How can I date, by pot codes?

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:38 am

Where can I find info to date by pot codes?

Thanks in advance!

wints · Post by **wints** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:12 am

Graham, the pot numbers usually have a week/year configuration, that you can hopefully decipher.

I'm not sure if all RIC pots are dated the same, but here is an example.

A lot of the 60's pots have 137 on them. This is not the date. (*Someone will chime in with what it is*) Then there is a full stop, followed by four numbers. This is the year and the month. On my loom here 6708, dating it to August 67.

Hope this helps...

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:28 am

Andrew: I've never looked at codes on my pots, but I'm aware of some of the ways various manufacturers date code products. Often they mark a two-digit year (00-99) followed by a two-digit week of the year (01-52). It is possible that your example actually came from February '67 since it's the 8th week of '67. I might be wrong about pots, but that's the way I've seen other components marked.

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:35 am

Here is one of many useful sites online. There is a section on pot codes that is straightforward.

wints · Post by **wints** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:58 am

You are right Randy. Year and then week.
I was on the month thing, thinking Ric serial numbers...
That's what happens when you have just come back from the dentist!

Still disorientated....

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:12 pm

Sorry - far too confusing! If the pot codes are:-

6154081 c624 & 6154081 c546

What do you reckon?

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:32 pm

Ahhh.........would that be august 1954?

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:51 pm

Graham: I haven't a clue. Too complicated for me. If they look kinda grungy and make crunchy noises as you turn 'em, that means they're probably oldish!

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:53 am

Love the title of this thread...

Believe me, the code is: if you've got pot, you can get a date...

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:14 am

I was waiting for that ! LOL

oreca · Post by **oreca** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:22 am

I didn't clue in on the thread name last night but I caught on this morning, it's clever!

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:27 am

Didn't want to let you down, Graham...

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:53 pm

Graham, most of the manufacturer/date code info pertains to U.S.-made components. The large listing at http://www.triodeel.com/eiacode.htm doesn't contain a "615" manufacturer's code, so I'm thinking that the codes you cite, e.g. 6154081 c624, are on components not made in the U.S. I ran into this problem when I was trying to date the pots on my 1960s Vox Cougar; the pots, like the bass, were made in Europe and had enigmatic coding.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 2:58 pm

Graham, 615 is the manufacturer code for IRC, International Resistive Company, according to the info here:

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/pots.html

So yours (6154081 c624; 6154081 c546) lack the ohm rating, but I'm thinking now that the last three digits represent the 24th week of 1956 and the 46th week of 1955, respectively.

chefothefuture · Post by **chefothefuture** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:44 am

One should remember that Pots are a sometimes inaccurate way to date. When they're bought in bulk
and then put into bins, the ones on the bottom sometimes don't get used for years.
Case and point being a small headstock, single piece
maple neck through 4001. First letter of the SN put it at '71. One of the pots had a '67 date code so the owner and dealer INSISTED it was a '67. I guess all of the '70s features could be overlooked.....