After nearly 40 years of faithful service the bridge pickup on my 1965 Fender Jazz Bass (Olympic White with matching headstock) started dying a slow death around 2003. By 2006 it was completely dead, so my repairman recommended that I send it to Lindy Fralin for a rewinding. I wasn't familiar with his work but could recalled his name from Bass Player magazine. Since this bass is "my baby" I was hesitant about sending its voice to just anyone for repair. The bass is nearly 100% original except for the nut and the tone pot, both which were replaced because they broke, so making any changes is like pulling teeth; I've even started using flatwounds again to avoid the necessary refret. Fortunately, the neck pickup is still at factory specs.
I checked out Mr. Fralin's website and the reviews he has received on this page (all 98s and 100s) so I felt comfortable sending the pickup off. The cost seemed very fair - $50 plus $12.50 for return shipping.
About 3 weeks after sending the pickup it was returned and installed. Now my bass sounds like it did when I stumbled on it in the mid 1970s - a ton of growl when the pickups are wide open, and a sweeter, mellow tone when the bridge is turned down a bit.
They ask you to write a letter telling them how you want them to approach the rewind (repair the original windings if possible or use new copper, rewind to original specs, make it hotter, etc). I asked them to repair the original windings if possible, but there was nothing to indicate if they did so. This is just a comment and not a complaint. But the bottom line is that the pickup sounds fantastic.
