Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

[Gearjoneser]

I just bought a nickel Seth Lover neck for my Les Paul Std, to go with the Custom 5 bridge. It's replacing the 59N.

My question...since I use every tone from crystal clean to super high gain, and ALWAYS use potted pickups, would you suggest that I lightly pot this Seth neck before installing it, or leave it alone first, to test it for microphonics, THEN pot it, if necessary? I'd hate to have to rip it apart again, but want to hear some opinions on this, before I install it.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I just bought a nickel Seth Lover neck for my Les Paul Std, to go with the Custom 5 bridge. It's replacing the 59N. This is for my LP Std. Prem. Plus

My question...since I use every tone from crystal clean to super high gain, and ALWAYS use potted pickups, would you suggest that I lightly pot this Seth neck before installing it, or leave it alone first, to test it for microphonics, THEN pot it, if necessary? I'd hate to have to rip it apart again, but want to hear some opinions on this, before I install it.

You shouldn't have any problems with the non-potted Duncan pickups unless you are standing right in front of your amp at very loud volume levels...I'd not pot your Seth unless it is in fact a real problem for you(But it probably won't be)..

John

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I asked Evan about this once. If I'm not mistaken (which I probably am) he told me about the only adverse affects would be that it'd make the pickups a tad darker.

 

[Curly]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I know at the factory Evan said that MJ sometimes pots Seths for some customers upon request.

I have a question, though. Isn't the "non-potted" aspect part of what gives a Seth its own personality?

 

[MattPete]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

Isn't a potted Seth just a 59 with an A2 magnet?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I know at the factory Evan said that MJ sometimes pots Seths for some customers upon request.

I have a question, though. Isn't the "non-potted" aspect part of what gives a Seth its own personality?

There's this certain other openess of sound with the pickup unpotted...Hard to explain really?

John

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I figured the effect would be a slightly darker, and less resonant sound. I think Scott F said something about an internal component being made out of a more heat sensitive material?? so potting in very hot wax could damage them?

If MJ has potted them for people on request, does she use a lower temperature wax, or something. The reason for my concern is that sometimes I do stand right in front of a blaring halfstack on a lead channel. I'm hoping the covers are installed tight enough to avoid the whistling effect.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

GJ, I rage on an Antiquity set through my Mesa rack running full bore and I have no problems with squeal or microphonics.

I think you'll be fine as well.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I thought I had heard that unpotted pickups can tend to sound bigger and fuller.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I thought I had heard that unpotted pickups can tend to sound bigger and fuller.

It's hard as heck to explain but it's a sense of more openess of tone...A less restricted tone from the pickups or other harmonic content that comes out of the pickup because it's not potted..It's something you hear and feel but it's hard to explain..

John

 

[mrid]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I recommend trying it unpotted first.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I would not pot it before trying.

B

 

[Marinblues]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

don't do it......

 

[Thames]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

I think Scott F said something about an internal component being made out of a more heat sensitive material?? so potting in very hot wax could damage them?

Yeah GJzer.. you're right. The bobbins on the Seth and Ants are made of butyrate (original material) and are way more heat-sensitive than the modern materials used now.

If you're not 100% sure of what you're doing, why dont you send the pickup to SD Custom Shop ?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

Has anyone here actually taken two identical pickups, potted one and left the other unpotted and then compared them? Or are we just guessing that the potted one will sound less lively? I have not. Just curious...

Thanks! Lew

 

[Curly]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

Has anyone here actually taken two identical pickups, potted one and left the other unpotted and then compared them? Or are we just guessing that the potted one will sound less lively? I have not. Just curious...

Thanks! Lew

I don't know, but I would think MJ and others at the factory might have some insight from those that have requested potted Seths.

I took 2 pictures of the factory "potters", and when we were standing there, I know that Evan asked MJ about potting Seths ...

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

Has anyone here actually taken two identical pickups, potted one and left the other unpotted and then compared them? Or are we just guessing that the potted one will sound less lively? I have not. Just curious...

Thanks! Lew

Being a test freak and all, that's exactly what I have been wondering for a long time. I did not do it because I loved the all the non-potted ones I owned. And doing that test would mean possibly losing that initial tone. And talking to tim white (who described that in great detail), and jim rolph, made me believe them, and basically what they said was that with the potting, less harmonic content is to be trasferred to the output. And it makes sense, afterall sq'ling is a form of harmonic content, not desired tho.

I believe comparing some of the HB's I have, I hear that. I am talking about a comparison of a 8.75K 59b and a 8.70 ant with an a5; and 7.55K 59n and a 7.53K ant both with a3 magnets. All of those are uncovered. I know this is not an exact comparison, yet, maybe it entails a glimpse of the effect potting does.

B

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Potting Seths and Antiquities. Good? Bad?

BTW the following link might help (especially to those who would search for this subject in the future)

This is how fralin does his potting:

http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/electronics/ts26fralin/ts26fralin.html