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Custom Buckers - Potted?

Tommy Tourbus

Active member
Joined
Jan 1, 2005
Messages
871
The pair I have seem to be lightly potted. I get the same sound when I tap my pick on them as I do a WCR set I have in another guitar, and I know those are lightly potted. Compared to my other guitars when I tap on a set of Wolfetones I have, the Wolfetones sound much more hollow, and when I tap on a set of Duncans, the Duncans are much more solid sounding. The Custom Buckers (and WCR's) are right in the middle
 

goldtop0

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Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Yep as you say lightly(well maybe not too over the top gooey) potted.
I tried different magnets in my neck pup recently and that's what I found.......scraped as much wax off that one as possible.
 

P.Walker

New member
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
941
Regarding the vintage derivatives, Gibson usually does the opens coils, but hardly any on the cover (which is usually the culprit for squeal).

Duncan does both and are for most practical purposes squeal free.

Dimarzio/PRS are literally bars of wax soap inside.

As for me, I run unpotted antiquity coils with full strength magnets (which are waxed), with covers that are waxed as well. The coils themselves no.

If you can hear a clink clink at loud volumes, take a look at covers. More "thud, thud" then you are good to go, at least with high gain.

For most people the issue is with microphonic squeal. For some, it's about the sound. And for others, they like the squealish harmonic thing going on straight into a loud amp, so they'll go the whole shebang. Kinda like a old blackguard through a large bassman will squeal like crazy, but there are those who like crazy. Me? Sometimes, mostly no.
 

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
This is what I was told in 2014 when I purchased my R9 from Dave's that the custom buckers were lightly potted and I was quite happy to hear that I would not have an issue with squealing . I have to add the custom buckers are the best pickups with the exception of Vintage PAF's IMHO. I have to amend my post as now ThroBak pickups are the best save for the hallowed vintage PAF's.
 
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JoeC

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Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
92
My 2018 Custombucker felt lightly potted compared my 2014 R8 (From Daves). I had called Gibson to ask them that question. Whoever answered the phone said potted is potted. But I was not convinced in his convidence. It may be the person who is doing the potting, just like there were differences based on employee 60 years ago.
 

goldtop0

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Aug 19, 2003
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8,931
From what I've read here in the last year or so potted means fully potted......... the coils.
At some stage in '18 Gibson introduced the unpotted CBs which I believe are used exclusively now.
 

JoeC

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Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
92
From what I've read here in the last year or so potted means fully potted......... the coils.
At some stage in '18 Gibson introduced the unpotted CBs which I believe are used exclusively now.
I believe unpotted started on the anniversary in 2019, but some re-issues are back to potted some are not
 

Big Al

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Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
My 2018 Custombucker felt lightly potted compared my 2014 R8 (From Daves). I had called Gibson to ask them that question. Whoever answered the phone said potted is potted. But I was not convinced in his convidence. It may be the person who is doing the potting, just like there were differences based on employee 60 years ago.
Cause potted is potted. 60 yrs ago they didn't do potted pickups.
 

JoeC

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Oct 25, 2019
Messages
92

goldtop0

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Aug 19, 2003
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https://reverb.com/item/38921952-gi...dard-reissue-vos-iced-tea-burst-304-8lbs-14oz

Im not sure if there are certain model guitars that have potted all the time. But geeking out on Reverb and other sites I saw some 2020 59s that were back to potted such as this link. I thought that was interesting. Maybe they are just using up some 2018 CBs that never got placed?
Thanks for that.
Looks like it's a bit of 'pot' luck here and there.........how lame is that!! :LOL: I can wax lyrical about this stuff all day.
I'm looking forward to my 335 coming in the near futue with unpotted ones........told my dealer to put that in concrete.
 
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JoeC

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
92
Thanks for that.
Looks like it's a bit of 'pot' luck here and there.........how lame is that!! :LOL:
I'm looking forward to my 335 coming with unpotted ones........told my dealer to put that in concrete.
Cool, send pics
 

goldtop0

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Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Cool, send pics
Will do.
This last year has been a mission of course with covid lockdowns......and from go to woah it will be 13 months(August delivery hopefully) for my M2M.........that's the world we have now and very different to 2 years ago........gotta be patient for sure.
Guitar sales have gone ballistic which is great for the Gibson crew and the music industry worldwide...........the guys at Nashville are flat out!!
 
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