No-Hole Humbucker covers

zos thanatos

New member
Has anyone tried these? The new, no-hole covers out there look really cool and modern (there's a lot of them out there from different companies, and Allparts even has some wood covers that look beautiful), but do they end up forcing the polepieces to sit too far from the strings?
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

Not necessarily "too far" from the strings, but they don't get quite as close. But then there's plenty of guys that will tell you that their best tones aren't from the pole pieces being right next to the strings.

Closed covers have a neat, clean look to them. Gibson's made mini-humbuckers that way for years. You'd get maximum noise reduction from them. Worth a try.
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

I find them interesting too. I'd considered getting a set of custom humbuckers (no screws: all slugs) and these would make nice covers for them too.
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

I find them interesting too. I'd considered getting a set of custom humbuckers (no screws: all slugs) and these would make nice covers for them too.

You dont really need all slugs to do this. The existing screws will screw down into the coil without a problem. Just a FYI.
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

You dont really need all slugs to do this. The existing screws will screw down into the coil without a problem. Just a FYI.

i think it was just a coincidence, he happens to be getting buckers with all slugs regardless
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

You dont really need all slugs to do this. The existing screws will screw down into the coil without a problem. Just a FYI.

i think it was just a coincidence, he happens to be getting buckers with all slugs regardless

No, I know this, and usually I screw the screws on my humbucker guitars until they're flush with the top of the pickup. I was just thinking about maybe going all slug with non-hole covers.
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

I put some solid covers on the Dimarzio pickups on my SG. It has a PAF Pro in the neck and Tone Zone in the bridge. It sounds good but I am still not exactly where i want to be with the tone on this guitar. I had the pickups in there with no covers and hated that the pole pieces on the PAF Pro were black while the Tone Zone's were stainless. I really don't get that about Dimarzio. Anyway, I put on the covers and it didn't seem to affect the tone at all. You just have to make sure the pickups are completely flush with the cover and you need something to seal across the top of the pickup to keep them from squealing. The standard solution is to use wax but I used glue from a hot glue gun like you get at a craft store. It was much less messy and it comes off easy. You don't need very much. Now I need to replace the rusted screws on the pick guard.

iommiclose.jpg


iommifull.jpg
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

I put some solid covers on the Dimarzio pickups on my SG. It has a PAF Pro in the neck and Tone Zone in the bridge. It sounds good but I am still not exactly where i want to be with the tone on this guitar. I had the pickups in there with no covers and hated that the pole pieces on the PAF Pro were black while the Tone Zone's were stainless. I really don't get that about Dimarzio. Anyway, I put on the covers and it didn't seem to affect the tone at all. You just have to make sure the pickups are completely flush with the cover and you need something to seal across the top of the pickup to keep them from squealing. The standard solution is to use wax but I used glue from a hot glue gun like you get at a craft store. It was much less messy and it comes off easy. You don't need very much. Now I need to replace the rusted screws on the pick guard.

iommiclose.jpg


iommifull.jpg

i like your tailpiece what is it
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

But then there's plenty of guys that will tell you that their best tones aren't from the pole pieces being right next to the strings.

And I'm one of them. Eventually you come around to realizing that while the output goes up a bit, it just sucks tone and sustain.

The tough deal with the covers like that I imagine is dealing with string differences - no simple adjust!
 
Re: No-Hole Humbucker covers

It's a Schaller Finetune Tailpiece TP-6. It was standard on the 80ies Gibson ES 347 and is now on the BB King Model for instance.

Off topic: Schaller has their own fine tuner tailpiece, as seen on the Kevin Bond model Jackson. BTW, this guitar features the SD Iommi!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Jackson-Kevin-Bond-Signature-Rhoads?sku=511573

Gibson still sells the TP-6, as shown in the photo. I've got a couple Gibson TP-6, and like them a lot.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Tailpiece-TP6?sku=306102

The nice part of the TP-6, is it works perfectly with quick-winding (low numerical ratio) tuning machines.

----------------------------

BTW ratkent, I have never seen a TP-6 on an SG before. It looks better than on my guitars!
 
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