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Post subject: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 6:55 am
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I know this has been beat to death, dating an insrtument, Im asking here due to the wealth of knowledge, My neck reads, the best as i can see, is 01034233, and the pots are 137729, due these #'s look good? Thanks for your help


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 9:09 am
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Numbers can tell a lot. For instance the number from the neck identifies it as a Precision bass neck with a "skunk stripe" maple neck (either one piece maple or with a rosewood fret board) that was made on Wednesday, October 25th, 1973.

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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 9:31 am
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Thanks affprod, I did find the pot codes per Dave and its all good, just a ?....whats makes the 73 & 74 so unique


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 9:51 am
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I really cannot think of anything that would make a 73-74 unique. There were no major design changes at that time, that I know of. They are solid instruments. Fretless Pbasses were available with unlined fingerboards in the 70s, that was kind of unique, not to mention beautiful.

I have attached a pic of my 74, which is one of only handful of instruments in my collection that I would not sell for anything other than a stupid number.

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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:54 am
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WOW, that looks just like mine, white guard and with the thumb rest on the top


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:46 am
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Email your serial number to Fender Consumer Relations and ask for all info. That way you'll have official documentation on your bass. A photo appraisal from Gruhn is also well advised.

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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:41 pm
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hogrydr wrote:
WOW, that looks just like mine, white guard and with the thumb rest on the top




My 74 has the thumbrest on top- I have always been under the impression that 73's had the t rest on the bottom.


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:24 am
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The "137729" pot codes indicate these components were made by CTS in the 29th week of 1967 or 1977. Possible replacements, assuming the neck codes translate correctly to 1973......?

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:16 am
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Sharp eye you have Arjay, I miss typed thatpot ss#, its 1377329
The neck shows 01034233


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:19 pm
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hogrydr wrote:
Sharp eye you have Arjay, I miss typed thatpot ss#, its 1377329
The neck shows 01034233


In that case, I'd opine they're original to the instrument and consistent with an apparent build date of '73.

Thanks for the clarification.

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:03 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
hogrydr wrote:
WOW, that looks just like mine, white guard and with the thumb rest on the top




My 74 has the thumbrest on top- I have always been under the impression that 73's had the t rest on the bottom.


I was wondering about that myself, Ive googled to compare and Ive found 73's with either or, my plate ss# starts with a 501, so mine could be a late 73, Looking at the serial #'s from 70 to 75, there is a lot of overlaping


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:22 pm
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I'm guessing the pots here are 1967 pots. Here's why. In 1967 Fender apparently got a deal if they bought an uncharacteristically massive quantity of pots from CTS. Fender never before nor never again ordered such a huge quantity of pots. This order was so large that it lasted for over 5 years! So guitars and amps made as late as the 1973 model year (which ran through June 30, 1974) can legitimately have 1967 pot date codes from the gigantic 1967 order. So from 1967 until 1973 you should see 1967 pots in a stock Fender instrument. There is nothing incongruous about the 67 pots in a 73 Fender instrument, I'd be suspicious if it were otherwise! More than likely they are original.


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:57 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
I'm guessing the pots here are 1967 pots. Here's why. In 1967 Fender apparently got a deal if they bought an uncharacteristically massive quantity of pots from CTS. Fender never before nor never again ordered such a huge quantity of pots. This order was so large that it lasted for over 5 years! So guitars and amps made as late as the 1973 model year (which ran through June 30, 1974) can legitimately have 1967 pot date codes from the gigantic 1967 order. So from 1967 until 1973 you should see 1967 pots in a stock Fender instrument. There is nothing incongruous about the 67 pots in a 73 Fender instrument, I'd be suspicious if it were otherwise! More than likely they are original.


:roll:

The pots are coded "1377329".

In 1971, CTS added a fourth digit to its EIA date-coding protocol to distinguish its then-contemporary components from those made in the previous decade, to include both speakers and potentiometers. The "73" represents the year in which the pot was manufactured and "29" indicates the week.

Please cite your source for Fender's purchase of an "uncharacteristically massive quantity of pots".

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 8:35 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:

....Please cite your source for Fender's purchase of an "uncharacteristically massive quantity of pots".

Arjay


Retroverbial Arjay, It is a commonly known fact by most collectors, vintage dealers and appraisers. I'm never surprised to find these 66 or 67 pots show up in early 70's Fender basses. After CBS took over they began ordering larger quantities of everything. In 1966 they placed a big pot order that lasted into the 1967 model year. Then Fender bought an even larger supply of pots in 1967 and it was rumored someone got in trouble for it. At one time I knew their name, but can not remember it now, but maybe someone else does. That was almost 50 years ago for Pete's sake and it wasn't a well known name.

I ordered a brand new Candy Apple Red 71 Jazz and it had them. I've seen more of them since then in a 72 P-Bass. It is a real thing that actually happened. I'm really surprised someone as knowledgeable as you obviously are would not already know about this. Maybe you did know at one time and you just forgot it, like I forgot the name of who they blamed at Fender for it. I've heard they were fired shortly afterward.

I figured you wouldn't believe me, knowing what a stickler you are for facts. So, I did an Internet search for you and came up with this link which also details it about one third of the way down the page in the section titled "FENDER PRODUCTS."
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/pots.html

Oh here's another which says pretty much the same thing in a section titled "VINTAGE FENDER PRODUCTS."
http://www.gregsguitars.net/Vintage_Guitar_Codes.html

Well here is yet another, but this source says they ran out in 1969, which I know firsthand for a fact is not entirely accurate. They had used up all the 66 ones by then for sure though.
http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/tech-talk/11296-pot-coding-dating.html


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Post subject: Re: Dating a 73 P Bass
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 10:32 pm
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I was out of the country during the period of these corporate machinations (keeping the nation safe for draft-dodgers and peaceniks) so I appreciate the clarification and the insight. Apparently I missed a lot.

However, none of that is applicable in this case because the "1377329" EIA codes on the OP's pots unambiguously date them to 1973 which are entirely consistent with the assumed "birthday" of the instrument.

Arjay

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