The look of pickups

[Mincer]

Some people like colored bobbins, with non-standard color combinations. Now we are even starting to see pickups that have covers with all sorts of silk screened designs, like paisleys, skulls, etc. I've even seen companies make covers that look like they were chewed on by a monster. It is good we have choices.

I am someone that would love if it were possible to create pickups that you couldn't even see: either hidden under a pickguard or imbedded in the guitar. If it were possible for these ideas to sound like the humbuckers I like, I'd love it. They don't have that yet, so I stick with either basic black coils or covered with black powder coat.

Anyone like non-traditional looks? If you were to design the cosmetics of your signature pickup, what would it look like?

 

[Clint 55]

I think uncovered mini humbuckers look cool. And they could potentially reach a wider market.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I think uncovered mini humbuckers look cool. And they could potentially reach a wider market.

That's very interesting. Come to think of it, I've never seen a plain uncovered mini. I think they look great.

Why are minis always covered?

 

[GuitarDoc]

I generally like the looks of traditional black uncovered humbuckers. I also like the look of open faced chrome or gold covers. And I absolutely love the look of black or cream soapbar P-90s.

 

[Mincer]

That's very interesting. Come to think of it, I've never seen a plain uncovered mini. I think they look great.

Why are minis always covered?

Honestly, I've never seen one, either. I suppose in the right guitar, it might look OK.

 

[Clint 55]

That's very interesting. Come to think of it, I've never seen a plain uncovered mini. I think they look great.

Why are minis always covered?

They do look good. I asked the Duncan shop if they could build me one and they said no because they aren't set up for it. I think it's the standard for minis to use the cover to enclose everything. It must be only the small builders who go and source parts to have a mini just screwed to a baseplate like the full sized ones.

 

[GuitarDoc]

They do look good. I asked the Duncan shop if they could build me one and they said no because they aren't set up for it.

Huh?

Just don't go through the final step of adding on the cover. Right? What am I missing?

 

[GuitarStv]

I've always liked the looks of smooth metal with no holes. Firebird pickups, tele neck, lipstick pickups . . . they just look cool to me.

 

[Aceman]

Well, one can paint the pickup covers to match...

 

[Mincer]

Well, one can paint the pickup covers to match...

Well, it is interesting to me that the pickups are considered in the overall look of the guitar, rather than pickups disturbing it because pickups are sold with a certain look and you need them in your instrument.

 

[Artie]

I've had the idea, for some time, to get an "open" humbucker frame/cover, then get a premade insert, then use the insert as a template, so one could use any material they want to easily make custom covers.

 

[TVFV]

Rails always look cool.

 

[beaubrummels]

Huh?

Just don't go through the final step of adding on the cover. Right? What am I missing?

Original Gibson mini-humbuckers weren't screwed to the baseplate like full-size humbuckers. The cover held everything together.

See some originals here:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...early-70-s-gibson-mini-humbuckers#post6220037

My understanding is the very first mini-humbuckers were made with two Melody Maker single coils, one reverse wound, in a package. Those had a blade and didn't have a baseplate. I believe they did something to add adjustable poles to one of the coils, but I haven't seen the earliest ones disassbled.

 

[soulforger]

I love almost everything Paul Reed Smith comes up with guitar design-wise....but I cannot contain my dislike of the "squabbin" humbucker look, even if I loved the sound of the pups, I would yank those out immediately and sell them off! Generally I like open black coils, double creme in the right guitar, zebra once in a while, and good ol nickel covers, and I think the aged ones look the absolute biz!

 

[ICTGoober]

Original Gibson mini-humbuckers.... My understanding is the very first mini-humbuckers were made with two Melody Maker single coils, one reverse wound, in a package. Those had a blade and didn't have a baseplate.

Gibson did not invent mini-humbuckers. Epiphone did. When Gibson bought the company, they cabbaged onto the good ideas.

Thusly...
The Mini-Humbucker: More Than Just a Mini-Humbucker | Reverb News

 

[jeremy]

Original Gibson mini-humbuckers weren't screwed to the baseplate like full-size humbuckers. The cover held everything together.

See some originals here:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...early-70-s-gibson-mini-humbuckers#post6220037

My understanding is the very first mini-humbuckers were made with two Melody Maker single coils, one reverse wound, in a package. Those had a blade and didn't have a baseplate. I believe they did something to add adjustable poles to one of the coils, but I haven't seen the earliest ones disassbled.

firebird pups are much more like, two small coils around a bar magnet. mini humbuckers are more similar to a paf type design with smaller coils and a single bar magnet

 

[McD]

I'm a fan of traditional but my favorite iteration is the Invader - it's got a little of a 70's muscle car look about it that I like.

 

[beaubrummels]

firebird pups are much more like, two small coils around a bar magnet. mini humbuckers are more similar to a paf type design with smaller coils and a single bar magnet

Well, at least one coil of the original mini-humbuckers was a blade. But neither coil has a bobbin to screw to the baseplate.

 

[Clint 55]

Huh?

Just don't go through the final step of adding on the cover. Right? What am I missing?

What they said. There are 2 problems with the standard way minis are built to just take the cover off and use em. 1 is the coils aren't screwed to the baseplate, instead they rely on the cover to hold everything together. 2 is they look like a hot mess with the cover off with 1 blade coil, 1 screw coil, and everything looking all ugly.

 

[jeremy]

Well, at least one coil of the original mini-humbuckers was a blade. But neither coil has a bobbin to screw to the baseplate.

correct, but as far as i know, its just a steel blade, not a bar magnet like a firebird pup.