Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

T

Tele-Bob

New member
I know this topic has been addressed 1,000 times but in this case we have a little twist.

I'm scratch building a Gibson L6-S type guitar and want to put chrome covers w/ no holes over the pickups. The L6-S had pickups with solid chrome covers and they looked really cool on the guitar.

I'll probably use a Seymour Duncan Custom V at the bridge and a '59 at the neck, or something custom wound. Maybe even a set of P-Rails.

Question is: Will the solid chrome cover have any adverse effect on the sound or performance of the pickup?

And: When installing the chrome covers, would it be best to turn the pole screws in so they're flush with the top of the bobbin?

I just have no experience with this application. Any help would be appreciated.

001L6-Srawwood.jpg


002L6-Stemplate.jpg
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

The nowadays quality chrome covers are made of solid german silver with chrome plating. This is quite neutral to the magnetic flux. Chrome covers have a bad name since cheap asian covers were made of brass or had a high content of copper. Those were sound dampers par deluxe.
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

More importantly, you cannot adjust the poles after they are on! Better get it right the first time...
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

NoOnesFang13 said:
FYI Chrome covers wont work on p-rails
Click to expand...


Why wouldn't chrome covers work on a P-Rails pickup?

If I go with the P-Rails I intend to use them only in humbucker mode. The set I have in another guitar sound great as humbuckers and I'm not much into the other sounds they offer. But it sure is a unique humbucker sound.
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

i cant find the post but Frank (the guy in the video) said they wont fit since the tops are a bit too wide
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

Thanks man. It's probably because of the small radius of the rail pickup. It might be too pointed to fit into the corner of the cover. Oh well, I guess P-Rails are out then.
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

It's not the Rails coil, it's the fatness of the P90. There's so much wire on there to really reproduce the P90 tone, that there's only room for tape and that's all. If you used a Trembucker sized cover (which is only available with holes) then it would go over the pickup with some minor modification.

Hmm, solid nickel covers...You could probably make Blackouts in those...
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

frankfalbo said:
It's not the Rails coil, it's the fatness of the P90. There's so much wire on there to really reproduce the P90 tone, that there's only room for tape and that's all. If you used a Trembucker sized cover (which is only available with holes) then it would go over the pickup with some minor modification.

Hmm, solid nickel covers...You could probably make Blackouts in those...
Click to expand...

frank is getting another idea...everyone should scream like a little girl when this happens, cause usually it's something good.
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

Well, I have a great fondness for the Custom V and the '59 so I think it should work out well.

Frank, would you suggest that I turn the screws in making them flush with the top of the bobbin so they don't contact the metal cover? Or does it not make any difference?
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

They can touch so long as you're doing something to prevent feedback. I have this sneaking suspicion that if the very tip of the screw is touching the cover, it's like a record needle for cover vibration. But double stick tape or a second wax pot will cure it all. I wouldn't bury them too far, because then the slug coil is even more dominant. Here's what I've done. Many times, the slot head poles have or develop an upward burr on top from the machining process and/or screwdriver adjustment. I'll raise them up about 1/8" and then file or hit them with a sanding block to kiss off the top few thousandths, and flatten any burrs. I don't want to change the shape or anything, because that's part of the sound. So just enough that it's barely noticable. Then you can flush the screws and have a smooth surface. You can get them as high as possible while still making a little contact with the cover, but not like a record needle.
 
Re: Chrome Covers w/ no holes!

Thanks Frank. I think I'll play it safe and wax pot it once it's all together.

No negative effect on tone or performance though? I'm not too concerned about individual screw heights because I don't normally set my pickups that high that it matters or can't be dealt with by tilting the pickup.
 
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