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Post by Lefty on Apr 3, 2006 7:17:12 GMT -7
I'm new to the bucker dept. Well in a LP at least...what are your thoughts on cover vs no cover?
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Post by prowler on Apr 3, 2006 7:22:02 GMT -7
No covers for me. I feel covers take away from a pickups tone.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Apr 3, 2006 7:44:01 GMT -7
I don't think they take away from the tone... they just sound different. I think some sound better with covers, some sound better without. When most people think of the impact that covers will have on the tone of a pickup, they just think of it as "covering" up the magnetic poles, which the brain tells you should 'deaden' the tone of the pickup... but in reality, it's more than that, and I often find the OPPOSITE to be true. The cover itself is going to resonate directly on top of the pickup, and for that reason, I think it can actually make a pickup sound MORE lively, and can add an interesting element to the tone of a pickup... it's all what you want... try it with covers and without, and see which you like better -- there's no penalty for hearing it with your own ears! One tip that Jim Wagner at WCR pickups gave me, is that if I try any pickup with the covers on and decide I want to keep it that way, he suggested putting a small bead of silicone caulk accross the poles of the pickups (NOT the adjustable screws, but the "other" part)... This will help to prevent microphonic squeel from the covers at higher volumes (which is also proof that the covers themselves are resonating and adding to the tone), but it does not deaden the tone of the pickups in anyway... in my experience, I've found this to be exactly TRUE!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Apr 3, 2006 8:13:03 GMT -7
I don't think they take away from the tone... they just sound different. I think some sound better with covers, some sound better without. When most people think of the impact that covers will have on the tone of a pickup, they just think of it as "covering" up the magnetic poles, which the brain tells you should 'deaden' the tone of the pickup... but in reality, it's more than that, and I often find the OPPOSITE to be true. The cover itself is going to resonate directly on top of the pickup, and for that reason, I think it can actually make a pickup sound MORE lively, and can add an interesting element to the tone of a pickup... it's all what you want... try it with covers and without, and see which you like better -- there's no penalty for hearing it with your own ears! One tip that Jim Wagner at WCR pickups gave me, is that if I try any pickup with the covers on and decide I want to keep it that way, he suggested putting a small bead of silicone caulk accross the poles of the pickups (NOT the adjustable screws, but the "other" part)... This will help to prevent microphonic squeel from the covers at higher volumes (which is also proof that the covers themselves are resonating and adding to the tone), but it does not deaden the tone of the pickups in anyway... in my experience, I've found this to be exactly TRUE! Kinda hard to get 'em apart after that though, wouldn't you say? I'd more inclined to just put a strip of rubber in there so that it comes back apart easier, otherwise when you decide you liked it better with the covers off, you won't need grandpa's flame thrower to get it apart.
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Post by bluzsteel on Apr 3, 2006 9:35:24 GMT -7
covers
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Post by propellr on Apr 3, 2006 9:59:30 GMT -7
Covers. Plus, they're shiny!
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Post by guitarman1 on Apr 3, 2006 10:12:35 GMT -7
It's all a matter of taste. Generally speaking, the common thought is a cover will reduce clarity & treble response. If a pup is designed with a cover, I'll leave it on, simply because that cover was probably part of the tone equation when being designed. Unless it sounds bad, why take off the cover?
I had a PRS McCarty neck pup with a cover that sounded pretty good IMHO, but I wanted more "clarity", so I removed the cover. I really disliked it with the cover off. The treble did increase and it lost much of it's mid/low mid fullness & character. That's my only hands on experience.
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Post by billyguitar on Apr 3, 2006 12:12:58 GMT -7
Well put, guitarman1. Pickup designers now know what they're doing so well that I wouldn't second guess them. I'm kind of over the exposed coil look anyway.
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Post by LeftyLang on Apr 4, 2006 19:31:43 GMT -7
I like the classic look of covers.
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Post by terryg on Apr 7, 2006 13:44:55 GMT -7
I got the best of both worlds: bartolini, classic black epoxy. Killer secret weapon...dam! now I have to kill me.
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Post by Seńor Verde on Apr 9, 2006 0:01:00 GMT -7
I agree with everything G'OlPeachPhan said. Some pickups are less affected by covers. The covers themselves make a big difference too. Chrome covers seem to kill the tone more, as do nickel plated brass. Solid Nickel and gold plated Nickel seem more transparent. The heights and poles need to be adjusted to accomodate covers/no covers too.
The bead of silicone works great and if you don't use too much the covers are easy to remove. Just a very small line across the slug poles is all you need, then clamp the covers on snugly whle you solder them on.
Covers help protect the pickups, shield them from noise and just makes the guitar look neat and complete.
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Post by fishman on Apr 10, 2006 16:08:23 GMT -7
covers, if just for the classic visual lines .... I don;t fool around with taking them off then on, if the guitar sounds good, I leave it alone. I have been thru the " I think I can make it better" routine.
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Post by tele1962 on Apr 26, 2006 22:46:14 GMT -7
In the early to mid 70's especially, there were a handful of top players who soldered off teh covers with the idea that " if you take the covers off, man...you get more highs!" I was a guitar tech back then, and the only highs I saw from these cats were generated from a great new California seedless variety! Leave the damn things on!
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Apr 27, 2006 7:45:51 GMT -7
Just bought two new 'buckers with covers installed. Man they look nice...
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Post by skydog958 on May 8, 2006 18:17:41 GMT -7
I like both.
I have no real testiment as to the differences tonally, but I see it from a cosmetic view. I like the civilized-looking twin covered buckers look in my Heritage, but I like the look of open buckers on, say, Clapton's 3 pickup Black Beauty (it probably looks the same as the Frampton Signature LP).
Or, you can do the Jimmy Page thing and have one of each (neck covered, bridge open), like on my Les Paul!
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Post by skydog958 on May 8, 2006 19:40:00 GMT -7
Yeah, just like that. Actually, I forgot to mention, the pickups in my Les Paul are the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Jimmy Page pickups! They are installed with coil taps on the tone controls with push/pull pots. If you didn't know, I'm a huge Zeppelin fan .
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Post by skydog958 on May 8, 2006 20:47:46 GMT -7
My screen name should have been blackdog958, on second thought I would change it but then everyone would get all confuzzled
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