Thoughts and feelings on foregoing potting

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

It seems like the standard these days is to pot any new pickup that is made, unless it is a deliberate replica of an older pickup that was not potted. I have a couple designs that I've been working on, and because they are oddly shaped the wax always looks terrible and makes a huge mess. I started to think I needed to rethink my potting methods (I've been using the Homedics model that David Schwab frequently recommends), but every pickup I've found except for a few tests to pot them have been unpotted, and they seem to work just fine. I think I like them unpotted, and I've only been wanting to pot them because I'm a tad bit paranoid about failures down the road.

They aren't completely closed off like a covered humbucker. It is basically a Fender style pickup with a large top bobbin and the coils exposed on the sides, though installed in the guitar the coils can barely be seen. I have them taped off with Scotch light block tape.

Does anyone else make/sell/promote unpotted pickups besides the replicas?

[big_teee]

It seems like the standard these days is to pot any new pickup that is made, unless it is a deliberate replica of an older pickup that was not potted. I have a couple designs that I've been working on, and because they are oddly shaped the wax always looks terrible and makes a huge mess. I started to think I needed to rethink my potting methods (I've been using the Homedics model that David Schwab frequently recommends), but every pickup I've found except for a few tests to pot them have been unpotted, and they seem to work just fine. I think I like them unpotted, and I've only been wanting to pot them because I'm a tad bit paranoid about failures down the road.

They aren't completely closed off like a covered humbucker. It is basically a Fender style pickup with a large top bobbin and the coils exposed on the sides, though installed in the guitar the coils can barely be seen. I have them taped off with Scotch light block tape.
Does anyone else make/sell/promote unpotted pickups besides the replicas?

As I sell more Pickups, I want all of mine Potted.
Potted pickups are quieter, and just have one case of someone with Microphonics, and news travels fast.
If you could control where they play, and what gear they use, you could get by without it.
If I wasn't going to pot the whole pickup, I would at least POT the bare coils before taping.
My new rails, seem to be easily microphonic.
So I have been Potting them twice, once just the coils, then I give a fast dip of the finished pickup.
One thing you may want to try is thinning your wax some.
Thinner wax is easier to cleanup, and gets in smaller places.
I have good luck with pure paraffin lamp oil.
I think mineral oil works well also.
Good Luck,
T

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

I haven't had any squeal from mine yet - they are epoxied together and quite rigid. Perhaps I need to go to the local music store and try them through a dual rectifier to really find out.

Thanks for the tip on thinning. I'm also concerned I'm not at high enough of an operating temperature.

[big_teee]

I haven't had any squeal from mine yet - they are epoxied together and quite rigid. Perhaps I need to go to the local music store and try them through a dual rectifier to really find out.

Thanks for the tip on thinning. I'm also concerned I'm not at high enough of an operating temperature.

I use a big Meat Thermometer in my wax pot.
Course it goes up and down, but I try to pot around 140f.
I work in a hot or cold shop.
If it is cold, I lay the pickup over the soldering Iron cage for a few minutes.
Don't like the wax to coag. when I put the pickup in it.
I like it to stay a liquid.
Tell me more about the epoxie?
I've got to come up with a better glue set up for my Strat blades.
T

[Magnut]

There is wire available which will bond to itself using either heat or a chemical (like alcohol). This would end the need to pot them. It also means that repairs would be difficult if not impossible.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

I already have an obscene supply of wire from doing comparisons, so I don't see myself buying another kind.... thanks for the suggestion, though.

140 might be closer to what I'm at now that I think about it. I will have to try the thinning.

I try to use epoxy on my pickups whenever I need an adhesive/gap filling because a soldering iron burns up superglue and hurts my eyes; though I may alter that in a few places. The beauties of epoxy are: won't burn with a soldering iron, it is excellent for gap filling, and most often has very good (if not great) dielectric properties. It is a bit of a learning curve if you're a recovering CA junkie, though.

If we assume that I deem squeal to not be a big enough issue to warrant dealing with this problem, what other problems might there be?

[David Schwab]

(I've been using the Homedics model that David Schwab frequently recommends)

Does yours leak? Mine leaks like crazy. I won't recommend that brand anymore based on that. After mine started leaking people started leaving comments at Amazon saying theirs was leaking. I don't know if it was a bad batch or they are all like that.

It works great for potting however.

On your subject, I wax pot all my pickups. I used to put them in some of my instruments for testing purposes, but on gigs I would get squealing if I got too close to the amp. I don't find that the potted versions sound any different.

I leave the wound coils in the wax for 10 minutes.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

Mine doesn't leak (yet), but it doesn't have too many hours on it, either.

[David Schwab]

Mine doesn't leak (yet), but it doesn't have too many hours on it, either.

Hopefully they fixed the problem. They sealer they used where the heating elements pass through breaks down into this spongy white stuff. I fixed it for a while with some RTV, but it's been leaking again. Still for the money it's not bad. I keep aluminum foil under it, and just scrape the wax back up and dump it into the pot.

There's a nicer model with a stainless steel bowl which I might get at some point, but it cost three times more.

[StarryNight]

alright, i'll be the odd man out and say that I don't usually pot my pickups and actually notice and prefer the difference. For guys that specify that they play at extra loud volumes I will pot them. Honestly, I have not made thousands of pickups but no customer has yet come back complaining of squeeling microphonics. The difference I notice (or assume to notice) is in the harmonic content especially with comping and playing rhythm. I also like the controlled chaos that can happen when the pickup is a few degrees back from going microphonic - there is so much cool stuff going on there sonically. Call me crazy... Having said that, I have used CA glue for potting (more precisely adding a little bit to the coil at different stages of winding) and in situations where there's no bobbin, to keep the form of the coil - it works and quick too.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

That's been my feeling Starry - squealing really seems to only be an issue at ridiculous volumes, at least in my own experience. I'm not the best test person for this sort of thing because I'm a Fender combo set to clean kinda guy. The only times I've ever had squeal problems is when a pickup actually has a loose part, like a bad solder joint on a cover or something.

I will say that I imagine bass pickups to be quicker to squeal than guitar pickups, though.

[big_teee]

That's been my feeling Starry - squealing really seems to only be an issue at ridiculous volumes, at least in my own experience. I'm not the best test person for this sort of thing because I'm a Fender combo set to clean kinda guy. The only times I've ever had squeal problems is when a pickup actually has a loose part, like a bad solder joint on a cover or something.

I will say that I imagine bass pickups to be quicker to squeal than guitar pickups, though.

My Marshall 2204 Clone can make them all squeal.
If you are a Round Sound Fender Guy, No Problem.
I recommend that pickups be prepared for any amp and any club situation.
Good Potting also cuts down on excessive Feedback.
A little feedback is Fun, too much is a Pain.
Keep Rockin!
T

[CRU JONES]

I, like Terry, only rarely do not pot my pickups. I want my pickups to be playing still 50 years from now

I use a "hot air" soldering iron to warm and clean the excess wax. They are used for soldering SMD components, not sure if you can get them cheap, but they work great. I set the temp at 200 degrees and turn the "air" up just enough to blow the molten wax off. If you are using epoxy, do you really need wax?

I have been rewinding Teisco's a bit lately, which are mic's for the most part, so I have been rethinking the whole wax potting everything strategy.

cheers,
Ethan

[LtKojak]

I think the potting is one of those elements that people gives too much attention and gives too much credit.

I dare anybody to be able to hear the difference of the same p'up potted/non-potted in a blind test.

EDIT: I only pot the bobbins, not the whole covered p'up, mind you. That would be overkill.

[Jim Shine]

I almost always pot them. I do the double boiler method using a hot plate and thermometer. I like it when the pickup goes in and you see the wax turn white on the pickup and slowly turn clear as the pickup heats up inside. They are usually in there around 7-10 minutes. Longer if the bubbles keep coming. I look for what looks like a hair floating on the surface of the wax. That is a tiny stream of bubbles.

When I take them out, of I want a clean pickup, I will wipe it off while it is hot. Then clean the residual off with 3M automotive wax and adhesive remover after it has cooled.