Epiphone 57 classics… REALLY!?!?!

[GuitarStv]

It's like wrapping the pickup in a blanket. Then add the cover. Quite muffled.

Yeah, I get that. I've heard it many times. But . . . why? The pickup is magnetic, it picks up magnetic signals. Why does a non-magnetic material matter at all?

[ErikH]

Yeah, I get that. I've heard it many times. But . . . why? The pickup is magnetic, it picks up magnetic signals. Why does a non-magnetic material matter at all?

The science behind it, IDK. But I know what my ears told me.

[GuitarDoc]

I played an Epiphone Genisis with Probuckers the guitar sounded amazing and looked just as cool

Yeah, the ProBuckers are pretty good sounding. I've got one Epi LP with ProBuckers which sounds great. I've also purchased two additional sets to put in a couple of my custom guitars.

[Aceman]

Epi Classic 57s are whole different thing, modeled after Gibson's 57 Classics.
Like the Gibsons, they're a symmetrical wind (I think) but PAF-ish and fairly bright-voiced.
Probuckers use some coil offset, like Burstbuckers.

This. And there is a surprising amount of love for the Gibson 57's. Might not be my thing, but can't hate.

I love the Alnico Classic Pro's in my Epi 339. Perfect for that guitar and what I play with it.

[eclecticsynergy]

Yeah, I get that. I've heard it many times. But . . . why? The pickup is magnetic, it picks up magnetic signals. Why does a non-magnetic material matter at all?

A pickup also vibrates in sympathy with the body and strings - this can affect both sound and feel.
Wax helps inhibit feedback because it absorbs vibration.
Too much wax deadens all the vibration and eliminates any liveliness pretty much completely.

That's why some prefer unpotted humbuckers - livelier feel and a slightly more open tone.
Especially important in the airy high frequencies which carry little kinetic energy and are most easily damped.

Some boutique builders pot their pickups very lightly - a quick dip that doesn't allow wax to penetrate the innermost windings.
This helps resist squealing but is said to affect the tone less than deep potting.

Another thing - given today's generally-lower stage volumes, IMO squealing is a less ubiquitous problem than it used to be.

[Mr. 80's]

The ProBuckers in my 20' Epi Standard 60's sounds great IMHO, especially after removing the covers. There was basically no wax in them besides a paper thin layer on top of the bobbins to isolate the cover. 90% of that came off with the cover. I'm sure they were potted but absolutely no excess buildup of any sort.

[GuitarDoc]

^, Just one of the reasons the ProBuckers sound so much better than their earlier pups.

[Wolfshead]

Over the years I've bought a few sets of the cheapest humbuckers I can find on ebay and, when they arrive from China and I fit them into the guitars I'm selling on ebay, I'm amazed when I try them out and they sound fantastic.

[formula73]

They’ve REALLY stepped it up in the last few years. Their Tbird pickups smoke the Gibson TB Plus ceramics, imho.

[Erlend_G]

The covers on my Epi Wildkat's P90's is made from a highly magnetic material (steel, nickel or iron I guess).

Stock; they hover a mm over the pickup like a bell; and actually produced alot of bright chimey overtones- but also horrible microphonic feedback. (Under mid-to high gain).

I took my covers off, put a ton of silicone in there, and soldered them back on. No squealing; but those complex high mid/treble sounds are gone.

Just my 2c

-Erlend ♪

[formula73]

The nickel silver baseplates on their newer pickups have a MASSIVE effect on the highs, much moreso than heavy wax potting. The older stuff always had brass baseplates and always sounded muffled to me, like Dimarzios.

Brass baseplates, to me, sound like a pillow is over the speaker.

[skelt101]

The nickel silver baseplates on their newer pickups have a MASSIVE effect on the highs, much moreso than heavy wax potting. The older stuff always had brass baseplates and always sounded muffled to me, like Dimarzios.

Brass baseplates, to me, sound like a pillow is over the speaker.

Brass baseplates don’t necessarily guarantee a muffled sound. Have you heard a PRS 85/15? No pillows there!

[formula73]

Brass baseplates don’t necessarily guarantee a muffled sound. Have you heard a PRS 85/15? No pillows there!

You’re right…I’ve just got decades of hearing pickup circuits designed for nickel silver (PAF types) sounds like muddy garbage because the manufacturer wanted to save a few cents on the baseplate.

Extreme example: old Dimarzio X2N Power Plus vs new X2n. The only difference I can see is the baseplate. The old PP sounds bright and clear and the new ones sound mushy
and undefined.