Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

[astrozombie]

I removed the pickup covers on my burstbucker 2 and 3 pickups. While at first I thought it made my Les Paul look "cheaper" I realized that the sound was a little more focused and detailed, I particularly enjoyed the enhanced clarity of the neck pickup. I didn't know that pickup covers made such a difference... or maybe I didn't have a guitar that was articulate enough to let me hear that change. Have you ever removed pickup covers? What was your experience? Why such a massive difference in sound?

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

There is a youtube vid from Bareknuckels Pickups which covers this question. In short: the thinner and better the cover material, the less difference. Duncan once stated that shortening the pickup screws can compensate a retrofitted cover since it lessens again the mass that is magnetized by the bar magnet.

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

A lot of people say that they can't tell the difference one way or another. Others say that they can hear a slight difference between the covered & uncovered pup's but it's such a minuscule difference that they could really care less. Then you got the other camp & I include myself in this category, they say that they can hear the difference & it's quite noticeable! Honestly I really wish I feel into the first category of "those who can't hear any difference" because covers are a great way to spruce up a older pickup with scratches and maybe cover up some of them hairline fractures between the poles? After a bit of paraffin or beeswax & a few solder joints you end up with what looks like a brand new humbucker!!!

Most of the time I prefer uncovered humbuckers but I've played & owned a few guitars that had covered humbuckers & they were flipping amazing sounding!!! Another thing that's probably worth mentioning is that I've never had a humbucker that was covered after the fact, or by someone other than the manufacturer that I liked...

Point in fact, If I buy a covered 59 from Duncan I know that I'm going to love the way it sounds. If I buy a uncovered 59 from Duncan I know I'm going to love the way it sounds, but if I covered it I'd find it tinny sounding & weaker? Actually, I can speak from experience. I put a cover on a 59N that sounded great when it was installed without the cover so it would match the covered 59B I already had installed. As soon as I flipped the switch to the neck I couldn't stand the sound of that 59N anymore, it was just awful! The cover was promptly removed & sounding great again minutes later, I don't know why but it's just not the same?

About a month after that I got a factory covered 59N in a trade, I dropped that in & the sound was beautiful! I thought perhaps it was the way I was covering them but I've done a bunch of research on adding covers from very reputable sources & even tried it a few different ways, but always ended up with the same result. So now I'll remove a cover but I never install them anymore, at least not for myself...

 

[TRex]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

Shotty covering jobs can change the sound for sure.

I honestly have not heard a difference that has stuck out. My theory is people adjust covered pups lower by nature, which most people need to do anyway.

I prefer uncovered for Les Pauls and other solid bodies, and covered on ES335 and alike models for the most part. It's 99% a cosmetic thong to put on covered pickups.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

The only covers I've removed were the plastic "blackout-looking" covers that were on my Ibanez RG3EXFM1. Interestingly, I felt that it did improve the sound some, but it's probably only because I now had access to the poles and made some adjustments. Been toying with the idea of removing the covers from my AS83, but am planning a complete pickup swap in that one soon, so why bother?

 

[SoundAt11]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I've noticed a tiny bit less high-end and presence, as well as less background/electrical noise on covered pickups.
It'd be nice if their were more pickups available with partial covers that leave the coils exposed ("beauty rings" I believe Gibson calls them) or using copper-shielding around the coils like Seymour does on the Trembucker models. Reduce the noise, but keep extra presence.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I can tell the difference. Whether its an improvement or not depends on the specific guitar/pickup combo in question. But 9 out of 10 times I prefer the sound of covered pickups.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I've noticed a tiny bit less high-end and presence.

Right, a slight difference in high end in a side-by-side comparison with the same guitar, PU's, and amp. But nothing anyone could tell on their own if they didn't know. You can't listen to an album and be able to tell if they're covered or not. There's a lot of variables in the signal chain, covers are one small factor.

 

[dominus]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

Did you change the strings after removing the covers?

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

The difference is more noticeable on neck humbuckers because they are clawing for every microgram of treble they can get, so if any is taken away, it muds the pickup up pretty good. Often on a bridge pickup, the effect can be a positive because it softens the icepick a little.

Not all covers are the same. Any that have found a way to lose the copper layer -- like raw covers, RS Guitarworks aged covers, and ThroBak covers -- and make the cover out of thinner material, will be much clearer.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I hear a slight difference even with good quality covers. I think Duncan 59Bs sound a hair warmer covered.

My favorite vintage LP has an uncovered neck pickup and a cover on the bridge. (Came that way; I wouldn't mess around with these.)



View attachment 69331

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

You can't listen to an album and be able to tell if they're covered or not.

This.

Under strict blindfold test conditions, most listeners would be unable to definitively identify whether they are hearing covered or uncovered humbuckers.

Upon seeing the pickups (or seeing a change from the previous state), your brain will "convince" itself that there is a perceivable difference, whether there really is one or not.

Frequency analyser comparisons should show no such bias.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I think that you need to do the test like the BKP one.....where you have clips before and after to really tell. And of course you need to make sure that the pickup is at exactly the same height adjustment with the screws left where they were before removal to get any definitive comparison.
Too many of these tests end up with so long between the 2 playings to remember at all what the fine detail of the tone was.


And people can listen objectively. If you're not told what the usual change should be, or have an open mind, then you can listen without bias.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

It'a worthless comparison without properly controlled testing.

It's also the oldest question on the Internet.

 

[Lampy H]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

The comsetics of one vs. the other is more important to me than whatever minute tonal differences may exist.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

Don't know; don't care when it comes to a tonal difference. However, I do enjoy how a cover shields the pickup from interference, but it isn't much, and covered options cost more.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I can tell the difference. Whether its an improvement or not depends on the specific guitar/pickup combo in question. But 9 out of 10 times I prefer the sound of covered pickups.

I can hear it as well, but generally prefer uncovered for cosmetic reasons.

Right, a slight difference in high end in a side-by-side comparison with the same guitar, PU's, and amp. But nothing anyone could tell on their own if they didn't know. You can't listen to an album and be able to tell if they're covered or not. There's a lot of variables in the signal chain, covers are one small factor.

I agree that listeners wouldn't be able to tell, and most probably wouldn't care. For me it's a confidence and feel thing; if the guitar is too edgy with open coils it changes how I play and I may be more reserved than I'd really want. I found that happening a lot with my ES-335, so I have covered pickups in that one.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Difference in Sound: Covered Humbuckers VS Uncovered Humbuckers

I have strict setup specs. I can confirm the pickups were adjusted basically the same both times, I used the same strings. While cosmetically I think covered pickups are beautiful, the uncovered sound is better to my ears. I liked the tone better. It's funny because uncovered pickups tend to mean "hot" for some people but these are smooth and low output.