Rewind or new pickups?

[four/five]

The output on my late 70’s Jazz Bass seems to have been decreasing over the years. I fitted a MEC pre-amp to it years ago but the output still seems low. So I decided to put it back to standard Jazz condition.

On testing the pups I’ve found the coils of both pups are shorting to the pole pieces. Is it worth having them rewound and if so where’s the best place to have them done or is it best to just purchase new ones? I see from another thread re some Entwistle pups seem good value for money. Whether Enwistle pups would have a too modern sound for a 70’s Jazz for their price could be worth a punt.

 

[DoubleOhStephan]

Personally, for the sake of authenticity I'd go the rewind route. 

Theres a fella in East London called Ash who runs Oil City Pickups who's a bit of a pickup genius. May be worth getting in touch with him if that's how you choose to go forward - https://www.oilcitypickups.co.uk/

[Reggaebass]

Hi four/five,   I’m no expert but I think you’ll  devalue your jazz bass by fitting new pickups given the age of it , I personally would have them rewound 🙂

[BassBunny]

+1 for a rewind. Aaron Armstrong of Kent Armstrong fame us great at rewinds and would be able to do them to the same spec as they are now.

[Cuzzie]

I have no strong feelings either way for rewind vs new pick ups, but..........if you rewind them and the break/degradation etc is too much and you end up using using a new components , is it not arguably a new pick up?

If future sale value is considered you can always keep the originals safe and include them in a sale if you go the new route.

Bareknuckle also do re-winds

[chris_b]

13 hours ago, StevieE said:

Personally, for the sake of authenticity I'd go the rewind route.

For the sake of authenticity I'd find some original 70's pickups and put them in.

If we're talking about keeping the integrity of a 70's bass a rewind is the same as replacing the pickups with modern ones. Get the best pickups you can find and if you sell the bass include the original pickups, in original condition.

[DoubleOhStephan]

13 minutes ago, chris_b said:

If we're talking about keeping the integrity of a 70's bass a rewind is the same as replacing the pickups with modern ones. 

I disagree. 

The restorer will endeavour to use as many original components as possible, including the coil if at all possible, in order to repair the pickup. It will also be rewound to its original spec, not a modern interpretation of that spec. 

Even if using just 75% of the original parts, it's far more authentic (by which I mean of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine ((dictionary definition)) than putting in a new unit. 

[chris_b]

8 minutes ago, StevieE said:

I disagree.

OK, but in the market for vintage basses, it is the same as a modern replacement because it has ceased to be "original".  A rewound pickup is not as original as an original pickup, no matter how many "original" parts it uses.

As I say, the best option is to put the pickup to one side, for those who care about such things, and buy a pickup that does the best job.

[ped]

It’s a late 70s jazz, not a Rembrandt - get ‘em fixed 👍🏻

[DoubleOhStephan]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

OK, but in the market for vintage basses, it is the same as a modern replacement because it has ceased to be "original". 

OK, but I wasn't talking about market value, I was talking about originality, with my disagreement being a repaired pickup with 75% original parts retains more authenticity than a new pickup. Which it does.