PRS SE Soapbar II P90 Pickup's => are the Potted ? they're Microphonic !?!

[ben ifin]

PRS SE Soapbar II P90 Pickup's => are they Wax Potted ???

Firstly ...... Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays etc.... to all.

This is a really dumb question ..... but here goes anyway.

I have a 2005 PRS SE Soapbar II P90 ...... just love it ..... great neck, feel and light as a feather ..... most importantly it growls and chimes gorgeoulsy through my Ceriatone DC30 ....... the stock P90's are awesome ....... why these guitars dont get more love is simply baffling .... but I digress.

When plugged in, and at stage level, if I tap the plastic pickup covers with my pick, it "microphones" through the amp.

=> does this mean that the pickups are *not* wax potted (?)

-or-

=> do wax potted pickups also make this sound and react like this (?)

Thanks,
Ben

 

[ben ifin]

...... bump ...... ? .......

 

[Bill SAS 513]

I know you will get a tapping sound when the pickup is selected by the toggle, and you tap the pole pieces, and I'd imagine you'd get a tapping noise if it's selected and you tap the pickup cover , just at lesser volume. Don't know how much potting will effect this...??

 

[ben ifin]

Thanks. Really just trying to find out if these come wax potted from the factory as if they don't then I will wax pot them myself.

Ben

 

[ben ifin]

....... no-one (?) ....... bump .......

 

[Boogie]

I honestly don't know, for certain, that it's potted or not, but since it sounds so good, why mod it? I've gigged the bajeebers out of my SE One and never had distasteful squeal...and I'm LOUD. In my experience, potting takes some of the wooly character out of the pickup that I really like. The only exception are Gibson's late '70s mini humbuckers which squeal if you look at them wrong. I wouldn't worry about it and just enjoy.

Edit: after taking one apart, I can confirm that it IS potted.

 

[rugerpc]

I think Boogie has it right.

Unless they are squeezing or really making some bad sounds, I would leave them alone.

What happens (if anything) to the tone of a pup when it is potted? Does it get smoother? Is there a frequency shift of any kind?

Maxwell's equations tell us that power runs on the OUTSIDE of a wire. That is the main reason stranded wire can carry more of a load than solid wire of the same gauge. The wax is obviously in contract with the bulk of the wire surface. Its purpose is to decrease or eliminate sympathetic, physical vibrations in the wire that would induce an unwanted signal. But does that also effect the ability of the wire to transmit its power in any way?

 

[AP515]

...does that also effect the ability of the wire to transmit its power in any way?

I think so. Potting "tames" them a little. The price you pay for not being microphonic is also not being as edgey.

 

[rugerpc]

I think so. Potting "tames" them a little. The price you pay for not being microphonic is also not being as edgey.

That makes electrical sense to me, though I cannot provide examples.

 

[Boogie]

Maxwell's equations tell us that power runs on the OUTSIDE of a wire. ...The wax is obviously in contract with the bulk of the wire surface. does that also effect the ability of the wire to transmit its power in any way?

The wax is in contact only with the wire's insulation, so no, there shouldn't be any further impedance (I mean that literally) of the signal by wax. It only serves to stop the wire vibrating from the sonic assault. This is why I love a mid '50s P-90 so much. Dirty and nasty. Keep it on the verge of "out of control" and you'll see why Leslie West sounded so damned good. Joseph/AP515 is, in my opinion, spot-on.

 

[rugerpc]

It's been a while since Paul passed around a spool of the 'special' wire at a small seminar. I just can't remember if it was bare or lacquer coated.....