Copper tape on Saturday Night Specials

[TrashPanda]

I picked up a used set of SNS a while back that needed the base plates replaced due to previous owner drilling them out so they could wood mount them...I think.

Anyways, removing the old plates required me removing the black tape around the coils. The bridge has a 2nd layer of copper tape underneath that goes around each coil separately, with a piece of soldered wire between them. Meanwhile, the neck pickup was just black tape and epoxy.

Is there any reason 1 would have the extra tape and the other wouldn't? Do necks ever have the copper tape in your experience? And when I replace the black tape, is it worth repotting or just wrap and get to installing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jeremy]

trembucker or not? most (all?) trembuckers have that copper tape. helps with shielding and also fattens the tone a touch. dont want that on a neck pup, sometimes want it on a bridge pup. i wouldnt take it off since its right on the coil. thats not epoxy, its wax. dont bother repotting the pup

 

[TrashPanda]

It wasn't listed as a TB when I bought it and I haven't measured it. Just assumed it was normal. Now I'm curious.

Are you sure it's wax? Idk much about potting pickups, but its completely transparent and I can't scratch it off with my fingernails.

 

[jeremy]

i have a sns set and they are wax potted, i didnt see any epoxy when i installed them. i dont know if non-trembucker sns bridge models have the copper tape but they could

 

[beaubrummels]

It wasn't listed as a TB when I bought it and I haven't measured it. Just assumed it was normal. Now I'm curious.

Are you sure it's wax? Idk much about potting pickups, but its completely transparent and I can't scratch it off with my fingernails.

Trembuckers have 3 holes on the mounting tabs and the corners are rounded. You'd know just by looking at the plate. Some models actually used to have Trembucker stamped into the metal.

 

[TrashPanda]

It wasn't listed as a TB when I bought it...

Apparently I was mistaken. I pulled up the purchase history and it was in fact listed as a trembucker. I noticed the 3 holes on the tabs and thought maybe the guy had done that himself. Live and learn. I couldn't see if the baseplate was stamped as it is covered in... God only knows.

 

[jeremy]

well, there we go! im quite happy with the sns set i have