Pots And Harnesses
Fender pots and harnesses are very specific. Fender used Clarisat ,Stackpole and CTS pots in their guitar . One important factor to remember is 95% of all Fender pots say 250k on them. 100% say 250k on them after 1952.
This is an important note because exact looking pots with the same codes and marking without the 250k stamp are from other model guitars such as Harmonys, Kay,Silvertone, Supro, and many lap steel guitars. Some are even 250k on a meter BUT if it does not say 250k it is not from a Fender.
Clarisat Pots have a (140) manufactures code .They are normally stamped in blue ink on the back of the pots. For example 140232 is a 1952 pot and is from the 32nd week 1952. some say 250k some do not . These again are easily identified by the blue ink stamp on back of pots.
Stackpolepots have a (304) manufactures code. These are found on most fenders between 1950 -1973 approx. The example is as follows 304421 and3045912 . The first example is 21st week of 1954. the second example is the 12th week of 1959 . Both code schemeswere used these came in both split and solid shafts. ALL said 250k.
CTS pots have a (137) manufacturing code. A late 1950’s fender basses and telecaster used these pots . Not a lot but I have found them used between 1958 and 1961 mostly. But again in the few cases 90% were stackpole.
They first surfaced is Fender Stratocaters around 1963 and we used until 1965 approx. these version had a sunken top witha pin shaft visible on the back case. I personally have found these only from 1963-1965 . From 1966 on Fender used some of these but the backs were flat not sunken . All these pots said 250k if they were from a real fender.
Fender used Switchcraft switches . All fender had 3 way switches until 1976 when the 5 way was introduced . The early switches were marked 1454 and after1951 they said 1452. The early 1950’s through 1962 had a large fiber board center disk .
After 1962 the center disk was plastic. from 1962-1965 the plastic center switches had two extra rivet holes on side of case. these were only used these years. By 1966 they had the normal diamond stamp with two rivets you are familiar with today
The caps in Fender harness can get a bit complicated. I will briefly touch on a few not all!! I do not have enough space here. Cornell Dublier fenders early caps were usually .05 @150v . They were round and were waxed covered. The fender stratocaster caps were the same but square and flat unlike the rounded tele cap.
The esquires used a 3 cap setup with a resister . Some early nocasters and broadcaster also had this resister. In 1956 fender still used Cornell Dublierbut they went to a flat white cap know as a phonebook. The cap was the same .05 @150v these were used. In the 1960’s Fender changed to round ceramic caps . The earlier ones were a mustard color some were a burnt red color.
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