73-74 Fender black bobbin pickups

[Marc61]

It's funny because I got the bass recently and didn't know. Someone on another forum asked me for pics of the pickups. I just knew I loved the tone better than my 75P which has a Lollar

 

[Stackpole]

......another '73 w/black bottoms. #14 written on one and can't make out the other.

 

[Stackpole]

 

[Stackpole]

Not saying my '73's are leftover black bottoms from early 60's as some have suggested but there is evidence that 50's/60's black bottoms did use the dark maroon windings. http://guitarville.ecrater.com/p/1275291

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Interesting topic as I just picked up a 73 P bass.

I did a little googling and found this web page: Link Removed

Here is an excerpt:

•1950 to March 1964: all models had "black bottom" pickups and cast slug alnico magnets with rounded top edges. Pickups not dated. Pickup wire is usually a real rich cooper color. Pickups are dipped in hot wax to eliminate microphonics, and this wax is evident on the entire pickup. Also the pickup screw "springs" are made out of rubber surgical tubing cut into small 3/8" long pieces.
•March 1964 to late 1970's: most models had "gray bottom" pickups and cast slug alnico magnets. Gray bottom pickups would be the rule, but black bottom pickups were used from old stock as late as 1967. Starting in the early 1970's, the top edges of the magnets were no longer rounded. Most gray bottom pickup assemblies have at least one pickup with a hand written date. By the late 1960's this changed to an inked stamped date code, much like the date code used on the butt of the neck. Most gray bottom pickups have a deep burgundy colored pickup wire. Wax treament is no longer used in favor of a lacquer dip treatment, which is much harder to see. Pickup screw springs are now actually real cone-shaped springs instead of rubber surgical tubing. Click here for a picture of gray bottom pickups (1970s) http://guitarhq.com/fenddiff/gray_bottom_pu.jpg.

I'm going to look when I get home and will report back...

Surgical tubing? Truly Leo believed that no expense should be spared, and so spared none.

 

[Stackpole]

On Reverb right now. Another example of early 60's black bottoms w/maroon windings. Damn they look just like my '73's-but I'm still not convinced.

 

[The Bass Clef]

View attachment 1143233 On Reverb right now. Another example of early 60's black bottoms w/maroon windings. Damn they look just like my '73's-but I'm still not convinced.

Fender went back to the dark maroon plain enamel winding (like they used in the early '60s) in 1972 and stayed with that exclusively into the very early '80s. The black bobbin '73 & '74 pickups weren't leftovers from the decade before, they just got a small batch of black fiberboard from their supplier in the '70s and used it. The windings don't actually have anything to do with it because they were already standard for a year on the green bobbins before '73.

 

[Stackpole]

Is the "color" of the wire the only difference in the wire?

 

[The Bass Clef]

Is the "color" of the wire the only difference in the wire?

The dark maroon wire is called plain enamel. The copper colored wire is called heavy Formvar. I don't know the actual differences in the materials themselves, but the color is how you can tell them apart.

 

[dafonky]

Wow, Fender mysteries also here :
I got a natural P bass, pots dated 76 and 77 ( might have been changed already before) body seems to be 76-77-78 ( banana body channel for wiring to pickups ) . Only the last two digits of the Neck stamp are visible (75)…….it also has these black bobbin pickups with dark burgundy wire, soldered to the same style copper plate as seen on @stackpole‘s@ P bass …..
It even has these old rubber surgical tubing screw springs on it, which are typical for 50‘ies and early 60‘ies instruments. The entire pickup seems to be waxed…..the black and white cloth wire on the pickups and copper plate seem to be untouched……does anybody here have infos concerning the stamps and numbers in the pickup cavity and on the neck (4372 and 4474 ) ? Thanks

 

[FenderOli]

does anybody here have infos concerning the stamps and numbers in the pickup cavity and on the neck (4372 and 4474 ) ? Thanks

That just means 43rd week 1977 2nd day and 44th week 1977 4th day.

 

[dafonky]

Well, i see, thanks , so all the parts are 1977…. The neck has also an S7xxxxx number on the headstock
I never saw this kind of numbers on bodies and necks….only on pickups
Strange however that this late 70’ies bass has blackbobbins too …..

 

[The Bass Clef]

Well, i see, thanks , so all the parts are 1977…. The neck has also an S7xxxxx number on the headstock
I never saw this kind of numbers on bodies and necks….only on pickups
Strange however that this late 70’ies bass has blackbobbins too …..

Those are ‘60s style reissue pickups (most likely a Duncan SPB-1). The vintage 1970s Fender black bobbin pickups were lacquer potted (never waxed), they had plastic coated wire (not cloth), and as far as the ‘70s go, black bobbins only appeared in 1973 and ‘74. All 1975-1980 Fender pickups for all models were green/grey bobbins.

 

[Tom Bass]

Hi, I can't find out which kind and by which manufacturer these Jazz Bass Pickups are.
They were installed in my Fender 1978/79 Jazz Bass S7xxxxx, but don't look original to me.

There is no serial number or date written on them.
Both pickups have a Resistance of 6.2 kOhm.
The wiring has a normal copper color, but is covered with black tape.
The pickup shield ground plates are not the same size, only one of them has remnants of some kind of glue on the foam.
The wire shield is made from plastic.

Does anyone have a clue? Thank you for your help!

 

[ThomasTronics]

@The Bass Clef
I just got a 73 jazz and this Pickup was in the bridge position. I was told its original.
It's a black bobbin. One thing i am not sure about is the pickup is extermely hot. 13.5k

 

[The Bass Clef]

@The Bass Clef
I just got a 73 jazz and this Pickup was in the bridge position. I was told its original.
It's a black bobbin. One thing i am not sure about is the pickup is extermely hot. 13.5k
View attachment 5460390 View attachment 5460391

It’s about twice the resistance (ohms) as it should be for a vintage pickup and they never had the windings covered in cloth material like that. It’s a modern pickup.