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Unpotted CBs more 'polite' than Potted

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Hi fellas, I've had 4 Custombucker loaded gibbys over the years and still have 3 of those, a '13 R8, '14 Nashville CS 335 and '22 CS 335(a '13 R7 I sold a few years ago).
The potted R8 and '14 335 are a tad raunchier in the middle and bridge positions compared to the '22 335, with maybe just a miniscule more in volume also(hardly noticeable).
The pups in them range from 7.77 k ohms to 8.09
What do you guys find with yours, any difference at all.
I'd have thought the unpotted would be more 'in your face'.
 

Wilko

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Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
The difference should usually be more subtle and has not much to with "in your face".

Unpotted makes for a cleaner more defined very high range and more of what could be called a "microphonic" quality. most pronounced in cleaner playing or real on-the-edge breakup (not with pedals) I mean actual guitar/tube sounds. That's because, for whatever reason some of the smaller guage wire is free to vibrate with the guitar. Smaller movements that would be damped would have most effect on high frequencies (in theory)

Potting stops feedback. I doubt I could notice if a pickup was potted or not. Many would say there is no difference.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
The difference should usually be more subtle and has not much to with "in your face".

Unpotted makes for a cleaner more defined very high range and more of what could be called a "microphonic" quality. most pronounced in cleaner playing or real on-the-edge breakup (not with pedals) I mean actual guitar/tube sounds. That's because, for whatever reason some of the smaller guage wire is free to vibrate with the guitar. Smaller movements that would be damped would have most effect on high frequencies (in theory)

Potting stops feedback. I doubt I could notice if a pickup was potted or not. Many would say there is no difference.

Cheers Wilko, thanks for the explanation re the wiring and the subtlety of it.
 

Mark Kane

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Joined
Jul 18, 2001
Messages
5,742
I had a Jeff Beck style with 7.3 pickups and a Waddy Watchel with the same 7.3 pickups. Really nice pickups. Hotter than you’d think but nice, rich tone!
 
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