Tele assembly order

[kayakerca]

Wound some Tele bridges. Question on assembly order though. Is the baseplate typically installed before or after potting? I could see it going either way, but I thought the effectiveness of double sided tape between the bottom of the bobbin and plate could get altered somewhat during the potting process. Installing the plate post potting doesn't seem like it should be much of a problem as the wax would melt right off the ground lead come solder time, but I thought it best to put it out there for any "rule of thumb" approaches.

Thanks in advance.

HB pole piece spacing size questions will be next on my list of things I will be looking to learn. . .

[big_teee]

Don't know if there is a rule of thumb.
Here's how I do it.
I don't use double sided tape.
I use masking or 1/4 inch humbucker papr tape, to tape a small strip over the magnets.
Then I use the 3 baseplate screws and run them down to hold the baseplate in place.
I like to use the counter sunk type screws for that.
It will center the holes and keep it in place.
go ahead and solder your lead in wire, and ground the base plate to the start lead.
I don't tape at this time.
When cooled I take out the 3 screws, and tape, the pickup.
If you use the cotton string not sure if you want it on before or after potting.
If the baseplate moves at anytime there after, it will be microphonic, that is why I pot with it on.
I'm sure there are other methods out there, but that is mine.
T

[copperheadroads]

IF I'm testing the pickup to see how it sounds I use 2 way tape to stick the plate on & if it's all good i remove the 2-way tape ,wind the string over the coils , tape over the poles then put the baseplate with the 3 screws threaded through the plate & sticking out the bottom about 3/16" to act as legs while in the wax pot to keep it upright

[kayakerca]

Thanks Terry. Thanks copper. I know which direction to head now.

[kayakerca]

If I can ask the same question for the Tele neck cover, install before or after potting? If before, there would have to be a lot of wax inside between the cover and p/u.

............... Please ignore, I just found my way to an earlier post of Terry's on the topic...

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t28537/

[Beef Coon]

From my limited experience doing bridge tele pickups - any air gaps between the steel bridge plate and the bottom of the bobbin can cause really bad microphonic problems. So like Terry & Copper above, I use a piece of masking tape to cover magnets, screw the baseplate on then pot to avoid those air gaps.

I heard of people wax potting tele bridge plates for the same reason - gaps between the guitar body and bottom of the bridge.

[copperheadroads]

The Tele neck pickup cover IMO needs to be installed & then potted ,with only 3 tabs holding it on ,without wax it would cause microphonic problems .

[kayakerca]

The Tele neck pickup cover IMO needs to be installed & then potted ,with only 3 tabs holding it on ,without wax it would cause microphonic problems .

Thanks again copper.

[big_teee]

On the old post you referenced to, I said I used tape under the cover.
I no longer do that.
I now seat the cover all the way down and like copper said I pot after the cover is put on.
I drain all the hot wax, that will run out.
Then I let cool upside down so the wax remaining will go to the top of the pickup.
You also need to ground one of the tabs to the start ground lead.
I mainly wind CCW top going.
I wind the bridge CCW north up, wirh yellow and black cloth wire.
I flip the neck upside down which makes it CW South up, with White and Black wire.
YMMV,
Now where did I put my bottle of Locktite super glue, I lost it? :<)
T

[kayakerca]

On the old post you referenced to, I said I used tape under the cover.
I no longer do that.
I now seat the cover all the way down and like copper said I pot after the cover is put on.
I drain all the hot wax, that will run out.
Then I let cool upside down so the wax remaining will go to the top of the pickup.
You also need to ground one of the tabs to the start ground lead.
I mainly wind CCW top going.
I wind the bridge CCW north up, wirh yellow and black cloth wire.
I flip the neck upside down which makes it CW South up, with White and Black wire.
YMMV,
Now where did I put my bottle of Locktite super glue, I lost it? :<)
T

Thanks Terry. I was thinking that draining as much wax as possible from under the cover would probably be a good idea.