Wax-potting pickups?

[AndreasG]

I have a '64 Firebird, sounds absolutely stunning, but through my Marshalls (wide open) esp. the bridge pup tends to squeal if I roll the volume on the guitar on "10". Also on my Super Reverb and old Gibson combo, which I play with a Fulldrive, when I switch the FD on it starts to squeal quite easily. Would you wax-pot the pups, or just live with it and adjust tone and volume on the guitar in order to minimize the problem?

 

[Rare Form]

I don't know. I am having the same problem with a Les Paul 60 RI with Throbaks. If I roll of the volume on the Hi Gain stuff, it is okay, but wide open and it squeals. My luthier who is a Master Luthier and in the business for many years says that wax potting does not change the tone dramatically if done right. He says that wax potting may actually produce the true sound of the pickup if it is not microphonic all of the time. The jury is still out on this one since once you pot it, you cannot go back, but if the squeal is making the guitar less desirable, potting may have you playing it more often. But, in other threads about this people are divided as to the cost/benefit analysis.

 

[formula73]

I've got a $10 crock pot and some beeswax and paraffin, and I usually end up potting just about every pickup I get, eventually. I never lost anything, to my ears. Well, maybe that first one that melted...

Anyway, there's all kinds of stuff about it on google. I'm not sure I'd pot the originals without either having lots of practice or a backup plan. I can tell you it's very easy to completely destroy a pickup if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[garywright]

I'm not sure I'd pot the originals without either having lots of practice or a backup plan. I can tell you it's very easy to completely destroy a pickup if you don't know what you're doing.

+1 ..no way would I pot an original fb pup ...I do like the duncan antiquity in my fb1 but it's somewhat microphonic too ( just like the originals ) ...maybe you should check into some lollars ..a lot of bird owners like them and I believe they come wax potted.

 

[Henk]

I wouldnt pot low output pickups, but i also like that raw tone where they are just not giving feedback on an amp. If your used to rolling off a bit i would keep on doing just that, experiment with the angle/distance to amp a bit aswell. Potting would change the feel of those pickups IMHO.

 

[roadrunner]

I have a '64 Firebird, sounds absolutely stunning, but through my Marshalls (wide open) esp. the bridge pup tends to squeal if I roll the volume on the guitar on "10". Also on my Super Reverb and old Gibson combo, which I play with a Fulldrive, when I switch the FD on it starts to squeal quite easily. Would you wax-pot the pups, or just live with it and adjust tone and volume on the guitar in order to minimize the problem?

It sounds "stunning" partly in part to having a microphonic pickup, that and probably some good wood.
If you pot the pickup... your "stunning" sounding guitar might not sound so stunning any more. My 2c.
I found out about this the hard way years ago.

Use the 'bird with some other amp, adjust the EQ, get an EQ pedal, roll off the volume a bit, face the amp away from the guitar, stand farther away from the amp, put a piece of plexiglass in front of the amp, etc., do anything... just don't pot the pickup.

 

[AndreasG]

well, i know how to minimize the problems, just wanted to know if potting is a good or not so good idea. i think the latter.