towards the neck, you're using solely the neck pickup.
Stratocaster Control Knobs
If you have a Stratocaster style guitar, then you'll have 3 different control knobs. The control knob closest to the guitar strings is the master volume. Moving towards the bottom of the guitar you'll encounter 2 tone control knobs. The upper controls the tone on the neck and middle pickups. The lower one controls the tone coming from the bridge pickup. The 5-way selector switch on a Stratocaster style guitar function as follows starting from bottom: position 1 – bridge pickup only, position 2 – bridge pickup and middle pickup together, position 3 – middle pickup only, position 4 – middle pickup and neck pickup together, position 5 – neck pickup only.
Les Paul/SG Control Knobs
If you have a Les Paul or SG style guitar you're going to find two volume control knobs and two tone control knobs. Each of the two humbuckers on the guitar has its own volume and tone control knobs. The pickup selector switch on a Les Paul or SG-style guitar usually has 3 positions; rhythm position, which is your neck pickup, the middle position, which is both pickups together, and the treble position, which is the bridge pickup.
Offset Guitar Control Knobs
Offset guitar is something like Jazzmaster or Jagur guitars. The neck pickup is rhythm pickup and bridge pickup is lead pickup. The volume and tone knobs control the volume and tone of both pickups when the rhythm circuit is off the 3 position toggle switch allows the selection of the pickups (neck, both, and bridge). When the rhythm circuit is engaged, the lower onte and volume knobs are inactive, and the rhythem/neck pickup is controlled only through the upper rhythm volume and tonecontrols.