Gold covers
- Thread starter b1adefury
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MonkeyDungologist
Re: Gold covers
i've read that gold-plating on covers can make for less clarity, haven't tested it myself as most of my pickups are uncovered. the baseplate has a similar influence as well
nickel/silver's supposed to be the least intrusive but how brass and chrome/gold plating weigh into the equation i don't know
hopefully some of the more experienced bros could enlighten you further?
i've read that gold-plating on covers can make for less clarity, haven't tested it myself as most of my pickups are uncovered. the baseplate has a similar influence as well
nickel/silver's supposed to be the least intrusive but how brass and chrome/gold plating weigh into the equation i don't know
hopefully some of the more experienced bros could enlighten you further?
hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Gold covers
Just a quote:
'Seth Lover once stated that gold plating increased the capacitance of the pickup covers and dulled the sound, so there you go. We suspected that part of what we were not hearing with Goldie was related to the gold polepieces, since this pickup sounded uniquely different from all the rest. The matched pair with covers were also a bit shy compared to some of the other PAFs – clear, with the musical depth and articulation common to PAFs, yet they seemed to be holding something back. Presence, perhaps? Yes, covers were intended to further reduce noise, and as such, they create a certain amount of capacitance that can mute the sound slightly, but our subsequent experiments with currently produced nickel silver covers on the PAFs did not change their sound significantly.'
Just a quote:
'Seth Lover once stated that gold plating increased the capacitance of the pickup covers and dulled the sound, so there you go. We suspected that part of what we were not hearing with Goldie was related to the gold polepieces, since this pickup sounded uniquely different from all the rest. The matched pair with covers were also a bit shy compared to some of the other PAFs – clear, with the musical depth and articulation common to PAFs, yet they seemed to be holding something back. Presence, perhaps? Yes, covers were intended to further reduce noise, and as such, they create a certain amount of capacitance that can mute the sound slightly, but our subsequent experiments with currently produced nickel silver covers on the PAFs did not change their sound significantly.'
hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Gold covers
My Personal experience is: I bought a originally gold covered Jazz Bridge without the cover and got a nickelsilver goldplated cover later on. Without cover it had some nice harmonics i used very much. After recovering it lost his harmonics and some highs
But..... then i hooked of the tone pot and got some decent CTS pots. Voila i could bring back some of these frequencies.
My Personal experience is: I bought a originally gold covered Jazz Bridge without the cover and got a nickelsilver goldplated cover later on. Without cover it had some nice harmonics i used very much. After recovering it lost his harmonics and some highs
But..... then i hooked of the tone pot and got some decent CTS pots. Voila i could bring back some of these frequencies.
b1adefury
New member
Re: Gold covers
I am not sure how a 59n is supposed to sound like but I find that it lacks 'character'. It is very transparent compared to other neck pickups I've tried in other LP's. The overdriven sound is almost like my acoustic sound with gain added to it. I don't know if that is a bad thing though because the cleans are pretty good.
I am not sure how a 59n is supposed to sound like but I find that it lacks 'character'. It is very transparent compared to other neck pickups I've tried in other LP's. The overdriven sound is almost like my acoustic sound with gain added to it. I don't know if that is a bad thing though because the cleans are pretty good.
b1adefury
New member
Re: Gold covers
Would you attribute the change more to the bypassing of the tone pot or the CTS pots? I never thought that a different brand of pots would make such a difference.
Would you attribute the change more to the bypassing of the tone pot or the CTS pots? I never thought that a different brand of pots would make such a difference.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Gold covers
I have the '59n/TB-4 combo in my ASAT Deluxe (both uncovered), and your comment is exactly how I would describe the '59n. I thought is was because the neck pickup is not under the 24th fret harmonic.
It's nice, just kind of blah.
Bill
I have the '59n/TB-4 combo in my ASAT Deluxe (both uncovered), and your comment is exactly how I would describe the '59n. I thought is was because the neck pickup is not under the 24th fret harmonic.
It's nice, just kind of blah.
Bill
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Gold covers
Isn't that from a TonQuest shoot out of real 50's Gibson paf humbuckers played relatively cleanly? No distortion pedals. No bagful of buzzing bumble bees overdrive.
I think if you play with a heavily distorted overdriven sound, that the subtle diffference between a gold plated vs. nickel plated cover probably can't be heard. If you play relatively cleanly, then you might notice a difference. There's a very noticable difference between the tone of the same pickup covered or uncovered though. Uncovered sounds slightly brighter. Covered sounds slightly warmer. Both sound good.
Isn't that from a TonQuest shoot out of real 50's Gibson paf humbuckers played relatively cleanly? No distortion pedals. No bagful of buzzing bumble bees overdrive.
I think if you play with a heavily distorted overdriven sound, that the subtle diffference between a gold plated vs. nickel plated cover probably can't be heard. If you play relatively cleanly, then you might notice a difference. There's a very noticable difference between the tone of the same pickup covered or uncovered though. Uncovered sounds slightly brighter. Covered sounds slightly warmer. Both sound good.
hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Gold covers
Both! T*his was a '81 Les Paul Heritage which came with 300k volume pots and 100k tone pots. I changed the volume to 500k CTS (the pickup became meatier with more lowmids/lows and extra highs) and the later on the hook off (simply snapped the wire to the cap) added some openess and presence/harmonics.
An neck pup with more character (mids I say) is a Seth Lover neck or a Pearly Gates neck. The AP2 neck was to muddy for me.
Both! T*his was a '81 Les Paul Heritage which came with 300k volume pots and 100k tone pots. I changed the volume to 500k CTS (the pickup became meatier with more lowmids/lows and extra highs) and the later on the hook off (simply snapped the wire to the cap) added some openess and presence/harmonics.
An neck pup with more character (mids I say) is a Seth Lover neck or a Pearly Gates neck. The AP2 neck was to muddy for me.
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MonkeyDungologist
Re: Gold covers
IMO removing humbucker covers, bypassing components and even cleaning connectors in jacks and cables all has a similar effect on the signal. i may be partial and enjoying confidence in the signal path, but i perceive a noticeable difference
the below is off-topic re the 59 comments:
when i first tried the 59n in my LP i liked the cleans but found it all quite big and clear, and with overdrive or gain it took on a bass-heavy quality that i didn't need in this guitar. as i haven't found a seth, pearly or ant for the right price yet, i put an A2 mag in the 59n and found that made it much more useful to me in that guitar, and one of my favorites
i'm beginning to think that this may be because i had heavyish strings and low action on a short-scale guitar, and the A5 mag in the neck spot was dragging the strings too much and messing with the sustain/harmonics; the OP's comments re it sounding transparent and having a relatively acoustic tone sound very familiar to me.
so what's the deal with gold-plated screws?
IMO removing humbucker covers, bypassing components and even cleaning connectors in jacks and cables all has a similar effect on the signal. i may be partial and enjoying confidence in the signal path, but i perceive a noticeable difference
the below is off-topic re the 59 comments:
when i first tried the 59n in my LP i liked the cleans but found it all quite big and clear, and with overdrive or gain it took on a bass-heavy quality that i didn't need in this guitar. as i haven't found a seth, pearly or ant for the right price yet, i put an A2 mag in the 59n and found that made it much more useful to me in that guitar, and one of my favorites
i'm beginning to think that this may be because i had heavyish strings and low action on a short-scale guitar, and the A5 mag in the neck spot was dragging the strings too much and messing with the sustain/harmonics; the OP's comments re it sounding transparent and having a relatively acoustic tone sound very familiar to me.
so what's the deal with gold-plated screws?
hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Gold covers
I had the same 59's in two LP, a 1981 and a 1999. The '81 developed the same bass thing in the Bridge. But when i play them acoustically i can hear that low emphasis in the '81. I think it depends on the guitars and these nee different sets, since the 1999 needs more beef in the neck.
I had the same 59's in two LP, a 1981 and a 1999. The '81 developed the same bass thing in the Bridge. But when i play them acoustically i can hear that low emphasis in the '81. I think it depends on the guitars and these nee different sets, since the 1999 needs more beef in the neck.
Diocletian
BrandNewGlossologist
Re: Gold covers
That's odd - I would say that sounds more like the Jazz necks I've had. The 59 neck in my Epi Black Beauty sounds fat, rich and creamy. And brilliant!
That's odd - I would say that sounds more like the Jazz necks I've had. The 59 neck in my Epi Black Beauty sounds fat, rich and creamy. And brilliant!
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Gold covers
The gold is too thin to make a real impact. In fact gold is IIRC the one material that you can make thinnest. You can make a gold foil you can see through. On the other hand it conducts very well, so there would be more eddie currents in the same thickness.
But the problem is that under the gold a pickup cover is always chrome. And the chrome has very complex properties, even magnetic properties, and it sits on top of nickel.
So you have a stack of nickel, chrome and then gold.
The gold is too thin to make a real impact. In fact gold is IIRC the one material that you can make thinnest. You can make a gold foil you can see through. On the other hand it conducts very well, so there would be more eddie currents in the same thickness.
But the problem is that under the gold a pickup cover is always chrome. And the chrome has very complex properties, even magnetic properties, and it sits on top of nickel.
So you have a stack of nickel, chrome and then gold.
hamerfan
Well-known member
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: Gold covers
Gold covers are darker because you have to coat the cover with copper to get the gold to stick. There's no chrome in these covers, just the material of the cover structure, then copper, then gold.
Gold covers are darker because you have to coat the cover with copper to get the gold to stick. There's no chrome in these covers, just the material of the cover structure, then copper, then gold.
jimijames
New member
Re: Gold covers
I thought they didn't use real gold in the covers - brass or some other such metal that looks like gold but actually isn't. I have a set of PG's with gold covers in my LP, but I've never heard them without covers so I can't provide a comparison. Sound great, though I've always wanted to try a pair of zebra humbuckers in the guitar (desert sunburst). Or reverse zebra, the one with the cream coils on the outside.
I thought they didn't use real gold in the covers - brass or some other such metal that looks like gold but actually isn't. I have a set of PG's with gold covers in my LP, but I've never heard them without covers so I can't provide a comparison. Sound great, though I've always wanted to try a pair of zebra humbuckers in the guitar (desert sunburst). Or reverse zebra, the one with the cream coils on the outside.
Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Gold covers
What is the base material of the pickup covers?
What is the base material of the pickup covers?