To Pot, or Not to Pot?

[PoorMan]

To this point I've not been potting my pickups, but I also suspect I've been winding my coils a bit tighter than most. Yesterday I wound some coils looser than usual (probably closer to what most of you gys are doing) and I wonder if I should pot them.

So I'm trying to get a general consensus...do you guys pot, or not?

(I realize I could pot after the fact if they are noisy, but I thought I'd check to see what others are doing)

Thanks,
Dave

[Spence]

Some I pot, some I don't but it depends on the pickup and the application.

[dazzlindino]

Smoke pot

[chevalij]

I pot them all. I'm not looking for controlled feedback, so I figure what the hell. Of course, I don't soak them for hours either. Quick dip, about 5-10 mins. Of course, I stick to strat and tele pups if that makes a difference.

[David Schwab]

I pot them all. I'm not looking for controlled feedback, so I figure what the hell.

I think unpotted pickups give you uncontrolled feedback!

If you don't get squealing, you can get the "good" feedback.

I had once instance where one of my unpotted bass pickups squealed... but I was leaning right against my amp. But guitar is different since it's often played with more gain.

I do pot the pickups I sell though, but I dip the coils in polyurethane. Probably something that wouldn't look good on a humbucker... but I haven't tried it.

I sell one custom pickup to a guy that played in a metal band. Because it was for a 9 string guitar, I didn't pot it so we could see if he liked it first.. he did, and never sent it back to me to be potted so I guess it's ok.

[Possum]

..

Just say NO to pot, makes your breath stink :-)

I've never potted buckers except the very first one I made. How do you get all that wax off, do you take the pole screws out when potting or pot with them in? I am getting real tired of microphonic covers and haven't really found a great solution. I tried that snot tape, it didn't work real well because it doesn't compress too well and then creates more voids in the cover and slugs so makes it worse. Using silicone messes up your bobbins real good if anyone ever opens it, it eats the plastic and turns the slugs green. Clamping which works best, over the slugs, spreads the edges of the cover out and looks bad. I think I'm going to try silly putty next, not kidding.....

[Dave Kerr]

Ever try this stuff? Stays soft for years, no idea if it's got any kind of corrosive stuff in it

[EtLa]

Using silicone messes up your bobbins real good if anyone ever opens it, it eats the plastic and turns the slugs green. Clamping which works best, over the slugs, spreads the edges of the cover out and looks bad. I think I'm going to try silly putty next, not kidding.....

I never had corrosion or eat problems with silicone maybe because I spray molding release agent first so that the silicone doesn't stick.

Anybody tried mastic?

[jonson]

mastic

Mentioned in a recent post a mastic which is also an auto panel adhesive. Comes from Germany called Sikaflex. Available in black or white and is used in a cartridge gun. Always avoided silicone as that stuff eats solder but this stuff won't but if you pot the whole pup with it in the cover you will never get it apart either and looks like a gibson black potted pickup when done.
Stops anythind moving around as the outside of coil is buried rock solid.

[kevinT]

I think I'm going to try silly putty next, not kidding.....

How about Double Bubble or Bazooka Bubble gum. Look at the sidewalks in any major city or under the cafeteria lunch table at any elementary school. Seems to stick like hell without any adverse effects...of course you may never get your covers off again

[chevalij]

You could rename your pickups depending on the type of gum you use. Black Barts, Double Bubbles, the Double Mint twins when somebody buys a pair!

[Possum]

wax....

I think someone mentioned using melted wax just in the cover and not potting. Its worth a try, melt a little bit stick the pickup and push it together then solder it closed, it would fill the gaps and not make it hard to get the cover off again. The gap is pretty small and anything you put in there creates more gap sometimes. I've been using that lacey non slip rubber stuff you see in the hardware stores, it works pretty good but you still get some squeal if you're close to the amp....

[Sam Lee Guy]

I find RTV rubber, the kind model makers use for moulds works great. Warm up the cover so it sets quick, brush a little inside, push together and solder.
if you take the cover off, it just peels cleanly away, looks like it was never there! A little clay round the screw holes stops leakage but don't use plasticine - it'll stop the stuff setting.

[kevinT]

Seriously, what do you think about electrician's (or plumber's) putty...the stuff that electrians use to seal the opening around an electrical cable like the one going into a residence? I have a block of it that i bought years ago and it is still pliable. Even the putty on the exterior, after years in the elements, has retained it's pliability. I wouldn't think it would have any detrimental effects. I've seen it sealing holes in vinyl siding and it does't look as if it reacts with the siding.

[Possum]

wax...

I think wax is going to be the ticket for me, I tried it tonite, its relatively easy to do, I can't plug in the guitar tonite, too late, but just tapping on the slug side of the cover I can hear its solidified...