Potting Pickup in Fender American PV

[Red Planet]

Just posting this if anyone has one of these and they have this issue.



I recently picked up an American Precision 5 string. After having it a week or so I noticed the Pickup was rather Micro-phonic and occasionally I would make some odd noise if I hit it while playing.

For me this was a problem that needed solving YMMV.


I removed the Pickup completely from my Bass and took the plastic covers off.

I then heated/melted some paraffin wax and poured it into the plastic covers until it filled them about half way. Then I shoved the coils back in them and let cool.

I then replaced the PUP's in the Bass and vuala. End of Micro-phonics for the most part. This also helps if you have a pickup that squeals when your rig is cranked.

Caution not allowing wax to cool before pouring in to covers and cool again before shoving coils in will kill the pickups.

[line6man]

That is definitely not the proper way to wax pot a pickup.

You are supposed to submerge the pickup in a pot of wax, not pour the wax into the covers.

[Red Planet]

There is no difference.

Why did I have a feeling there would be a post like this.

By putting the wax in the cover and pushing the coil in you get the same affect. You get a coating of wax all over the coil, the excess runs out.

You can certainly dip them though with a pickup that has the plastic covers is just easier to pour it in than dip them.

[line6man]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

By putting the wax in the cover and pushing the coil in you get the same affect. You get a coating of wax all over the coil, the excess runs out.

You are supposed to submerge the pickup in the wax for 10-15 minutes so that the wax will permeate every nook and cranny of the coil.

[Red Planet]

I have done a number of these through the years and have gotten the results I desired so.

[M0ses]

Hey man. If the results don't have to be perfect, then whatever. That'll get the job done. But you're definitely gonna offend some pickup pros by bragging about it

[TC2112]

How did you keep the melted wax in your P bass pickup covers? did they not have holes for the pole pieces?

[Red Planet]

Originally Posted by M0ses

Hey man. If the results don't have to be perfect, then whatever. That'll get the job done. But you're definitely gonna offend some pickup pros by bragging about it

Did not realise I was bragging. My results have been nothing less than stellar.

IMO you are playing with fire by leaving the PUP in hot wax for a prolonged amount of time. You may pull one out in pieces some day.

As far as offending a Pro, I have been doing this for 30 plus years and no I'm not offended.

The Internet is a wonderful thing.

[Red Planet]

Originally Posted by TC2112

How did you keep the melted wax in your P bass pickup covers? did they not have holes for the pole pieces?

Electrical tape.

I put a piece of electrical tape on the top of the covers to hold it in. This works well on chrome covered pickups also.

[Red Planet]

I can see how one might want to soak a pickup that does not have a cover. Say like a 53 reissue P Bass PUP. Since there is nothing to keep much wax around it, some inside might help. Though I have never seen one of these with problems.

By coating the outside of the pickup between the coil and the cover one has effectively almost entirely eliminated squealing and Micro-phonics. No need for wax on the inside of the coil.

[walterw]

there are certainly lots of ways to skin a cat, but in general, the normal way is to pull the thing out and submerge in wax that's just hot enough to be melted for long enough to get the wax soaked into the coil, usually not more than 10-15 seconds.

this does the job, while still allowing for a removable cover. (a plastic cover isn't going to create any squeal, and doesn't need to be "frozen" in place like a metal cover does. metal covers like on guitar humbuckers get soldered on and the whole thing dipped as a unit.)

oh, and i don't mean to ever incite any riots on the internet!

[Red Planet]

Originally Posted by walterw

there are certainly lots of ways to skin a cat, but in general, the normal way is to pull the thing out and submerge in wax that's just hot enough to be melted for long enough to get the wax soaked into the coil, usually not more than 10-15 seconds.

this does the job, while still allowing for a removable cover. (a plastic cover isn't going to create any squeal, and doesn't need to be "frozen" in place like a metal cover does. metal covers like on guitar humbuckers get soldered on and the whole thing dipped as a unit.)

oh, and i don't mean to ever incite any riots on the internet!

Cool.

I have always unsolder-ed metal covered PUP's to get the wax in. A while back I did a set in a 73 Les Paul Deluxe. It had the min humbuckers in it. The things sounded great but would squeal through a cranked amp. I desoldered them, taped the covers, poured the wax in, and put them back together. After that the thing worked great. It had the same great tone but without the squeal.

Soaking is not an issue at all, I just like to pour it in the covers, and push them in. I could not imagine soaking a set of Vintage PUP's for a long period of time, in wax that was hot enough to stay liquid that long.

I never intend to start a riot but it works out that way sometimes.

[walterw]

soaking is not a big deal, especially for vintage fender pickups, which are made of that fiberboard material which won't melt. plastic-bobbin pickups like gibsons can also be soaked, as the length of time it takes to get the air out is on the order of 20-30 seconds, and anyway the wax should be just hot enough to melt, at which point it really doesn't pose a risk either way.

pouring the wax in a metal cover then jamming the pickup in will likely eliminate the squeal caused by the cover, but sometimes the innards of the pickup can get loose, and soaking will also solidify that. plus, it's tricky to solder the cover back on tightly when the thing's all hot and dripping with wax.

never looking to incite arguments on the quest for insight

[Red Planet]

Sorry I was referring to the 10 to 15 minutes comment.

Old pickups can be fragile. I once had a 1953 P Bass PUP fall apart in my hands. Not from potting though.

Anywho like I said originally I posted this in case anyone with this particular bass runs across this problem.

This problem is magnified by the floppiness of the Low B in this Bass. I also installed a set of DR Nickel Low Riders which helped keep that Low B a little more tout.

Just every so often I would make the string come down and hit the PUP (not the poles) and it would make an unpleasant noise.

This fix absolutely cleared up the problem.

I would think that soaking to get more wax inside would affect tone greater than just an outer coating. I could see where this would be helpful for an old deteriorated musty PUP though.

[yem]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

...and vuala.

After four years of day dreaming in class I can tell you two things: 1) I can't speak french
2) it's "voila"

Thanks for the DIY info.

[Red Planet]

Originally Posted by yem

After four years of day dreaming in class I can tell you two things: 1) I can't speak french
2) it's "voila"

Thanks for the DIY info.

Ha. When you have been drinking as much as I have that is the way you speell it.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

I would think that soaking to get more wax inside would affect tone greater than just an outer coating. I could see where this would be helpful for an old deteriorated musty PUP though.

manufacturers routinely fully soak their pickups in the first place, it's not really a big risk. hell, some even do a "vacuum waxing" thing where the wax gets sucked into every nook and cranny, forcing out all the air.

some guitar players like unpotted pickups because the added ringing overtones makes for a livelier sound for low-gain blues styles. otherwise, fully potted (i.e., dipped in a wax "pot") is the norm, not the exception, and isn't going to change the tone except for reducing the microphonics.

i wonder if the issue with that bass of yours was the pickup not being held tightly up under the cover, and thus moving around when you bumped it and making more noise? in that case, firmer foam padding underneath would have fixed it, just like your method of "freezing" the coil into the plastic cover did.

(oh, and you do know i'm going to keep referencing something about "incite" and "insight" until you fix your sig, right? )

[Red Planet]

Originally Posted by walterw

(oh, and you do know i'm going to keep referencing something about "incite" and "insight" until you fix your sig, right? )

Well just depends on your perspective.

[GlennW]

You can also use sanding sealer instead. Submerge for a hour or two and let dry overnight. Not trying to butt in, but it's easy and safe.

[knuckle_head]

Originally Posted by GlennW

You can also use sanding sealer instead.

IIRC this is what held vintage pup assemblies together and insulated the poles from the wraps as well. Sanding sealer, shellac... tomato, tomotto

Originally Posted by walterw

hell, some even do a "vacuum waxing" thing where the wax gets sucked into every nook and cranny, forcing out all the air.

Bees wax and a vacuum bell - it's how I've always done it.