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Green pickup wire on a '73

Started by David Aubke, August 24, 2011, 08:00:17 AM

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David Aubke

I just purchased a 1973 Seventy Three that features pickups wound with green wire. From what I can find, the green wire was used in the sixties on the piano basses. Was green also used in the seventies on 73s?



Also, what's up with the jumbo tuning spring in that photo?

[mod edit] Changed image to IMG from URL.. displays the image in the post itself.. nicer that way :)
Dave Aubke
Shadetree Keys

pianotuner steveo

I do not know about green wire on 73's, but I can guess that the extra heavy spring was due to someone cutting that tine too short and could not tune it flat enough with the correct spring.
1960 Wurlitzer model 700 EP
1968 Gibson G101 Combo organ
1975 Rhodes Piano Bass
1979 Wurlitzer 206A EP
1980 Wurlitzer 270 Butterfly Grand
2009 73A Rhodes Mark 7
2009 Korg SV-1 73
2017 Yamaha P255
2020 Kawai CA99
....and a few guitars...

kphlx2000

The green pickups were used on the 60's silver sparkle top suitcase models, silver sparkle top/gold sparkle top piano basses, Celeste, and the 60's student pianos(gold sparkle, yellow, avocado green, & wood models). They stopped using the green pickups in late 69' on the avocado green student pianos when they switched from teardrop felt hammers to the square felt hammer tips.

Kenneth
Fender Rhodes Collector/Music Producer/Recording Engineer

David Aubke

So is there a conclusion to be drawn from the fact that my piano from 1973 has green pickups? Are they all replacements cannibalized from an earlier unit?
Dave Aubke
Shadetree Keys

kphlx2000

Unfortunately, yes. As long as it sounds good, it shouldn't matter. Unless, your a collector like me.

Kenneth
Fender Rhodes Collector/Music Producer/Recording Engineer

David Aubke

Doesn't really bother me. I think it's kind of cool that they're that old. Plus, I dig that color.

All things being equal, I suppose I'd prefer originals but I'm certainly not swapping out all 73 just to change the color.
Dave Aubke
Shadetree Keys

The Real MC

Those pickups are not from the 60s - the magnets are short like the newer ones.  On the old pickups the magnet extends out the back of the bobbin.

Color of the wire does nothing to the sound, the magnet strength/alloy and the gauge of wire/number of windings does.  Their wire supplier probably used different color insulation over the years while the wire composition stayed the same.  Fender made their own guitar pickups and probably used the same coil wire for the Rhodes pickups.