Adding pickups covers.
- Thread starter JMP/HBE
- Start date
That black Beauty is gonna look sweet with covers!
FWIW, I’ve put covers on two pickups. In my case I put masking tape over the slugs and a small strip of double sided tape over that, then just clamp pressure and soldered them on. In my case that has been enough; I’ve played a few shows at gig volume with pretty heavy amp distortion and haven’t had any feedback problems.
I encountered a lot of methods ranging from wax to silicon adhesives as extra measures to avoid feedback. My rationale was that I could go back and do that stuff if necessary, but wanted to see what happened with doing practically nothing.
just yesterday I removed the covers from a couple of Duncan designed 103s. Somebody had put them on aftermarket with no tape or anything-just put on tightly and soldered on. I’d played a number of shows with that guitar at high volume and it never had any feedback or noise.
FWIW, I’ve put covers on two pickups. In my case I put masking tape over the slugs and a small strip of double sided tape over that, then just clamp pressure and soldered them on. In my case that has been enough; I’ve played a few shows at gig volume with pretty heavy amp distortion and haven’t had any feedback problems.
I encountered a lot of methods ranging from wax to silicon adhesives as extra measures to avoid feedback. My rationale was that I could go back and do that stuff if necessary, but wanted to see what happened with doing practically nothing.
just yesterday I removed the covers from a couple of Duncan designed 103s. Somebody had put them on aftermarket with no tape or anything-just put on tightly and soldered on. I’d played a number of shows with that guitar at high volume and it never had any feedback or noise.
ThreeChordWonder
New member
Gibson pole pieces are 49.2 mm nominal. Well, at least the "Gibson spaced" ones from SD are.
I came across this oddity buying chrome covers for my SD P90s a few weeks back.
I came across this oddity buying chrome covers for my SD P90s a few weeks back.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Yah, IMO that deserves covers.
ThreeChordWonder
New member
That's 1-15/16ths in old money BTW.
Is that double-sided tape the foam type? I wouldn't think you'd even need to solder them on, the double-sided tape should hold them on well enough.
No, the thin clear 3m stuff. Same thing I use for Roland gk pickup mounting. It’s pretty secure, but at the same time I saw no reason not to solder them.
i honestly don’t know if the soldering is just for keeping it secure, or if there’s an electric/grounding reason for it.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Covers should be soldered to the baseplate to ground them. Covers are an electrical interference shield, but need to be grounded in order to work as such.
ThreeChordWonder
New member
Quick question.
Are you supposed to ground retrofit metal pickup covers?
Are you supposed to ground retrofit metal pickup covers?
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Have no idea. IDK why you would.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Technically, if they aren't grounded, they can't shield the pickup from electrical interference.
Of course, normally humbuckers are better than singlecoils at bucking hum.
I've never had any real noise problems with uncovered humbuckers.
Even so, IMO a solid mechanical connection is probably better in the long run.
A cover isn't something one would often change.
ThreeChordWonder
New member
^ Mine are on P90s. They're held down by the screws through the P90s. More worried about noise than falling off, but I'm not sure the metal is "solder-able".
Well...
Covers don't NEED to be soldered on humbucker pups. It doesn't hurt anything to solder them on, for sure. But they already "buck" any hum, so soldered/grounded covers don't really do anything to help that. Possibly to prevent any microphonics from a metal cover vibrating against a metal baseplate, but not really for grounding to prevent electrical interferences. If that were the case then every single coil pup should have metal covers soldered on.
I have soldered metal covers on humbuckers and I have also just used double stick foam tape. I haven't noticed any difference at all. At first thought you would think that, theoretically, it would be important to solder them on to ground the covers. But why would that be so important on humbuckers and not single coils (most single coil covers are plastic)?!
Just remember, you risk some damage when you solder them on. Anytime you take a soldering iron in hand you risk some damage, especially if not done properly.
Covers don't NEED to be soldered on humbucker pups. It doesn't hurt anything to solder them on, for sure. But they already "buck" any hum, so soldered/grounded covers don't really do anything to help that. Possibly to prevent any microphonics from a metal cover vibrating against a metal baseplate, but not really for grounding to prevent electrical interferences. If that were the case then every single coil pup should have metal covers soldered on.
I have soldered metal covers on humbuckers and I have also just used double stick foam tape. I haven't noticed any difference at all. At first thought you would think that, theoretically, it would be important to solder them on to ground the covers. But why would that be so important on humbuckers and not single coils (most single coil covers are plastic)?!
Just remember, you risk some damage when you solder them on. Anytime you take a soldering iron in hand you risk some damage, especially if not done properly.