Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

[Sly_D]

These covers have no holes, you just put them over your humbucker... now do they alter the sound like a nickel cover with no holes?

Just wonder, because I have an Ibanesz Roadstar II (Japanese Strat copy)but white humbucker are rare and rather hard to resell... these white covers would be a great opportunity to use whatever pikcup I have on hand in the Roadstar without having to actually buy a white pickup.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I'd like to know as well. I'm thinking about ordering some black nickel or plastic covers from WD (even though I dislike them).

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

yes. IME nearly identically to a Nickel cover, which lends clout to my theory that it´s not the actual cover that changes the tone, but the slightly increased distance between poles and strings

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I also asked DiMarzio Tech, and here's what they said:

"We don’t make them so we can’t really comment without testing them. They are not likely to alter the sound except they might tend to increase feedback. Perceived noise may also increase and output may decrease if the pickup ends up farther from the strings than before being covered."

That's actually pretty encouraging...

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I'd like to know as well. I'm thinking about ordering some black nickel or plastic covers from WD (even though I dislike them).

I'll get them for you, unless you don't like me either :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I'll get them for you, unless you don't like me either :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

Well, I DO dislike you, but much less than WD, so I guess we'll be on when I get my new guitar. I might even have to order some of those "snake oil" wiring kits you sell for $800. :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

Well, I DO dislike you, but much less than WD, so I guess we'll be on when I get my new guitar. I might even have to order some of those "snake oil" wiring kits you sell for $800. :laugh2: :laugh2:

LOL....I'll hook you up bro!

 

[theodie]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

Can the Plasitc covers be had in different colors? If not, can they be had in white? I wonder how they would respond to being dyed????

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I´m fairly sure I´ve seen white ones, and I´ve dyed cream ones black before in a pinch. I don´t see why this shouldn´t work if you do it properly

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

Hey what we need is a hybrid cover, half plastic, half nickel.

Seriously Zerb's right about the only tonal difference being the distance from the strings. The plastic cover may force you to lower the pickup farther than before. It also limits your ability to arc the pole pieces, if you do that sort of thing. You would want to flatten the poles, so the cover could fit flush with the bobbins, otherwise the slug coil would be even farther away.

To add to what Zerb said, it's not just the distance on a nickel cover, either. It's the fact that you will now raise the screw poles to come out of the cover. That makes the screw poles closer to the strings than the slug poles, so you are out of balance a little vs. an uncovered humbucker. On plastic or metal no-holed covers you likely lower the screws flush with the bobbin, so you're out of balance the other way.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

Odie, I think you may want to add custom colored covers to your repertoire. Just think of the possibilities of custom colored electrical taped covers. You could go nuts, and install them on your custom colored electrical tape wrapped humbuckers.

 

[theodie]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

Odie, I think you may want to add custom colored covers to your repertoire. Just think of the possibilities of custom colored electrical taped covers. You could go nuts, and install them on your custom colored electrical tape wrapped humbuckers.

:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[theodie]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I´m fairly sure I´ve seen white ones, and I´ve dyed cream ones black before in a pinch. I don´t see why this shouldn´t work if you do it properly

I have used Dye on various kinds of parts in the past with GREAT results. I used to work with Fiberglass parts alot on RC cars and fiberglass takes dye really well and so does plastic. I had various color chassis's, nerf bars, T-bars, pods, and such! Where i used to race, it started a trend.

 

[big_black]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

How about other materials like steel and aluminum?

I know this topic has been gone over, but nothing came up in searches.

 

[theodie]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

How about other materials like steel and aluminum?

I know this topic has been gone over, but nothing came up in searches.

Dye dosent work well or, at all on them.

Oh, the tone. I dont know.
I know this topic has been gone over, but nothing came up in searches.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

I tried white plastic covers on a guitar years ago, over a JB/59. They sound the same, except you might notice a TINY bit of treble choked off, and it may have to do with the dampening effect of plastic.....sorta like a heavily potted pickup.
However, that's not a bad thing in a lot of cases.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Plastic humbucker covers... do they alter the sound?

Plastic covers have zero effect on the tone. To the extent you do hear a difference, it's only in cases where the cover prevents you from getting the pickup as close to the strings as you would like, as Zerb said earlier. If you don't set your pickups really close to the strings, you shouldn't hear any difference at all.

Some metal covers do have an effect -- old school brass covers (regardless of plating) will suck some treble and output out of a pickup. Nickel silver covers (again regardless of plating) are much, much more transparent. Maybe you could see some effect they have on tone on an ocilloscope or some other piece of sophisticated audio gear but these ears can't hear any difference -- EXCEPT, again, in cases where the cover keeps you from hiking the pickup as close to the strings as you would like.