Pickup Cover Question

[BigDaddyRose]

Hi,

I have never modded a guitar before and just bought a set of Hotrodded Humbuckers for my Epiphone SG-400. I also bought SD Nickel covers to go over them. I was putting the cover over the neck pickup (had not even tried the bridge one yet) in order to solder it into place.

However the screws in the HB do not come up even with the holes in the cover, much less protrude. There is about 1 mm and it is snugly in place. I'd hate to force it and break it or affect the tone. Any suggestions? Also I understand most HB's have some sort of wax potting material holding it on. Is this needed to do a good job? Will it affect tone if I don't use it?

Thanks for your help. I'm a real newbie and don't wanna mess this up.

 

[AAAHHH79]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

There´s no need to cover the pickups. I know it looks good, but I prefer uncovered pickups.
Do what you want

 

[BigDaddyRose]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

Well, I suppose that's one option but I really do like the look of the nickel covers (and I bought them already anyway). Anyone ever work with these and know if I'm supposed to tamp the HB into it perhaps with a mallet or something or is that going to ruin the HB?

 

[jumble jumble]

Pickup Cover Question

Did you remove the screws before putting the cover on?

 

[BigDaddyRose]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

Nope, I just thought the holes were open to allow the heads to go through. Never occurred to me to remove the screws. I was kind of worried it was set up with the screws in a certain position to give best tone. These are the covers I bought
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00302HH5G/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

Did you remove the screws before putting the cover on?

If the cover has the right pole spacing, you do not need to remove the screws. You only do that if you're tring to cram the wrong cover on. There are a few different pole spacings in use, and all covers don't fit all PU's. That would make life too easy.

 

[Grenade]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

It looks like you ordered the right cover for the neck position. Measure form the center of one outside screw to the center of the other outside screw and see if it is the same as the cover holes. A trembucker or "F" spaced pickup has a wider spacing than a standard humbucker, this way the screws line up better with the strings. Use patience, and when you wire it up don't overheat your pots.

 

[BigDaddyRose]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

Thanks - well I realized sometime after my last post that I was trying to put the holes with the pole screws showing in the neck - when I should have had the slugs showing through. Working graveyard makes me do some stupid things. I think I'll wait until I have a day off before trying to do some more work on this.

It looks like you ordered the right cover for the neck position. Measure form the center of one outside screw to the center of the other outside screw and see if it is the same as the cover holes. A trembucker or "F" spaced pickup has a wider spacing than a standard humbucker, this way the screws line up better with the strings. Use patience, and when you wire it up don't overheat your pots.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Pickup Cover Question

Thanks - well I realized sometime after my last post that I was trying to put the holes with the pole screws showing in the neck - when I should have had the slugs showing through. Working graveyard makes me do some stupid things. I think I'll wait until I have a day off before trying to do some more work on this.

No, you had it right the first time...the screws go through the holes in the cover, not the slugs. Try taking out the screws then put the cover on. Do the holes line up? At least close enough to put the screws back in? If so, no problem.

When putting covers on pups it is best to first put some masking tape (or thin foam tape, etc) over the slugs to keep them from touching the cover. When the cover is on tight, solder it to the baseplate of the pup in a couple spots.