Which plastic for Plastic pickup covers

[belwar]

Hi All,

Question - I am developing a new pickup cover for a bass pickup I want to make. I'm in the process of having an injection mold made and Im starting to work on what plastic it should be made from.. The walls are thin (1/16th) and its a large cover at almost and inch and a half tall. Does anyone have any thoughts on good plastics to use? Nylon? ABS? Glass-Filled Nylon? Would love to hear any material thoughts and reasons behind said materials

bel

[David Schwab]

I was wondering if you abandoned that bass!

Most of the commercial covers seem to be ABS.

[belwar]

No, just been waiting for the money for the mold. I've got the Bobbins, Screws (20000 in 1008, and 20000 in 12L14), Magnets (including some custom A8 magnets to try). Keepers i'll make myself at the last second.

Still working on what to do for the preamp - I'd like to go with the Noll Fully Parametric EQ pre (4 knob), but I dont know if its too complex to be accepted.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

ABS as far as I know.

[belwar]

Smooth, sythetic wood grain, or satin? what type of finish do you gusy think would be good?

[Plucky]

Smooth, sythetic wood grain, or satin? what type of finish do you gusy think would be good?

Synthetic wood grain would have the least noticeable wear over time. It won't show scratches like smooth, or burnish like satin. At least not as obviously...

[the great waldo]

Hi Matt

Satin finish would match up with any finish, wood grain looks nice with a natural finish but looks naff with say a metallic finish.

Cheers
Andrew

Smooth, sythetic wood grain, or satin? what type of finish do you gusy think would be good?

[David Schwab]

Smooth, sythetic wood grain, or satin? what type of finish do you gusy think would be good?

I like satin finishes with a little texture to them.

[ken]

I think David is right...

a matte finish would be the choice here. If you go with a fancy finish like wood grain, dirt would stick to it and if the player sets the pickup close to the strings the detailing would tend to wear off. This is also why shiny 'mirror finish' pickup covers drive me crazy too, every tiny scratch just sticks out no matter what you do.

ken

[belwar]

Hmm interesting - Matte it is then.

[Joe Gwinn]

Most of the commercial covers seem to be ABS.

ABS is easily molded and yet is very tough, and (unlike most plastics) can easily be metallized.

If one metallizes the cover (either inside or outside), one can make very a effective electrostatic shield having essentially zero eddy current loading, as the metal layer is very thin.

[David Schwab]

If one metallizes the cover (either inside or outside), one can make very a effective electrostatic shield having essentially zero eddy current loading, as the metal layer is very thin.

EMG is now doing something like that, but I think they are using a carbon layer. But they have it as part of the cover.

[David King]

I've found ABS to be unacceptible, it wears out too quickly and it's susceptible to too many thinners. I'd rather see something like a urethane or nylon 6. Bass pickups are the de facto thumb rest and they are subjected to way more abuse than any guitar pickup. There are conductive plastics that might make effective shields without the eddy currents and also minimize microphonics and handling noise that's evident with internal metal shields without potting.
What about PEEK? That shit wears forever. I'm not wild about the faux wood grain, I'd rather seen a textured surface or perhaps some fractal pattern.

[belwar]

I'm seriously considering glass filled nylon as an option, and the more I think about it some form of matte finish does sound good. I wasnt really intending to shield the cover mainly because its a humbucker and didnt think it was really nessesary

[the great waldo]

It should really be Matt !!!!

Cheers

Andrew

Hmm interesting - Matte it is then.