N.O.S. Holy Grail

bear · Post by **bear** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Last year, shortly before Thanksgiving time, I had posted about discovering a mid '60's Horseshoe while we were cleaning out and old musical instrument warehouse.

I am now, at long last, the very proud owner of the aforementioned Horsehoe:

I believe the caption from collector's websites usually reads: Not Currently For Sale.

bear · Post by **bear** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 1:15 pm

After I had cut my deal for this treasure and consumated the transaction, the gentleman that I bought this from said he felt bad about charging me so much for just the pickup and not the surround and screws.

When he went back to the box to get the pickup for me he also found this:

Also Currently Not For Sale

bear · Post by **bear** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 1:28 pm

Which now makes this a complete mid '60's N.O.S. vintage Toaster and Horseshoe pair.
Geeze I feel like I'm making a wedding announcement here (o;}

The happy pair, still residing in Central Wisconsin.
Currently Not seeking employment, nor For Hire.

Wow I finally have a set of Holy Grail pickups.
I'm still just staring at them in disbelief.

bear · Post by **bear** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 1:38 pm

Bottoms Up!

Four dots, seven dashes, TEXASALUMINUM

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 1:51 pm

Wow!! Congrats, Steve!

What's the plan for them? Once you finish staring/drooling, are you going to find the perfect vintage 4001 to place them in??

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 1:52 pm

Bear: Very nice pickup. Thanks so much for sharing this information and for sending along the photos. Congratulations.

bear · Post by **bear** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 2:57 pm

Thank you Chris and Peter.

Plans are to get them installed into something soon. Speaking of plans this was the day I was supposed to go and compare a C64 FG, MG with my C64S MG.
Funny how a road trip in snowstorm lost out to staying home and buying vintage pickups.
Not a real tough decision since one of the two is still in production.
I'm thinking they may go into a C64 or a second C64S MG. I'm leaning towards the C64 in FG right now strung with Flats of course and leave the C64S MG I already have with its factory RW's.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:04 pm

Sweeeeet couple!
The horseshoe looks to be in an excellent condition.
Congratulations, Steve!

basshawk · Post by **basshawk** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:36 am

Christmas in March. Congratulations.

headbanger · Post by **headbanger** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:47 am

Congrats Steve. I'm very green with envy. I've been looking for so long & never even had a sniff of one anywhere. Any chance you can tell us the impedance?

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 4:16 am

Steve, those look super clean! Have fun with them!

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 1:37 pm

Steve...great find...those 60,s baseplates look like they were made by a guy after a little too much of something at "luncshtime" don,t they!! My 64 has red ink on the bottom. Does the horseshoe bobbin have a lip on it Steve??..and yes, the impedence would be good to know. Very few of these about even in the originals...

bear · Post by **bear** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:18 pm

Andrew,

I think they were built to be functional without consuming time way back then. (o:}

The ink on the bottom is Blue, the horseshoe bobbin question is rather elusive, it does have a lip above the top bobbin plate, then again which part are you referring to as "the bobbin"?
Hope this picture gives you the angle you were asking about:

bear · Post by **bear** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:31 pm

I will get them measured this week and add that information to this thread when I get around to it.

Although unless I stop eyeballing the C64S MG they just might find their way into that one before I get them measured.

Oh Right....almost forgot the shoe still has a charge but after 40 years I wonder how close they are to issue spec?

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:44 pm

Steve, that better!! Yes that,s the same bobbin that my 64,s have. The charge is similar to mine too probably...weak!! We had a thread back awhile about recharging, and JH said that you could use an arc welder...I,ll let you try first :-}