Dating potentimoters
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kennyhowes
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Dating potentimoters
What's the scoop?
I do know that some pots either have 6 or 7 digits to them. As for the 6, the first three are the number of the manufacturer (i.e. 137=CTS 304=Stackpole 140=Clarostat 134=Centralab 381=Bourns and 106=Allen-Bradley). The fourth number is the last digit of the year of manufacture. (i.e. 2002=2) And the last two are the number of the week of manufacture. As for the 7 digit, the 4th & 5th digits are the last TWO digits of the year. I hope this helps. (Of course, I'm going by my little knowlege of tube amps. This could be different on guitars.)
Here's a nice webpage on date codes on electronic components:
http://www.triodeel.com/eiacode.htm
Using potentiometer date codes, I was able to establish a 1959 date of manufacture on a Model 100 Hawaiian steel I had (sold it on eBay, never learned how to play it!), a 1973 date of manufacture on a 4001 Autumnglo (Walnut) that had an anomolous jackplate (only UH stamped on it, no numbers at all), and a 1979 date of manufacture on my Bunker ProStar 6-string.
http://www.triodeel.com/eiacode.htm
Using potentiometer date codes, I was able to establish a 1959 date of manufacture on a Model 100 Hawaiian steel I had (sold it on eBay, never learned how to play it!), a 1973 date of manufacture on a 4001 Autumnglo (Walnut) that had an anomolous jackplate (only UH stamped on it, no numbers at all), and a 1979 date of manufacture on my Bunker ProStar 6-string.
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca