Newly acquired vintage JB

[sammy777]

I just bought an old JB that I am excited to put in my strat. I noticed that one end (see pictures) looks a little strange with some thick black stuff visible, I guess it’s the wiring. I know these are hand made, but does that look normal? Just wondering if it means someone was messing around with the insides.

Also, it is marked JBP - does anybody know who P was? And from the pics, is it possible to get some limits on the years it could have been made in?

Thanks!

 

[Artie]

The black stuff is probably seepage from that old tape. I've seen that before. The early tape was pretty gummy. The "P" is the initial of who wound it, but the only "P's" I see on their old chart did rails and stacks. So hard to say for sure who it was.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/faqs/labels-built-before-2002

 

[Masta' C]

I think you're ok with this one. Looks pretty normal.

There's a black papery tape on the coils beneath the acetate tape that you're used to seeing on the outside and, Artie's right, the tapes can get a bit gummy over time, plus there are wires stuffed into that side.

The wax around the screws appears unbroken and there are no tell-tale signs of tampering, so I think you're good to go.

BTW, this is a nice early one from the '83-86 period

 

[Lewguitar]

Looks normal. But could you do us a favor?

You can plainly see the magnet on the end of the pickup that is not taped.

Is it smooth or rough?

That one isn't super old, but I've heard that old JB's have roughcast magnets.

 

[Masta' C]

That one isn't super old, but I've heard that old JB's have roughcast magnets.

There's about a 98% chance it's smooth. Roughcast were primarily in the '78-'82 period, before the large logo baseplates.

 

[Lewguitar]

There's about a 98% chance it's smooth. Roughcast were primarily in the '78-'82 period, before the large logo baseplates.

Right. That's why I was curious.

I've been doing a ton of magnet swapping during this time of isolation.

Just curious.

 

[sammy777]

Thanks for the help!

BTW, this is a nice early one from the '83-86 period

How were you able to nail it down to this period?

Looks normal. But could you do us a favor?

You can plainly see the magnet on the end of the pickup that is not taped.

Is it smooth or rough?

That one isn't super old, but I've heard that old JB's have roughcast magnets.

Actually the tape is in tact and wraps all the way around so I think the magnet is not visible.

 

[Masta' C]

How were you able to nail it down to this period?

The large logo on the baseplate points to a very specific period of production. Through 1982, the baseplates had no logo stamped into them, just the paper label, although there are small signs to differentiate the 1980-82 period from the very earliest Duncans. In 1983, the large logos like yours appeared. Then, sometime around late 1986, SD shrunk the logo and added "Made in USA" below it, which only lasted a year or so before they changed it to "Made in America" like you see on the modern baseplates.

 

[Clint 55]

Looks normal. But could you do us a favor?

You can plainly see the magnet on the end of the pickup that is not taped.

Is it smooth or rough?

That one isn't super old, but I've heard that old JB's have roughcast magnets.

My 86 JBJ had a smooth mag. I've never found a rough mag in any of my duncans lol!

 

[Lewguitar]

My 86 JBJ had a smooth mag. I've never found a rough mag in any of my duncans lol!

I have three sets of Antiquity humbuckers.

Roughcast in two sets.

Smooth in one.

All initialed by MJ.

Also an old set of 59's made before the embossed bottom plate, and wound by MJ.

Those are rough too.

But the new set I have had polished mags.

So I put roughcast in them and they do sound nicer...to me.

Rounder treble, more mids.

Like an Antiquity but not quite as strong.

 

[Zheddar]

That black stuff is for sure normal, I have a JBL that had a bunch of that black stuff and it was really messy when I was making hybrids. It's just a regular JBL now, a magical one!