How To Date Pots?

[spongebob]

I've read a lot of 'basses for sale' ads when they mention the build date of the bass, and also the age of the pots.

Out of interest, where can you do this? I know the Ric site gives the serial decoder, but is there anywhere where we can trace the age of other (numbered) parts?

[Kopfjaeger]

Pot casings have a date code stamped on them. Different vintages have the date code either on the side of the case or on the backside.

Sepp

[clementc3]

A helpful explanation is here:

http://www.guitarhq.com/pots.html

An excerpt:

How the Source-Date Code Works.
The source-date code on a pot is a 6 or 7 digit code impressed into the casing of the potentiometer. For speakers this code can be 5, 6, 7 or 8 digits long, and it's ink-stamped or paint-stamped on the "bell housing" of the speaker.
In either case, the code works the same. The first 3 digits on a pot, or the first 2, 3 or 4 digits on a speaker are the source or manufacturer code.

The remaining 3 or 4 digits are the date code. In 3 digit dates code, the 1st digit is the last digit of the year. On 4 digits date codes, the 1st and 2nd digits are the last two digits of the year. In either case, the remaining 2 digits are the week of manufacture (01 to 52). With this in mind, remember if the last two digits of the source-date code are greater than 52, you're not looking at the source-date code!

Here is an online "pot dater" - enter the code and it will tell you the manufacturer and date:

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/potcodereader.aspx

[spongebob]

Thanks guys.

I don't think I took a picture of the right number? My Luthier had it apart, so I wanted to photograph the internals -

[clementc3]

Your photo got most of the right number - I think the number you are looking for is the one that begins "137", which is the code for Chicago Telephone Supply (CTS), and a pretty common code (they must have made a lot of the pots that were used by instrument manufacturers).

I see three of the next (probably) four numbers, "734" - I think there is a fourth number underneath the yellow wire. My uninformed guess is that the pot was made by CTS in the forty-something-eth week of 1973. More knowledgeable forum members, please chime in!

[aceonbass]

Clement, you are correct. The four digit code after "137" is the date code. I suspect that the yellow vinyl insulated wire is not original though.

[spongebob]

That's excellent info - many thanks chaps.

[RickyBubba]

I need to get out more often, didn't know they were MIM also!

[spongebob]

Everyday's a school-day!