I’m a big fan of all synth related nonsense. Coffee mugs, belt buckles [who, me?], beer koozies...Remember that store window display that went viral last year because it had a cardboard modular synth covered in aluminum foil? I loved that, too. But none of these aforementioned things are nearly as nonsensical as Real Fake Knobs. Wait. What did you say? Was that a double negative? Real Fake Knobs? What is that? Are they real? Are they fake? Whaaaat?

Real Fake Knobs are real knobs, but but but WAIT...they’re also fake, in that they are unusable as knobs in functions that would typically be thought of normal for knobs. You can’t do any “knobbing” or knob related functions like controlling anything with them because they have little magnets inserted into their shaft hole [Hey! That’s a real term, an industry term!] and therefore cannot be attached to a potentiometer for controlling stuff. Real Fake Knobs are magnets. REAL magnets. They have a magnetic charge [real], adhere to most metals [again, REAL], and they’re knobs. Real Fake Knobs. In short, Real Fake Knobs are magnet knobs. Or knob magnets. Or whatever. Real Fake Knobs are both real and fake. At the SAME time. It’s because of this existential duality that Real Fake Knobs have a real fake place in my heart. And on my fridge where they look great holding my past due bills and expired dog food coupons.

Price: $12 for a set of three

etsy.com/shop/realfakeknobs

P.S. They come in a cool, handy tin. A REAL tin. No fakery involved.