73-28 Bass

[mica]

Very unlikely. The date codes are stamped by the potentiometer manufacturer. The minimum order for custom pots means that the date codes can trail the serial numbers for many years.

[rv_bass]

Ah, thanks for the insight!  Pretty cool to see one with ‘71 on it  though

[sonicus]

My 73-32 has the internal hum canceller setup with the battery compartment in the front middle between the pickups . I suspect this bass has had some modifications in that regard ?

[JimmyJ]

My 73-32 has the internal hum canceller setup with the battery compartment in the front middle between the pickups . I suspect this bass has had some modifications in that regard ?

I don't know when the batteries officially moved to their under-the-bridge location so this does seem like a mod.  Or possibly even a prototype test of that design move?  Because the routing of the battery compartment on the back, and cover for it, do look like factory work.  More mystery in the history.  Can't wait 'till you get this bass going again, I think you're gonna love it!

Jimmy J

[keith_h]

I think it has more to do with when and the quantity of parts purchased than time to build the bass.

[mica]

Regarding things like the battery location, consider that serial numbers traditionally are assigned as the last thing in the build. Something may have been started, set aside for customer's work, then picked up again at a later date. There are also some times when the serial number isn't the last item done in a build. It means that you really can't use the serial number as a hard and fast "before or after this number" declaration.

[rv_bass]

My 73-32 has the internal hum canceller setup with the battery compartment in the front middle between the pickups . I suspect this bass has had some modifications in that regard ?

I don't know when the batteries officially moved to their under-the-bridge location so this does seem like a mod.  Or possibly even a prototype test of that design move?  Because the routing of the battery compartment on the back, and cover for it, do look like factory work.  More mystery in the history.  Can't wait 'till you get this bass going again, I think you're gonna love it!

Jimmy J

Wolf, I think you are right.

Jimmy, I was also thinking the battery placement on the back and the hum canceling pickup on the front may have been done at the factory.  They are both very well done, and the battery compartment rout appears identical to that on 74-59. -Rob

…making progress

[edwardofhuncote]

It would be interesting to see if there are screw holes (or filled ones) for a different tailpiece under the currently installed one. The earliest one like it I recall seeing is on guitar #74-53. 74-52 is a short-scale bass with a moustache-type. I would have expected this bass to have one similar to what was on #73-27, a simple bar-type. (it was eventually changed too)


*like Mica said too, this bass may have been in production a while. Perhaps well into '74, and the tailpiece among the last pieces of hardware to go on. Hard to say.

[rv_bass]

All great comments and thoughts!  At 50 years old I’m sure it has been through a lot!

[rv_bass]

Wondering about the core wood.  Does this grain look like walnut or mahogany, or something else?

[sonicus]

If I am not mistaken, I seem to recollect that when Alembic so beautifully resurrected my 73-32 ,it was mentioned that the core wood on that instrument may be "OAK". Mica, might that be the case here as well, with 73-28 ?

[rv_bass]

Wolf, I don’t think it is oak.  Below is a photo of 74-59 lighter oak core wood on the left, next to 73-28 darker core wood on the right.

[rv_bass]

I’m leaning towards the possibility of the battery and hum cancelling pickup relocations being done at the factory.  Below are photos comparing the battery covers and cavities for 74-59 and 73-28, they appear identical, even the plates are identical size with screw holes line up perfectly (the photo of the plate alone is actually the 73-28 plate on top of the 74-59 plate).

[dela217]

Not oak.    Cherry?

[edwardofhuncote]

I'm guessing #73-28 is a;


mahogany core, schedua top and back, and walnut and birch neck layup. The headstock face could be a couple things... Califorina Claro walnut maybe? It looks a lot like McVie's #27, whatever that stuff was. Totally different logo.


Agree, the routing work done is 'factory'... man, this bass has stories.