Pickups, Bridge and Tailpiece
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So lets have a look at the "hidden" details of the guitar. First let me say that I proceeded with great care with the screw driver, I left as much lint and dust behind as possible, cleaning only enough to document what I felt were "important" details. Patent sticker pickups, bridge pickup cover removed, original cover is in the case. Solder joints on the neck pickup have pulled free of the backplate. I do believe, and Dave confirms, that this cover was never removed. The solder joints are "broken", but I see no evidence of the cover being "spread" to remove it. Gold plating remains on all screws except the surround mount screws. These appear to be steel and are rusty. Pickup surrounds are marked M-69 on one side with a 7 on the neck surround and an 8 on the bridge surround. The other side marked MR491 neck and MR490 bridge. Both have what appears to be an H, with a P in the upper half and an I below. Patent number bridge, with original brass saddles, wire removed. There is some wear through the gold into the chrome on the bridge, into the brass on the saddles, but all saddles and screws show some gold left. The tailpiece is very light, and looks to be aluminum where there is wear through the gold and chrome. The studs are set tight to the body and I did not try to loosen them. The pickguard is cracked at the front screw. I did not try to remove it, there is gold plating on all pickguard screws and the holder. There is a rubber "cone" on the backside of the center screw. The switch tip was missing and is a replacement.