Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

LMark

New member
I plan to build a coupla humbucker-sized P90s. Is it customary to pot these? There's a lot of metal there! They are going into an L5-Studio. I never play at high volume--only Atkins/Travis style. Thanks, Mark
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

Yeah, Clint 55. I don't know what to expect since I've never done it before. I've read that the original P90s had no potting, but you have all that plastic around them. I'm leaning toward no wax; if they squeal, then I'll have to pull them. It's a big thick top--seriously thick. Thanks, Mark
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

I'd say no. You will get more dynamics, which is crucial for that style. I'd consider potting if you were using a lot of gain. But I'd think the hollow-ness of the body is bound to cause more feedback than the pickups being unpotted, anyway.
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

I had wax potted, "double wax potted- by the sticker on them) P90's in my Epiphone Wildkat.

and metal covers. They squealed like HELL under high gain, and just "conversation" volumes.

So i decided to dampen the covers with silicone. (destroyed my neck PU, when the POS soldering iron slipped into the coil...)

But the Bridge pickup now doesn't squeal- at all- but has lost some of it's... metallic overtones?! :o

It's darker, the top end is "smoother" (less metallic)- and ... well it has changed character.
I hope not I have fried together some of the windings, due that the whole PU got very hot, while I tried to melt the solder.

Not sure what has really happened.

-Erl
 
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Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

My unpotted Seths and Ants have never squealed from my clean playing.
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

It's best to use an iron with a very large flat tip on the pup covers. You transfer more heat faster to a smaller area, get the job done, and go on to the next thing. I have an el-cheapo 150 watt iron with a huge blade just for that kind of thing. LMark
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

^ I'm all about that approach also. Beast any part that isn't fragile and needs a lot of heat like covers or attaching a ground wire to the bridge. I solder all my grounds to the pot backs with my 45 watt, then come back with the 100 watt and beast the solder and liquify it and make an unstoppable connection.
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

Yeah....

a new soldering iron will be bought, when I order the replacement neck P90 :/.

Was trying to unsolder the pickup covers, with a ...25w? cheap "soldering kit" iron, no-name brand. Stupid of me, I know.
 
Re: Humbucker P90s -- Wax or No?

My unpotted Seths and Ants have never squealed from my clean playing.

Mine didn't squeal on the clean channel either, but I play alot of distorted leads & riffs :).

It was the covers squealing, not the pickups themselves.

-Erl
 
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