Dating old P Bass pickups

[surfguy13]

Hi Guys

I wonder if anyone can help.....I have a pair of old P Bass pickups and I'm a little confused as to their age. Both pickups are stamped 6466 on the base and although the last two digits are a little smudged it's fairly clear that they are 66.

I was told that the early P Bass pickups in the 70s had a 4 digit code but this stopped in '73/'74. I have no idea if this is correct. All the later 70s P Bass pickups I've seen with a stamped code have 6 digits and that inlcudes my own '76 and '78 P basses.

Not sure if it helps but they are 10.3 ohms.

The wires have been replaced as can be seen in the photos. Anyway, here's some images and thanks in advance for any advice!

[url="http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/P%20Bass%20pickups/P%20bass%20pickups%20and%20boost%20008_zpsmldrvxpo.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/P%20Bass%20pickups/P%20bass%20pickups%20and%20boost%20010_zpsxvljllvu.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s956.photobucket.com/user/guymerchant/media/P%20Bass%20pickups/P%20bass%20pickups%20and%20boost%20011_zpsrnaeqzon.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited June 4, 2016 by surfguy13

[Highfox]

Here's the pickup from my 69-70 Precision, that I believe to be origional, if it helps.
[url="https://flic.kr/p/HHX396"][/url]

[surfguy13]

Thanks Highfox, really appreciate that. So it seems that the last 2 number refer to the year? Does that mean the pickups I have are '66? I wonder if there any other way of working out the year other than the stamp?

Cheers

Guy

[ikay]

Chiliwailer, who replied to your post in 'bass guitars', is very knowledgeable about vintage Fender. As he says, it's unlikely to be 1966 as the four digit code came later and was used in the early 70s. This was replaced by a 6 digit code from around 1974 so the last digit (which usually indicated the year) being a 6 is a bit of an oddity. Which I guess is why you're asking! Pics showing examples of 1966, 1974 and 1976 pickups attached for ref.

Edited June 5, 2016 by ikay

[surfguy13]

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1465129727' post='3065463']
Chiliwailer, who replied to your post in 'bass guitars', is very knowledgeable about vintage Fender. As he says, it's unlikely to be 1966 as the four digit code came later and was used in the early 70s. This was replaced by a 6 digit code from around 1974 so the last digit (which usually indicated the year) being a 6 is a bit of an oddity. Which I guess is why you're asking! Pics showing examples of 1966, 1974 and 1976 pickups attached for ref.
[/quote]

Aha, thanks for pointing me in the direction of the post in 'Basses'. I thought a mod had deleted it to be honest as I couldn't find it......I'd originally posted in Repairs and technical' and then when I went into that topic to make sure the post was there......it wasn't! So I thought I'd post under 'basses' and then found it wasn't there either!! However, what I didn't realise was that I needed to log out and then back in to see the posts. hence a post under both headings.

The photos are REALLY helpful as they show all the pickups from '66 to '76 and they all look pretty similar. However, I agree, I'm 99% sure they are not '66 pickups.

Yeah, it was the 4 digit code that seemed somehow wrong for a '76 pickup and that's what I couldn't work out. However, having now read Chilliwailers comments it could well be an early 70s pickup as the codes didn't seem to be set in stone.

Appreciate the adive!