Nickel covers change tone?

[lex666]

I recently put a C5 with the nickel cover in my Epi Les Paul and its sounds way different than the C5 with exposed coils that I have in a different Epi Les Paul. The one with the cover doesn't sound as "open" or expressive as the one without the cover. Alot of the "bite" that I like from my open coil C5 is gone. I thought that nickel covers weren;t supposed to change the tone of the pick up. Did I do something wrong? Maybe the wax potting and the cover weaken the magnetic pull and changes the tone? Is there a way I can still get the same crunch and bite like an open coil? I really want to keep the nickel cover for this guitar...

Thanks...

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Nickel covers change tone?

The nickel cover might roll off some high frequencies, due to the capacitance of the metal cover, but I've never heard a drastic difference from a covered pickup vs. it's uncovered counterpart. Maybe the big change in tone is due more to the differences in your guitars. Even two guitars of the same model will not sound the same.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Nickel covers change tone?

I recently put a C5 with the nickel cover in my Epi Les Paul and its sounds way different than the C5 with exposed coils that I have in a different Epi Les Paul. The one with the cover doesn't sound as "open" or expressive as the one without the cover. Alot of the "bite" that I like from my open coil C5 is gone. I thought that nickel covers weren;t supposed to change the tone of the pick up. Did I do something wrong? Maybe the wax potting and the cover weaken the magnetic pull and changes the tone? Is there a way I can still get the same crunch and bite like an open coil? I really want to keep the nickel cover for this guitar...

Thanks...

I think what you are hearing is accurate and that if you like the tone better with no covers than use no covers.

If you like the looks better with covers and want to use covers, than be willing to accept the difference in tone you are hearing.

The diff is subtle...but, IMO, real.

Lew

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Nickel covers change tone?

I do hear a slight loss in my highs between cover and no cover,but the pickup's character doesn't change...Sounds like you hear a difference between the 2 equations..I'm into cosmetics on my Gibson guitars and I keep the covers on...Strats are a whole different ball game though...

John