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Topic: 8 string fender question for anyone ?? |
james sluder
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 10 Feb 2006 5:08 pm |
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| I have a fender 8 string 4 black iron floor pedals..just wondered if anyone can tell me the year it was made. & is it a 400??? |
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Ben Elder
From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
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Posted 10 Feb 2006 5:36 pm
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The more experienced Forumites can jump in, but for the moment, my understanding is that the black pedals are more like '60s while the flat chrome-plated ones are '50s/early-'60s. The Fender "transition" logo decal is mid- '60s where as the thinner "spaghetti" logo is earlier (mostly). A pickup that looks like a Jaguar pu (chrome sawtooth housing) is mid-60s-ish, whereas one that looks like a Jazzmaster's pu (wide, rectangular) is 50s-early '60s. If the volume and tone pots are original, the last three digits tell you the last digit of the year of manufacture, then the week of the year. Example: a code ending in -652 would be either December 25-31 of 1956 or December 25-31, 1966 (assuming the pot mfr. didn't take the holidays off in this silly example). Other clues should tell you whether a year of 1956 or 1966 (or xxx6) makes more sense. Many Fender instruments from the early days until some time in the '60s had assemblers' names or initials and date codes in cavities and pockets--either on the wood or a piece of masking tape. "TG 6-53" might be found somewhere on a June 1953 Tele put together by Tadeo Gomez (a legend in Fender factory lore).
400 = 8-string single neck
800 = 10-string single neck
1000 = 8-string double neck
2000 = 10-string double neck
Or post a photo and the veterans like Jody Carver can really tell you some stories.[This message was edited by Ben Elder on 10 February 2006 at 05:38 PM.] [This message was edited by Ben Elder on 16 February 2006 at 11:07 PM.] [This message was edited by Ben Elder on 16 February 2006 at 11:07 PM.] |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 10 Feb 2006 5:47 pm
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| 8 strings and 4 pedals equals a 400, that was the "standard" configuration. The black cast-aluminum pedals were used on everything from mid '64 until they stopped making pedal steels, which I believe was early in '76. |
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james sluder
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 10 Feb 2006 5:47 pm
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| Thanks..that's what i neded to know. |
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Steve Zinno
From:
Spring City, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 10 Feb 2006 6:16 pm
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James, there's also a good chance that if you remove the changer plate underneath the guitar, you may find a date written on the opposite side (mine was).
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steve z.
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 10 Feb 2006 10:24 pm
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Actually, I'm relatively sure it was late-'63 when the switch was made to black pedals and jaguar-style pickup. Transitional models are sunburst, but with chrome pedals and the flat jazzmaster-style pickup, some with the roller bridge that was a field addition earlier.
Best way to get an estimated date is to check the pot codes - but they can be off by a year sometimes. Also, the date is sometimes written in under the tuner pan. |
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