How to make a double-boiler for waxing the pickups

What is a double boiler and why do I need to use one?  

A double boiler is a pot within a pot. The outer pot contains water which safely transfers heat to the inner pot without allowing hotspots that could exceed the burning point of the wax and start a fire.

Never melt wax in a single pot directly over a heat source!  You can easily make a double boiler from a pot and a large tin can – one- or three-pound coffee cans and "family-size" soup cans work well depending on how much wax you need to melt or, as in the case of potting guitar pickups, how large an object you need to immerse in the melted wax.

Waxing the pickups to reduce feedback

How do I know if my pickups need potting?

Pickups will squeal and make a loud whistling noise similar to a microphone when it feeds back.

Some pickups are so bad that if you touch them you hear a loud noise through the amplifier.  If you have a metal cover on the pickup, it could make a loud "clank" or start humming loudly when you touch it.

This is not to be confused with the musical feedback that you get when you crank your amp up and your notes sustain indefinitely – that is the good kind of feedback and this will not effect that type of feedback.  Potting pickups will actually make it more likely that you can safely turn up loud enough to get that type of feedback.

What is Chorus and how to use it

A chorus (or ensemble) is a modulation effect used to create a richer, thicker sound and add subtle movement. The effect roughly simulates the slight variations in pitch and timing that occur when multiple performers sing or play the same part.

Chorus is a common guitar pedal effect that gives a clean electric guitar a "dreamy" quality. It's also widely used on acoustic guitar, electric piano, and clavinet. On strings and synth pads, chorus creates a richer, more complex sound. Stereo chorus effects also can be used to widen a stereo image.

What is Flanger and how to use it

Flanging is an audio process that combines two copies of the same signal , with the second delayed slightly, to produce a swirling effect. The process originated before digital effect boxes and computer editing were available. The effect, invented in the early 1950s by Les Paul and later used by artists such as Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles, was originally created using two tape recorders.

Here's how the nondigital process worked: While the original sound was being played from Tape Recorder #1, a second copy of the same audio material was played back from Tape Recorder #2.

Electric Guitar Pickup Heights Setup

Setting the height of your pickups at first thought seems like an elementary adjustment with few pitfalls. However, as you will see below, it can be quite a complex adjustment to get right and exactly to your tastes. There are also a few ways you can go wrong - particularly with certain types of pickup.

This is a skill everyone should learn to do themselves, as the exact settings are down to personal choice, and depend on what you want out of your pickups. In the words of John P Sheehy: "Having a tech do this is like having you mechanic adjust the seat in your car for you."

How to Setup an Electric Guitar

A guitar setup is an essential prerequisite when it comes to getting the most out of your instrument. A factory setup guitar is likely to have general playability issues and intonation problems, which can make playing the guitar impossible since it is always out of tune. Having your instrument set up involves adjusting the hardware of a guitar and fine tuning the instrument so that these obstacles are removed.

To complete a basic setup you will need to adjust the neck, string height and saddle position.