Wax potted vs unpotted guitar pickups - a back to back comparison with the same pickups
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- čas přidán 11. 10. 2022
- Featured in this video is a custom PAF style humbucker and a Cirrostratus Telecaster bridge pickup. Both available at www.alegree.co.uk/pages/alegr....
Wax potting pickups was adopted to prevent microphonic squealing at higher gain and volume levels. Some of the very first pickups were produced without wax potting, Gibson PAFs being one notable example. Debate has raged on since the adoption of this practice about if it has a sonic affect on the pickup, and if it's even audible. We aim to put this to the test to answer the question - can guitarists in general tell the difference between unpotted and potted pickups in a blind tone test?
We're using the very same pickups - not just the same model, like some other videos have done, to keep the test as accurate as possible. Every factor we can possibly control has been kept consistent to allow us the most scientifically accurate test we can put together to decide once and for all if wax potting makes an audible difference.
We'll be following up this video with a compilation of the opinions provided in the comments and from other sources and diving into the numbers to see the distribution of answers. We'll see if the general consensus is correct, and if so, by how much, in our follow up video where we reveal the answers.
I've been building guitars for a good twenty-four years as of writing, and find that a little bit of microphonics help in instruments that have good wood; not specific types of "tonewood" as such, but those occasional pieces that just have resonance and feel alive. Like when you pick up one of ten Teles and find one that has real responsiveness and character. Pair this with some slightly (or very) microphonic pickups and the whole thing comes to life when working as part of an amplified system with closed loop feedback. Like anything, you can have too much of a good thing. Equally, heavily potted pickups have their own place but are more resistant to mechanical noise and unwanted stray feedback. Potting is just another characteristic you can dial in, not a good/bad absolute.
It could be confirmation bias but I prefer them unpotted unless I'm playing clean lines with high gain, then the overtones seem to make the attack mushy. I think its like choosing tyres for your car, you have to choose what's appropriate for your conditions and needs. You don't need snow tyres in the tropics, you don't need wax potting at low gain/volume
high gain = distortion and squeal, maybe your hi-gain is at a very low volume?
*UNPOTTED*
base + clean 0:48 -- back pup 1:00 ---- both pups 1:09 ---- no base 1:31 --- back pup 1:42 --- base + dist. 2:12 ---- dist. alone 2:55
*POTTED*
base + clean 3:54 --- back pup 4:06 --- both pups 4:14 --- no base 4:36 --- back pup 4:47 -- base + dist. 5:18 ----- dist. alone 6:00
I have a set of old unpotted GFS KMZ PAFs in an Agile. I definitely like them a lot, but I'm not entirely sure I'd not enjoy them just as much potted.
A stock unboosted JCM800 can easily generate enough gain to create microphonic problems, and I tend to use boatloads of gain.
The potted sounds in the demo certainly didn't seem to lose much "mojo" - I'd hardly call that ruined, myself.
Certainly makes for a more useful instrument, which is why EVH potted his patent number pickup that's in Frankie.
Agreed with all your points
Unpotted band mix 0:49
Potted band mix 3:54
Unpotted only guitar 1:31
Potted only guitar 4:36
1 B potted
2 A potted
3 B potted
4 B potted
listenign through my TV, there's a difference, like rolling the tone pot back a bit and it sounds a bit like there's a very tight and short reverb on one set of pickups, presumably the unpotted ones. I generally don't use unpotted as they do embarassing things with a moderate distortion with a loud band.
What guitar is that?
We never got the answer?
We'll be putting a follow up together soon.
No. 1 A potted B unpotted
No. 2 A unpotted B potted
No. 3 A potted B unpotted
No. 4 A potted B unpotted
How can I unpot my humbuckers? 😅
Leave it in the baking sun. I live in Phoenix AZ. I bought a pair of Duncan Slash pickups and left them in the car for half a day. Most of the wax came off, but it sounded very cool when I installed them anyway lol.
Warm them to 141° C. let the wax drain out. careful though, you will never be able to play loud again🤣so you are missin g the sound of VOX, Marshall, HiWatt etc........czcams.com/users/sgaming/emoji/7ff574f2/emoji_u1f923.png
No 1 A potted, B unpotted
No 2 A unpotted, B potted
No 3 A unpotted B potted
No 4 A potted B unpotted
This is a toughie! However very interesting, not a lot of difference at all really, here's my uneducated guesses!
Example 1 B I think is potted
Example 2 A I think is potted
Example 3 B potted
Example 4 B potted
God knows 😂
Unwaxed is way better
The difference in sound, especially in bands, is non-existent, it is a sophistication that cannot determine a choice of potted or unpotted pickup ... and come on !!!!!!
You drowned the sound