Pickup question/feedback-wax pottin

[vintage66]

My Duncan '59 neck pickup is squealing feedback-I can dampen the strings with my hand and the squeal's still there, but I can lightly touch the chrome cover with my pick-just light pressure, and it stops. Does the entire pickup need to be repotted with the cover on it? I don't know if the cover is original. Or, can I just remove the cover and put some wax betweent the cover and pickup? I want it to work the first time since it's a pain to remove the pickup-the neck has to come off.
If it needs repotting, would I be better off sending it to be done since I've never done it? I found directions on the net, seems doable, but for $15, might be worth having it done by a pro.

[Mickey_C]

Did you take the cover off? Sounds to me like it's the cover vibrating - and that should be potted. If it's an original cover from that pickup you might try hitting it with a blowdryer. I've done that before with luck. If it's not, you need to pot that cover.

Here's a crazy idea: Take the cover off.

[vintage66]

Originally Posted by Mickey_C

Did you take the cover off? Sounds to me like it's the cover vibrating - and that should be potted. If it's an original cover from that pickup you might try hitting it with a blowdryer. I've done that before with luck. If it's not, you need to pot that cover.

Here's a crazy idea: Take the cover off.

Thanks-I'll try the blowdryer. I don't know if it's original-came with a Warmoth parts guitar-I kind of doubt it. Thing is, I have to take the neck off to take the pickup out so then I have to take the cover off, solder everything back up, put the neck back on, put new strings on, see if it works, repeat. So I really want to get it right with one shot. I don't think it would look right with the cover off so I really want to keep it on-the bridge p/u has a cover-it's a thinline-similar to a '72 with dual humbuckers.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by vintage66

Thing is, I have to take the neck off to take the pickup out so then I have to take the cover off, solder everything back up, put the neck back on, put new strings on, see if it works, repeat.

that does sound like a PITA.

instead, take it apart to fix it right once, wire it back in, and hold the body near the amp to see if it behaves without bothering with the neck or the strings. don't put the neck back on until you've got it licked.

even better, make a little 2 alligator-clip thingy that goes to a 1/4" jack, so you can plug in the pickup and test it near an amp without even putting it back in the guitar.

i'll bet the cover is loose, or has an air space between it and the top of the pickup.