DSD First impressions!

[rgorke]

Potting at home is no big deal, really. Here's how I do it:

-Get a large mason jar and attach a vacuum fitting to the center of the lid

-Fill it about 3/4 of the way with an 80/20 mix of paraffin/beeswax

-Fill wifey's crock pot with water and use it like a double boiler to melt the wax in the jar

-Bend a wire frame(coat hanger) that will fit inside the jar for the pickup to hang from

-Stick the wire frame with the pickup hanging from it in the jar of melted wax and screw the lid on. Make sure the lead is coiled up on the frame in the air gap above the wax

-Stick your Mityvac hand pump on the jar and pull a decent vacuum (15-20 inHg work just fine) until the bubbles stop. Giggling the jar around a little seems to help dislodge the stubborn ones.


I get the wax from the local craft store for cheap. The hand pumps go for about $20. Using the crock pot keeps the temp ultra low so its just enough to fully melt the wax but nowhere near enough to hurt anything on the pickup. The vacuum is the key to getting penetration not high heat or long soak time.

*EDIT* I just read that stewmac article and the method I use takes about 30 seconds at 140F.

Does the wax come pre mixed? Meaning does one need to but parafin and beeswax or is there a 80/20 mix sold?

Crock pot seems like a good idea vis a vis, no open flame.

[sherman]

I buy it separate. The paraffin is in the candle making section and the beeswax is in the sewing section for some reason. Just a few dollars worth goes a long way because you're only losing a tiny bit for every pickup. Fill the jar, use it, then let it solidify in the jar and stick it storage until the next time you need it.

The mix ratio isn't critical at all - just eyeball it. The beeswax isn't a strict necessity - it just makes it a little less brittle/crumbly. Surfboard/snowboard wax works fine too and it may be easier to find depending on where you live. Way more expensive tho.

[Marshall SL12301]

I was wondering why pete used a unpotted DSD?
Eddie always used potted pu's and un potted ones do sound different so i dont get why he used a unpotted version on the SL68 vid?

[Ted B]

FWIW, all newer DSDs come potted from DiMarzio. I don't know when that started, but the potting is definitely there.

[Marshall SL12301]

FWIW, all newer DSDs come potted from DiMarzio. I don't know when that started, but the potting is definitely there.

Yes thats right. From what i understand most are using the OLDER ones because they say the older ones sound better?
dont know how true that is?
dimarzio swears the DSD is the SAME exact wind,materials,etc,etc as it was from the start except like you said the newer ones are potted

[Rich_D]

Mine happened to come potted from ebay. I can scrape the wax off the base with my fingernail. I have no squeal at all, so there is hope.

I guess my pickup heard me say thus because now when I use an eq to add gain it squeals the instant I stop playing. Amp dimed no eq gain, no prob. Can an eq pedal cause a microphonic feedback?

[Marshall SL12301]

Mine happened to come potted from ebay. I can scrape the wax off the base with my fingernail. I have no squeal at all, so there is hope.

I guess my pickup heard me say thus because now when I use an eq to add gain it squeals the instant I stop playing. Amp dimed no eq gain, no prob. Can an eq pedal cause a microphonic feedback?

anything that adds boost/gain can cause feedback