Replacing pickup covers

[joeobrien]

Is there any risk or problem with replacing pickup covers? I recently removed the covers on a set of pickups I have and switched them with a more aged set for aesthetic reasons. However, having replaced the covers I'm not sure if the sound of the pickups is exactly the same. Is there something I should know about this? Does the process of changing covers somehow damage or alter the pickup?

It's probably all my imagination but it would be good to know other people's experience with this.

Cheers!

 

[captcoolaid]

It can and often does dampen the tone of the pickup. There are ways of doing it with the right covers to prevent most of this. But it still happens.

 

[korus]

If the old and new (aged) covers are of different thickness and/or different material, tone will change. Some can hear the difference, some can not, but it's there. If you did not set the string height and pickups' heights exactly the same as before covers replacement and/or if you adjusted the screw poles with new set of covers, the change will be even greater.

If properly/carefully executed, covers can be put on and taken off as many times as you need without damaging pickups.

 

[Boppy]

I've never heard a tonal difference between different pickup covers, but I can definitely hear a difference between covers on and covers off.

 

[captcoolaid]

There is a difference depending on materials the covers are made of. Some covers are conductive and suck tone from your pups. Also potting methods can and do make a huge difference.

 

[Hector Arcadius]

There is a difference depending on materials the covers are made of. Some covers are conductive and suck tone from your pups. Also potting methods can and do make a huge difference.

Rayne, what do you suggest? I like covers (at least on my current guitar) and I would like to know my options for when I'm ordering.

 

[LtKojak]

I, for one, will get a wholelotta heat for what I'm going to say, but the DMC covers, costing in excess of $ 150.00 are tone suckers. Not as bad as the Epi covers, but they make a difference nonetheless.

But I don't think anybody that gave that kind of dough for'em would admit how they sound. Or, what I think's the most probable, they JUST DON'T HEAR IT.

There you have it. Flame on!

 

[joeobrien]

Well thanks guys.

I took the covers off my BBs to go on top of a new set of OX4 unpotted A2s. Then I found I wasn't getting on with the OX4s at all (my mistake - I'm sure they are fine as PAFs) so I put back the BBs with their covers, but the sound is not exactly as it was. Of course there are so many variables - pickup height being a big one. I also have a pair of Mules in other guitar (Studio) that I would like to try in the R7 but I want to keep using the covers from the original BBs because they are just right - a nice dull and kind of worn look without being grossly aged. So they are likely to get switched about quite a lot.

What I hadn't accounted for with the OX4s was that I play with the amp pretty hot and with OD they squeal straightaway so it's back to potted for me.




[Actually they squealed so much that my wife decided to chip in too - not good. ].

 

[captcoolaid]

Not all pups squeal when no potted. I pot only pups above a certain DC. But that is me.

 

[captcoolaid]

For off the shelf you can not beey Mojo. They are thin covers and are great. Mr. Lollipop King I got a package today. Hmmmm. And yes I do not care for the DMC covers either. So we can where that suite together.

 

[CC53]

Would you recommend the 49.2 mm from Mojo for old Gibsons and Duncans?

 

[captcoolaid]

That is a hard one. None of the covers that I have found are exact to the Gibsons. Close but not exact. Some Gibbies as far as i know ran 50 in the bridge and 49.2 in the neck. the Mojo's measure in at 49.8 which is close. You would need to measure or hit up Rod Kinkade over at Skatterbrane for that. Give him the year and he can tell you exactly what it is you need. What year is the pup you are trying to cover.

 

[Quill]

I, for one, will get a wholelotta heat for what I'm going to say, but the DMC covers, costing in excess of $ 150.00 are tone suckers. Not as bad as the Epi covers, but they make a difference nonetheless.

Well, I know that you're not going to believe anything I say about tone, but ... you are quite possibly right about the DMC covers. As good as they look, they are noticeably thick - they appear to be almost half again as thick as Throbak's new covers, which are very thin, and made by someone who is very conscious of the sound, and they actually look even better to my eye and are a fraction of the cost.

I've played around with some TV Jones covers, and while I wish the edges were more square - a stupid thing to care about, really, but I can't help myself on that point - they have very little impact on the sound. I think they just put the slightest dampening way up in the high end, practically nothing at all - kind of like the sonic equivalent of stropping a straight razor - and it's often an improvement.

I've found thick covers can dull the sound too much, and despite their undeniable beauty to one with a helplessly obsessive eye for stupid details, didn't risk spending a certainly foolish but also potentially bad-sounding $150 on the DMCs for that very reason.

 

[CC53]

That is a hard one. None of the covers that I have found are exact to the Gibsons. Close but not exact. Some Gibbies as far as i know ran 50 in the bridge and 49.2 in the neck. the Mojo's measure in at 49.8 which is close. You would need to measure or hit up Rod Kinkade over at Skatterbrane for that. Give him the year and he can tell you exactly what it is you need. What year is the pup you are trying to cover.

Just looked at Mojo site and they have 53,50 and 49.2mm covers.I got out my trusty digital micrometer and all my Duncan Antiquity,Burstbucker and 57 classics measure 49.5.Maybe I'll order a 49.2 just to see if it fits.Have to wait till I need something else so I can justify shipping.

 

[WolfeMacleod]

I've played around with some TV Jones covers, and while I wish the edges were more square - a stupid thing to care about, really, but I can't help myself on that point - they have very little impact on the sound. .

The TV JOnes covers are great, but we quit using them a while back because they were slightyl rippled on the top. It added a lot of hand work to flat-sand them down to 2000 grit in order to polish them without a wavy effect.

I agree, the DMC covers are very thick. When "drop tested" against several vintage PAF covers, the DMC covers went "Clunk" when they hit a hard surface, vs. a nice ringging "clang" with the vintage PAF covers.

I used DMC covers a few years ago, becasue that's what people wanted. I quit when I began to get bladly marred covers.

 

[captcoolaid]

Yeah the bobbins I use measure 49.8 but 50mm fit fine.

 

[nwobhm]

Just looked at Mojo site and they have 53,50 and 49.2mm covers.I got out my trusty digital micrometer and all my Duncan Antiquity,Burstbucker and 57 classics measure 49.5.Maybe I'll order a 49.2 just to see if it fits.Have to wait till I need something else so I can justify shipping.

I think 49.2 is pretty standard on most Gibson Burstbuckers, 57' classics and Antiquity pickups. Some use 50mm, like Motorcity pickups, Manlius and a few others.

 

[Mouse]

TV Jones bare, Schaller nickel and Mojo bare are made from german silver, good thickness and they won't muffle the tone.

 

[LtKojak]

Well, I know that you're not going to believe anything I say about tone, but ...

Why do you say that Quill?

As long as you agree with me, I'l believe ANYTHING YOU SAY!

 

[Zhangliqun]

There is a difference depending on materials the covers are made of. Some covers are conductive and suck tone from your pups. Also potting methods can and do make a huge difference.

They're all conductive because they're made of metal. But materials and thickness really make a big difference as you say. Some are almost invisible tonally, some are like throwing a blanket over the speaker. Gold covers tend to be worse than nickel or chrome because of the layer of copper needed to make the gold stick.