Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

[Bowtomecha]

I have a humbucker that I’ve modified and I’m thinking of adding some wax to it. The coils are absolutely perfectly intact and untouched and the only wax lost was from scraping done on a disassembled baseplate, magnet swap, and removal of pole screws. I don’t want to chance having to take the humbucker out again just because of any microphonics. I was thinking about dripping a bit of melted candle wax inside as I seat the parts back in and finish up with a hair dryer once everything is tightened up to get things congealed. Is this okay?

 

[freefrog]

Re: Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

I think so...

Fixing a squealing pickup doesn't always require to pull it off, anyway. I've solved such issues a couple of times with the pickup still in the guitar under the strings.

BTW, silicone plumber tape is a cleaner alternative to wax when screws get loose.

Good luck in your work.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

You will be better off just warming the pickup with a hair dryer to reflow the existing wax. Just dripping wax onto the pickup will do nothing but make a mess.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

Your best solution is to just put it back into the guitar. You haven't hurt anything and there is no real wax loss which would affect the microphonics of the pup.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

right, just put it back together and you should be fine

 

[Bowtomecha]

Re: Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

I don’t think I’ve left it hurting, but the modification is an odd one. I shaved the outer side of the screw coil metal spacer down like a fraction of a mm, inserted a spacer magnet against it, and rerouted the 4 conductor wire through the other side cable hole (it no longer has a channel to go through now that it’s on the slug side but because of the plastic spacer’s shorter length, I have the ground soldered to baseplate inside and the cable running straight through the wire hole.) I also shaved down the plastic spacer on the slug side to allow everything to fit and align properly. Snug fit just like before the mod, once I screw everything in. I’m just thinking that a tiny bit of wax melted will secure things in place much like before the mod.

 

[freefrog]

Re: Any real need to add wax to a deconstructed pickup?

I don’t think I’ve left it hurting, but the modification is an odd one. I shaved the outer side of the screw coil metal spacer down like a fraction of a mm, inserted a spacer magnet against it, and rerouted the 4 conductor wire through the other side cable hole (it no longer has a channel to go through now that it’s on the slug side but because of the plastic spacer’s shorter length, I have the ground soldered to baseplate inside and the cable running straight through the wire hole.) I also shaved down the plastic spacer on the slug side to allow everything to fit and align properly. Snug fit just like before the mod, once I screw everything in. I’m just thinking that a tiny bit of wax melted will secure things in place much like before the mod.

IME, the trick is to prevent any vibration of metallic / magnetic elements in contact with the baseplate : cover, keeper bar, slugs, screws, magnet(s)... and even height setting springs in some cases. If these components are loose and/or can vibrate, the pickup will risk to squeal, even if its coils are potted.

Now, the way to avoid vibrations doesn't really matter: some pickups include magnets glued for that (it was the case in one of my 40 years old Seymourized SH1's). It's also possible to find OEM / MIC transducers with a thin layer of foam sandwiched under their magnetic circuits, boutique sets with various kinds and placements of adhesive tapes or silicone beads, etc... All these means prevent squealing efficiently - and as I said, plumber tape can be handy as well.

That said, candle wax is not necessarily up to the task IMHO, since it can be too thick when hot then brittle once cold.

Good luck again in your work...