Qvart
Senior Member
Notice on the '74 the strings are pretty much parallel to the body and angled much more on the '77.
On the '73 there is much more of the fingerboard above the body at the joint.
The heel is longer after '75.
I don't have any way to check the weight, but I can say for sure that the '75 and '77 are heavier than the '73 and '74. Fret wire is a little wider too.
I'm thinking the reason two of the '77's bridge pickup screws were missing is because someone tried to get the pickup lower than the springs and screws would allow. I replaced the two missing screws and sure enough I can't get the pickup any lower without the screws coming completely out. Now that I've done some comparing I think it might be possible to put two thicker pickup rings on the '73 and '74 and two thinner rings on the '75 and '77. Looking at the pictures it seems the string height at the neck pickup on the earlier models might clear a higher-mounted p'up.
On the '73 there is much more of the fingerboard above the body at the joint.
The heel is longer after '75.
I don't have any way to check the weight, but I can say for sure that the '75 and '77 are heavier than the '73 and '74. Fret wire is a little wider too.
I'm thinking the reason two of the '77's bridge pickup screws were missing is because someone tried to get the pickup lower than the springs and screws would allow. I replaced the two missing screws and sure enough I can't get the pickup any lower without the screws coming completely out. Now that I've done some comparing I think it might be possible to put two thicker pickup rings on the '73 and '74 and two thinner rings on the '75 and '77. Looking at the pictures it seems the string height at the neck pickup on the earlier models might clear a higher-mounted p'up.