New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

[papersoul]

Okay, after reading all the comments and suggestion from the tone expertes....I am thinking the Custom may balance nicely in my Les Paul. Sometimes I think the BBQ has too much bass for pounding high gain rock and the Cusotm may be the ticket. Also, my LP has a naturally thick and warm tone....so the Air Zone which I believe was designed for long scale guitars and thinner guitars that may need extra warmth, may be too much of a good thing, LOL!

I read on the Les Paul forum that the older (early 80s - nor logo) Custom have a different tone than the new. Should I worry about this issue?

The other thing is that i like the look of my LP with covered humbuckers but hear that open coil sound bigger and notes bloom better. I also hear that covered pickups can be noisier since you can get rattling between the cover and pickup.

Thanks.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

1. All SD pickups were available with or without logo very early on IIRC.
So the "No Logo" part is hogwash. Also, many people remove the logos with toothpaste, brasso, or similar compounds.

If they would have said "with a ´DCx´ sticker instead of the newer serial numbers", of "without any markings at all" I may have considered it´s value. But anybody that supposedly knows pickups that well should IMO also know that removing a silkscreened logo is 30 seconds of work. But somebody please correct me if I´m wrong on the Logo part

2. I own an "old" custom (supposedly made ´83), and it sounds minimally different to me than the newer ones, and has the "DCL" sticker. Obviously every pickup has nuances, but most would be very hard pressed to tell the difference in an A/B setting IMO.

3. True and false. The tonal part about the covers is a question of preference, I usually prefer uncovered PUPs as well. But a properly potted (Wax-sealed) pickup will be just as quiet, if not QUIETER, than the same one without a cover.

 

[papersoul]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

The guy on the forum has both and he said the older ones without logo also have no identifying marks on the base or under side of the pickup. He said they are hard to find.

Do you think there is any truth that a covered pickup will not sound as big but will sound warmer with the cover?

We tried this with a JB and noticed the uncovered JB sounded a little more sizzling for lack of a better word.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

1. The guy on the forum has both and he said the older ones without logo also have no identifying marks on the base or under side of the pickup. He said they are hard to find.

2. Do you think there is any truth that a covered pickup will not sound as big but will sound warmer with the cover?

3. We tried this with a JB and noticed the uncovered JB sounded a little more sizzling for lack of a better word.

1. Yes...maybe they are hard to find.
2. Yes...I agree with that. A covered pickup sounds warmer and more focused and compressed. The tone seems sizzlier and with more "spray" uncovered.
3. Yes...that's what I hear too.
Lew

 

[Zerberus]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

The guy on the forum has both and he said the older ones without logo also have no identifying marks on the base or under side of the pickup. He said they are hard to find.

It´s possible, some of the "real old" ones don´t have markings at all. But then again, how can he be sure its a Custom :saeek: :laugh2: (J/K)

Do you think there is any truth that a covered pickup will not sound as big but will sound warmer with the cover?

We tried this with a JB and noticed the uncovered JB sounded a little more sizzling for lack of a better word.

Yep, that´s exactly what I hear as well. Again, I usually prefer them open because I like the added Bite and depth. But on some axes I leave the covers on because exatly that "vintage fuzziness" is what I want

 

[papersoul]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

warmer and more focused and compressed as Lew said is kind of what I notice, but honestly I am thinking how many of us could tell in a blind taste test?

I have never noticed more depth with open coil p'ups, but that is interesting.

I just love the look of the covered p'up on the LP Standard.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

....I have never noticed more depth with open coil p'ups, but that is interesting.
....

What I referred to as "Depth" is likely the same as what Lew called "spray", just a kind of richness and "covering quality" to the sound that didn´t seem to be there before

 

[papersoul]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

What I referred to as "Depth" is likely the same as what Lew called "spray", just a kind of richness and "covering quality" to the sound that didn´t seem to be there before

Hmmmm, what is a covering quality? Bigger?

Idon't which I like more......but warmer is usually a good thing.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

Hmmm, how to explain a "feelling"..... I´d say it seems to be "more" of the pickup. Like it was "limping" before, really hard to describe.......

 

[Rocker35]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

The guy on the forum has both and he said the older ones without logo also have no identifying marks on the base or under side of the pickup. He said they are hard to find.

If my memory serves me correctly (it usually doesn't), I'm sure the very early Customs had an ID sticker on the bottom that actually said "Custom".

If Evan is around, he may be able to clarify this.

 

[strat_master]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

I dont mind if my pick ups say semourdunanc on it, its not liek im ashamed of my pickups. And i kinda like uncovered pickups they look a little meaner and more workhorse style than covered pick ups. Tonally they should be the same. Its more asthetics i think.

 

[BachToRock]

Re: New vs old Customs....covered vs uncovered?

Here ya go... this is the earliest CUSTOM I have... note the 2 conductor wiring...
I have some early JB's that also have a sticker that says... THE JB MODEL... I'll post more pickup porn if you want!