if you are going for it this link may help:
http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/electrical/index.php
http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/electrical/index.php
Has anyone here ever wax potted pickups?
- Thread starter CaseyCor
- Start date
PoPSkuLL
New member
:|::QBB:
Sgt.....try a 300k and 500k pot first before doing anything else. It sounds like the original pot is fuxored. It may not cure the squeals...then again it might. Another thing to check is the tone cap. Is it in good shape, as in no visible damage (leaks,cracks around the connections etc). RS Guitar works has excellent quality LP kits and individual parts to choose from. Much cheaper to replace pots and caps then if necessary replace the pickup(s). My personal rec for a classic like yours is the Bare Knuckle Mule or Black Dog bridge. Either of those can be had with aged covers and in calibrated sets if you want to go whole hog. As a previous poster has stated bag the originals for installation when or if it comes time sell. Potting pu's is a messy job and I would rec you leave that to a pro.
Hope I've given you some more options....(like you need more
)
SgtThump":4ba9e said:
Sgt.....try a 300k and 500k pot first before doing anything else. It sounds like the original pot is fuxored. It may not cure the squeals...then again it might. Another thing to check is the tone cap. Is it in good shape, as in no visible damage (leaks,cracks around the connections etc). RS Guitar works has excellent quality LP kits and individual parts to choose from. Much cheaper to replace pots and caps then if necessary replace the pickup(s). My personal rec for a classic like yours is the Bare Knuckle Mule or Black Dog bridge. Either of those can be had with aged covers and in calibrated sets if you want to go whole hog. As a previous poster has stated bag the originals for installation when or if it comes time sell. Potting pu's is a messy job and I would rec you leave that to a pro.
Hope I've given you some more options....(like you need more
)
tweed
New member
The caps are worth money and sound good leave them alone if possible. Replace the pot .
As for potting its pretty easy. I use a pressure cooker with a vacuum pump attached. This way I can saturate the coil in a reasonable amount of time. Plus it really gets the wax in there and eleminates the problem.
If you want to go to the grocery store and just get some parafin wax, usually with the canning stuff jars etc, it will work just fine for now. If the covers will come off easily you can try just shaving some parafin into the cover, where it meets the top of the pickup and put it back on tightly. Sometimes the squeal is just the cover vibrating ever so slightly and this causes the squeal. If you do this make sure you clamp the cover down then resolder to ensure a tight fit.
If you decide to pot them make sure you keep the temp around 150 degrees. Much under 150 and the wax will get clumpy and wont penatrate the coil. Go to far over and you will warp the plastic and/or destroy the coil.
Double boiler method is a good way to do it to ensure you don't screw the pups up. Just watch the temp closely and wait for the bubbles to stop coming out, ususally 10 mins give or take a few. I would also suggest removing the pup from the wax bath , placing it face down on a plate, and putting it in the fridge right away. This will harden the wax pretty fast and keep it inside the cover. Afterwards you will have a bit of cleanup to do with wax buildup coming out of the screw holes, but its not to bad.
Something else for you to consider. A quick potting may do the trick. Some guys feel that cooking the pup for to long changes the tone, so keep that in mind.
I would make sure the wax is 150 degrees, double a paper towel over and place in the bottom of the wax for added protection, dip the pup in and out a few times so it becomes the same temp as the wax and the wax will get inside the cover, let it sit for a few minutes, watch for most of the bubbles to stop, then take it out, put in fridge for 15 mins, then polish and reinstall.
Ive tried typing this response 4 freaking times today and keep getting interupted at work. So if it doesn't make sense let me know and I'll try to explain it further.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
.As for potting its pretty easy. I use a pressure cooker with a vacuum pump attached. This way I can saturate the coil in a reasonable amount of time. Plus it really gets the wax in there and eleminates the problem.
If you want to go to the grocery store and just get some parafin wax, usually with the canning stuff jars etc, it will work just fine for now. If the covers will come off easily you can try just shaving some parafin into the cover, where it meets the top of the pickup and put it back on tightly. Sometimes the squeal is just the cover vibrating ever so slightly and this causes the squeal. If you do this make sure you clamp the cover down then resolder to ensure a tight fit.
If you decide to pot them make sure you keep the temp around 150 degrees. Much under 150 and the wax will get clumpy and wont penatrate the coil. Go to far over and you will warp the plastic and/or destroy the coil.
Double boiler method is a good way to do it to ensure you don't screw the pups up. Just watch the temp closely and wait for the bubbles to stop coming out, ususally 10 mins give or take a few. I would also suggest removing the pup from the wax bath , placing it face down on a plate, and putting it in the fridge right away. This will harden the wax pretty fast and keep it inside the cover. Afterwards you will have a bit of cleanup to do with wax buildup coming out of the screw holes, but its not to bad.
Something else for you to consider. A quick potting may do the trick. Some guys feel that cooking the pup for to long changes the tone, so keep that in mind.
I would make sure the wax is 150 degrees, double a paper towel over and place in the bottom of the wax for added protection, dip the pup in and out a few times so it becomes the same temp as the wax and the wax will get inside the cover, let it sit for a few minutes, watch for most of the bubbles to stop, then take it out, put in fridge for 15 mins, then polish and reinstall.
Ive tried typing this response 4 freaking times today and keep getting interupted at work. So if it doesn't make sense let me know and I'll try to explain it further.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
PoPSkuLL
New member
That cap looks fine. Pretty bad soldering job if you ask me though. The idea is to use as little solder as possible to get the job done.Lead free solder is a worthwhile investment. Not surprised by the T Tops not being potted.
The ground wires are not shielded between the pots. I'd change that for sure. The ground wire to the bridge is also bare. Id change that as well to a shielded one. I use shrink tube over the vintage shielded stuff and tie the - wire and shield together at the bridge leaving the outside shield floating at the pot end (as a drain wire). Some conductive paint would be a good idea for the cavities and is really easy to do.
Finding the supplies for potting is not as easy as it would seem. Try and find an arts and crafts supply store like Michaels...heres a link to it
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home
Have fun Sgt.
The ground wires are not shielded between the pots. I'd change that for sure. The ground wire to the bridge is also bare. Id change that as well to a shielded one. I use shrink tube over the vintage shielded stuff and tie the - wire and shield together at the bridge leaving the outside shield floating at the pot end (as a drain wire). Some conductive paint would be a good idea for the cavities and is really easy to do.
Finding the supplies for potting is not as easy as it would seem. Try and find an arts and crafts supply store like Michaels...heres a link to it
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home
Have fun Sgt.
Variable
Active member
:|::QBB:
I have a Rio Grande BBQ in the bridge of my Agile 2800. I think the DC listing on Rio's website for that pickup is waaaaay off, because it's the highest output pickup in any of my guitars. Maybe it's the guitar, I'm not sure. That said, I like it; it's a very even sounding pickup, maybe a bit scooped. Lots of thunk, the highs aren't shrill, but it can be a touch on the dry side because of the scooped mids.
Here's a detuned clip I made with that guitar:
http://humandiscourse.com/teh_metalz_remixed.mp3
No lead:
http://humandiscourse.com/nolead.mp3
It's bad playing, but should give you at least something to go on concerning that pickup. FYI, the neck lead parts are a Rio Grande Texas.
Edit:
I should point out that the tone pots are disconnected in that guitar; it does make a bit of difference in the high end.
Also, I've wax-potted pickups with a double boiler before (80% paraffin, 20% beeswax), and it didn't really help the squealing in the Little '59 and Hot Rails I potted. Of course, I had those in a Telecaster, and that metal bridge plate vibrates like a mofo, so that's probably why.
SgtThump":f1c4f said:
I have a Rio Grande BBQ in the bridge of my Agile 2800. I think the DC listing on Rio's website for that pickup is waaaaay off, because it's the highest output pickup in any of my guitars. Maybe it's the guitar, I'm not sure. That said, I like it; it's a very even sounding pickup, maybe a bit scooped. Lots of thunk, the highs aren't shrill, but it can be a touch on the dry side because of the scooped mids.
Here's a detuned clip I made with that guitar:
http://humandiscourse.com/teh_metalz_remixed.mp3
No lead:
http://humandiscourse.com/nolead.mp3
It's bad playing, but should give you at least something to go on concerning that pickup. FYI, the neck lead parts are a Rio Grande Texas.
Edit:
I should point out that the tone pots are disconnected in that guitar; it does make a bit of difference in the high end.
Also, I've wax-potted pickups with a double boiler before (80% paraffin, 20% beeswax), and it didn't really help the squealing in the Little '59 and Hot Rails I potted. Of course, I had those in a Telecaster, and that metal bridge plate vibrates like a mofo, so that's probably why.
JamesPeters
New member
The cover can be removed from the neck pickup too. FWIW, I remove covers from all my pickups. They only serve to dull the sound slightly and provide more microphonic tendencies.
