Who does the best rewinds? My '73 Jazz bridge pickup is dead.

[ossyrocks]

Picked it up off the stand tonight, plugged in, bridge pickup is dead. It was fine last night.

 

I've had the bass on the bench, pickup out, and it's open circuit on my multimeter.

 

I could just drop in another pickup, but I would like to keep it as original as possible, so I would prefer to get it rewound. Who is the best for this?

 

Any input would the gratefully received. @Reggaebass Tony, have you had any done?

 

Cheers,

Rob

[Reggaebass]

Hi, I haven’t myself but a few people I know have used Armstrong pickups and a few people here I believe have too 

[Geek99]

Back about 190 years ago when I wanted to play guitar and didn’t see the path of the righteous man towards bass - I had some Kent Armstrong Stratocaster pickups and I ordered them by phone speaking to mr Armstrong himself. Yes, that’s how long ago it was. They were epic, I commend his company to you 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Geek99

[Geek99]

Mr Kent Armstrong asked me what was wrong with what I had, asked what I wanted, and made up a set from his various products to suit me. Then he put it in the post and it arrived next day. Awesome. 

[ossyrocks]

Thanks chaps. I've spoken to someone today about getting it rewound, Ash from Oil City Pickups in London. He's got lots of experience with vintage pickups, and has the correct vintage wire to wind it. It will be a very sympathetic rewind, and will look and sound very much like it did before. He's promised to turn it round in less than a week too.

 

In 40 years of playing, this is the first pickup that has ever failed on me. But apparently it's quite common for 70's Fender pickups to spontaneously expire.

 

Thanks,

Rob

[ossyrocks]

Brief update. I sent it Special Delivery on Monday morning, he received it Tuesday morning, he’s rewound it with correct vintage wire, and lacquered it as it was originally, and posted it back. I’ll have it before lunch tomorrow! That is great service!

[Reggaebass]

51 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

Brief update. I sent it Special Delivery on Monday morning, he received it Tuesday morning, he’s rewound it with correct vintage wire, and lacquered it as it was originally, and posted it back. I’ll have it before lunch tomorrow! That is great service!

Excellent service and good to know, look forward to hearing how it goes 

[ossyrocks]

Another update. The pickup arrived in time for me to fit it before my gigs this weekend. In the 70’s, Fender treated pickups in various different ways after winding, and in my case, this pickup was lacquered after winding in 1973. Ash has rewound it with the correct vintage wire, replicating the original wind, and has re-lacquered it as it was originally. I’ll be honest, I asked if he would wind it slightly hotter than it’s original 7.0k, so he has rewound it to 7.6k for me. The pickup now balances better with the neck pickup, and has ever so slightly more mid and authority than it did before. I think the bass overall is better for it. Yes, the pickup failing and having to be rewound has knocked a bit of value off it, but as an instrument, it’s still fabulous.

I would recommend Ash at Oil City Pickups to anyone, great service, and unbelievably great value for money. 
Cheers,

Rob

Edited October 15, 2023 by ossyrocks