'73 Strat pup- Rewind or replace?

I bought a '73 Strat pickup several years ago to match the other original pups in my '73 Strat. The pup is in the bridge position and during the past week I've noticed it was sounding extra thin almost like a transistor radio. It had lost all the low end and was weaker in signal.

I assume it has developed some type of short in the winding and replacing it confirmed that the issue was definitely with the pup and not some other internal wiring issue. Now my dilemma is whether to have it rewound or replace it with a custom wind pickup that would fit in tone-wise with the other 2 '73 pups.

Having paid a kings random for the pup originally I hate to just throw it in a drawer. I liked the fact that the pup was at least period correct to the guitar even though it was not original.However I'm not sure if I would be throwing good money after bad trying to get it rewound when it had only measured 5.58 on my Fluke.

At the moment the pickup I have in doesn't match the character of the other two. Even if the bad '73 wasn't strong it did fit in with the tone and character of the other two and was period correct. So what should I do get a rewind done or go for a new custom wind pup?

Sometimes they can peel the pickup a bit, and remove the break. They don't tend to break deep inside the coil unless people try to restagger the magnets.

Otherwise you might as well rewind it. It's sort of useless otherwise.

try remagnetizing it first, if that doesn't help, i'd go with what kap'n posted.

Peter Leonard, Ontario CA is your man. He does killer vintage replicas and dirt cheap, like $25 for rewind... : )

Yea, I've decided to do a rewind.

I didn't really even consider the pickup may not have to be totally rewound and the cost of a rewind is much more reasonable than I ever thought it would be.

Even if it has to be totally rewound chances are it will still be more in the ballpark with the other 2. I'm not sure how drastic a change would be to the tone if I had the magnet recharged?

My feeling is if they have to do a total rewind that they wind it for a slighter higher rating in the 6 to 6.5 range.

+1, I would go for a rewind with the original wire, a little hotter then the other 2 wil do the job! 6 - 6,2 KOhms for keeping the rest in balance! :smile: Good Luck !!

IMO opinion don't get the magnet charged as that could change the tone from vintage to who knows what. Better to have the rewind.

Those early '70 staggered CBS are good pickups.
BTW, 5.83 sounds about right for a stock oldie. My '63s are 5 1/2 to 5.8 or so.