To Wax Pot or Not to Wax Pot

I was contacted today by a young guy whos asked me to wax pot his humbuckers, sure i say $15 each no sweat.

I then inquire, what sort of humbuckers are they, are they microphonic and squealing?, the reply, they are Chinese and no they dont make any noise, then why do you want them potted? because he read it makes them sound better :rolleyes:

Ok ok i decide to look at his pickups for free, quick strip down and they have had the Chinese wax seal job, wax put between the cover and the bottom plate and plastic tape wrapped around the coil. They wont need potting, save your money for some better pickups, they will do you for now as they are, one happy customer.

Alot of people head for the wax pot without any idea of why they are doing so, it can be extremely dangerous and also destroy a pickup.

I use 80% paraffin and 20% pure bees wax, some go for straight paraffin and other variables, remembering straight paraffin can ignite easily from it vapour, dont use stove tops especially gas for melting wax and use some sort of double boiler method. Wear eye protection, hot wax will burn your eyes and skin.

If a humbucker has the cover on, i will pot it that way, unless asked to remove it, laying the pickup face down with the pole pieces wound right in, after 10-15 mins when it stops bubbling i pour off a little excess wax and leave it to dry face down on my bench, creating a pool of wax in the cover. Temperatures for a Humbucker, remembering they have plastic bobbins and on the cheap ones they have plastic tape not the material tape, i try and stay at 60C or 140-145f. If a Humbucker comes with out a cover i put bands around the bobbins if they have tape, to hold the tape together and prevent it unraveling.

Single coils, i pot without question, in particular Telecaster bridges and if they a forbon bobbins i will do them at 150f. 60.5C

Some pickups have been potted with lacquer, if these pickup need repair they are pretty much rendered irreparable.

My setup

wax on wax off 80-20 mix
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Sunbeam deep fryer is perfect.
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Melting melting, keep your eye on it dont walk away and leave it.
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Too hot an watch out it doesnt spit hot wax over you.
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Bubble Bubble, 15 to 20mins, i move it around a few times, also making sure it remains wholly with the basket
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