Potted vs Non Potted Pups

[BigTimeOperator]

Can anyone fill me in on the tonal differences between potted and non potted pups? And in what kind of applications does noise/feedback become an issue with non potted pups. I have a vintage all tube amp rig, more along the lines of a JTM or SuperBass than say a Super Lead kind of tone. Very ballsy and smooth and with 120 watts, loud as hell when I want it.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Potted vs Non Potted Pups

Can anyone fill me in on the tonal differences between potted and non potted pups? And in what kind of applications does noise/feedback become an issue with non potted pups. I have a vintage all tube amp rig, more along the lines of a JTM or SuperBass than say a Super Lead kind of tone. Very ballsy and smooth and with 120 watts, loud as hell when I want it.

Duncan's non-potted pickups don't suffer the microphonic problems of other non-potted pickups as long as you aren't standing directly in front of or in very close proximity to your loud amp..

The non-potted pickup has more "air" or "openess" of tone and some folks say they hear more harmonics in their tone...I've always pretty much have been a potted pickup user and I'll say that some of the things I Mention above wouldn't pertain to the potted pickup...I have use both though...With me,the pickup I use is more important than whether it's potted or not..

John

 

[dr.barlo]

I agree with John.

Finding out the exact answer is very difficult. You have to have a non-potted pickup, record it (either into your god given hardrive , or into some other media) and then do the wax-potting and compare.

I for one feel that there are more harmonics sent into the output signal with non-potted HB's. I have not done a very scientific comparison, rather, this opinion is based on the comparison between my potted and non-potted HB's overall characteristics.

B

 

[Gearjoneser]

I use nickel covered from everything from crystal clean to midgrind
to 120 watts of Chernobyl. It's gotta be potted, or it's uncontrollable squeals, but usually only when I hit a lead tone.

 

[captain cavman]

I mainly use Seths & Ants PUs with 4X12 cabs that I really crank and I never had microphonic problem with those PUs.

Perhaps in front of a wall of cranked Marshall you'll find differences between potted and non potted PUs but the above mentionned products don't show any weakness compared to, say, PGs or '59s.