Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

[hypermiler]

Hey all,

I'm interested in adding pickup covers to the '59 and Pearly Gates on my Telecaster, purely for aesthetic reasons. 2 questions:

1. Will this change the tone very much?

2. Can those pickups take a standard SD pickup cover?

Thanks in advance for advice and help!

 

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

you should be fine using a standard SD cover, there will likely be a slight change in tone usually exposed coils have a more raw, slightly more aggressive treble and the covered coils tend to be a little mellower.

Some don't notice the difference, some do.

My exposed coil hbs seem to possess that raw quality where my covered hbs seem mellower but that could've just been bc they were two different types of pickups so YMMV.

 

[DarkMatter]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

I also notice the sound difference but it is slight, I like it. Make sure the bridge pup isn't trem spaced. If you play loud and/or lotsa gain, you may get feedback if you don't pot it, I did on one of my guitars.

 

[rlapid]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

+1 on the replies so far. I've heard that the type of metal used for the cover can also affect tone, and to generally avoid cheaper covers made of brass, etc. I've always used pure nickel covers with great results.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

I always put a layer of masking tape over the slug coils before putting the cover(s) back on..Have done this for years!

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

if you put a cover on, use a duncan one not a cheap one. I put an epiphone one on my 59/Custom just last night and the sound was terriable, honky, broken speaker kinda sound. took the cover off just to see if it was that that was making it sound **** and the difference was night and day seriously!

 

[AlexR]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

^ +1

Crappy metal in the cover = crappy tone. ONLY use an SD cover. Your ears will thank you.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Yes, I can concur about the crappy covers, they do some serious damage to your tone. The duncan covers are amazing, no audible difference. As for the dimarzio covers, I thought I could hear a slight muddying, but it is very slight and/or just in my head.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

And there's a reason guys like Jimmy Page,Jeff Beck and others used to pull the covers..They already new something that we learned way later on.

 

[Hartfeltmusic2010]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

I always put a layer of masking tape over the slug coils before putting the cover(s) back on..Have done this for years!

1+ I even go a step further and line the insides of the cover but I use electrical tape. I have never had any problems with squealing or feedback using this method. Its easy and faster then wax potting and in my opinion works just as well.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

I always put a layer of masking tape over the slug coils before putting the cover(s) back on..Have done this for years!

1+ I even go a step further and line the insides of the cover but I use electrical tape. I have never had any problems with squealing or feedback using this method. Its easy and faster then wax potting and in my opinion works just as well.

Yup, I do that too, but with painter's tape. Just need to eliminate that gap between the slug poles and the cover and no feedback. I still hold he cover on with a spring clamp to make sure it's on snug.

 

[DylanO]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Yup, I do that too, but with painter's tape. Just need to eliminate that gap between the slug poles and the cover and no feedback. I still hold he cover on with a spring clamp to make sure it's on snug.

What I did with mine was to put masking tape completely over the slug side and partially over the adjustable pole-piece side of the humbucker. Then I put a small line of silicone adhesive sealant along the masking tape and slid the pickup into the cover. It is also recommended to solder inside of the cover where it meets the base-plate of the pickup, half way along the length on both sides too. This grounds the cover and also keeps the sides of it from vibrating and being microphonic.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Anyone tried silver colored plastic instead of metal?

Theoretically, a plastic cover shouldn't impact tone.

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[Discharged]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Anyone tried silver colored plastic instead of metal?

Have you ever seen those? I haven't.

/Peter

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Have you ever seen those? I haven't.

/Peter

Nope, have heard it discussed and read about 3d printing, but was hoping you guys had heard more than I have.

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[zionstrat]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Found an old link for 3d printing. http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=23414.0

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[Benjy_26]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

I always put a layer of masking tape over the slug coils before putting the cover(s) back on..Have done this for years!

Foam tape works well, too. I've been doing that forever and have nwvwr ran into unwanted feedback.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Never had a problem with just masking or painters tape over the slug coils. Certainly can't hurt to tape some of the inside of the cover either, though I don't. The silicone sealant seems to be a more recent thing, so I don't know about that. I just wouldn't want it to smear when compressed and get into the filister threads or over the edge of the bobbin into the coils, but that may not be an issue either. It would just be something to have to clean off when you remove the cover again.

The main thing is to close the air gap between the slug coils and the cover. Make sure the cover snaps on tight and you get the screw heads through the holes. Put a clamp on the pickup to hold it tight while you put a dab of solder on each side of the cover/baseplate junction. Done. I've never had to wax pot a cover, even on a Seth Lover or Antiquity.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

Some recommend double-stick tape. Myself, I've had good luck with masking or electrical tape. If you put the tape inside the cover instead of on the bobbin, the pickup won't get any adhesive on it.

+1 on clamping the cover while soldering it on.

I never heard of lining the inside edges of the cover; interesting idea. Just doing the top works well for me - but I'm not playing high gain or super loud anymore.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Adding Pickup Covers to my Humbuckers

If you put the tape inside the cover instead of on the bobbin, the pickup won't get any adhesive on it.

.

This is what I've always done.