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Controls for a '66 Jazz Bass?

D

deBorno

Oct 17, 2007
8
0
norcal
#1
I have a beautiful 1966 Jazz Bass that is in perfect used condition -
with :crying: ONE :crying: big exception. The controls were taken out with the original pickups and replaced by Alembic equipment. I have reinstalled the pickups but the controls were all ruined by excessive rust. I am wondering what to do to maintain the most value in the bass. I would like to find some original pickups for it but I do not know where to look, or if a look would be totally futile? Does anybody have any ideas to pass on?
Thanks, deBorno
 
#3
The pickups are fine but the pots were totally rusted out -beyond WD40 or any other solvent's repair ability. I had new Fender pots installed but I wonder if I can get ones that would retain any of the :hyper: $value of an original.?...
Thanks deBorno
 
#4
deBorno said:
I had new Fender pots installed but I wonder if I can get ones that would retain any of the :hyper: $value of an original.?...
Click to expand...

How much value would this retain? If the rest of the bass is stock '66, then you could look for pots in the usual places. Haven't checked on the price of vintage pots lately, but you may or may not find '66 pots in good working order. You may also need a cap and find the original wire if this is really what you want to do, or how far you want to take it.
 
#5
The only place you're going to find '66 pots is on ebay. Every parts seller knows that's where they're going to get the most money from their hard to find vintage parts.
Luckily though, 1966 was the biggest year for pots because Fender put in a huge order, and they were using '66 dated pots all the way until 1970. So '66 pots are kinda easier to find, but like any vintage part on ebay, they still cost alot of money...expect to find them around 200-250 for the three pots.
 
#6
If the pickups are working fine, I don't see the need to find vintage replacement pots. DIfferent pots won't change the sound or playability of the bass. Get new pots and enjoy the bass. Keep the old pots in your case and the day you want to sell the bass tell the seller the original pots also come with it. You shouldn't lose any value on it like that.
 
#7
Thanks for the info all of you! The original pickups are no longer in my possession. I have had a look at e-bay and they have a store with many original pots for many antique Fenders. Does anyone know where I can find info about which pots would fit a Jazz Bass?
It seems from e-bay that telecaster pickups are the same????????? Anyone Know the facts? or where to find the facts?
Thanks deBorno
 
#8
deBorno said:
The pickups are fine but the pots were totally rusted out -beyond WD40 or any other solvent's repair ability. I had new Fender pots installed but I wonder if I can get ones that would retain any of the :hyper: $value of an original.?...
Thanks deBorno
Click to expand...

I'm confused... do you have the pickups or not? What are you asking about here? You want to know where you can get original pots for your '66 Jazz? Yes ANY pots from a '66 Fender will work and are more or less interchangeable (more or less b/c the values need to be correct).

deBorno said:
Thanks for the info all of you! The original pickups are no longer in my possession. I have had a look at e-bay and they have a store with many original pots for many antique Fenders. Does anyone know where I can find info about which pots would fit a Jazz Bass?
It seems from e-bay that telecaster pickups are the same????????? Anyone Know the facts? or where to find the facts?
Thanks deBorno
Click to expand...

Telecaster PICKUPS are not the same, but the pots ARE. Again, I'm very confused here... you say the pickups that you HAVE are fine, but then you state that you don't have them? I'm not sure....

Lastly, the thought that I've experienced, is that if you've got a '66 Jazz with all original parts except for replacement pots (correct size/value) then you've protected your investment. Replacing pots is a fairly "normal" procedure in the life of a bass that's been played a LOT. Just my thoughts.

:bassist:
 

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