School me on quality differences of Humbucker Covers

[Tonehound]

Hello guys, I have a few guitars with uncovered buckers and "sometimes" covers just finish the look of a nice looking guitar.

I've been so tempted to purchase low priced offshore covers but can't bring myself to adding to cart before I'm confident as to how much effect the differences in base materials/plating/costs actually make.

I've read removing covers allow more high end and I'm sure it's another personal and subjective topic but hoping someone can make this quest easier.

Thanks in advance

[Leo_Gnardo]

I've read removing covers allow more high end and I'm sure it's another personal and subjective topic but hoping someone can make this quest easier.

First thing to know, this is the pickup builders' area, and I'm not a builder, though I've installed a boat load. What I've found about covers is they can resonate when playing at very high volumes, resulting in a "whistle" tone, or squeaks, particularly when the pickups are located near the amp speakers. This can be minimized by wax dipping the pickup with cover on. If it's done right, there will be a layer of wax left between the top of the pickup bobbins and the back of the cover, preventing any movement of the metal cover thereby squelching any squeals. If it's not your habit to play at rock concert volumes, then no worry.

Other differences in tone, depending on cover materials are out of my league.

I'm sure the real experts will sound off on your question soon.

[big_teee]

The main difference in cover quality, is what they are made of.
Nickel silver sounds more transparent than brass.
Also thinner is better tone wise.
The thicker IME the more tone they rob.
Also make sure you get the right size.
T

[David King]

A USA nickel silver cover costs all of $7 so I wouldn't worry too much about it from a cost perspective. Try one and see what it does to the sound before committing.

[Tonehound]

Thanks guys for the Info. Where a good source of decent covers in the US??

[John Kolbeck]

The info above it correct, but not stated very technically. It all comes down to eddy current loses causing the Q factor of the pickup to be diminished. Lower conductivity, lower permeability, and thinner metal all help reduce eddy current losses. Unfortunately, a lot of suppliers don't publish this info, or might not even know. Make sure they state that the cover is made of "nickel silver". If they only say it's "chrome plated", they're probably trying to avoid mentioning the cheap metal underneath.

[big_teee]

IMO it's not important to get tangled in the weeds, if something works.
I think he wanted a simple answer so that is what he got.
T

[Mike Sulzer]

IMO it's not important to get tangled in the weeds, if something works.
He wanted a simple no BS answer so that is what he got.
So you might want to leave the slide rule in the drawer!
T

Seriously? A perfectly reasonable answer with some additional information and you have to criticize it?

[big_teee]

You'll live!

[bajaman]

my preference is the raw nickel silver covers for the most transparent sound. Mojotone and Philadelphia Luthier sell 49.2mm, 50mm, 52mm, and 53mm, (although Mojo don't seem to have 52mm ). With a bit of polishing with brasso or similar they can shine up really nice.

[David Schwab]

I prefer no covers, but I make a few with closed covers. Covers do alter the tone though, which is why players started taking them off.

[Steve A.]

my preference is the raw nickel silver covers for the most transparent sound. Mojotone and Philadelphia Luthier sell 49.2mm, 50mm, 52mm, and 53mm, (although Mojo don't seem to have 52mm ). With a bit of polishing with brasso or similar they can shine up really nice.

Thank you for mentioning the screw spacing. Back in the old days they all seemed interchangeable but I'd had so much trouble getting ones to match my pickups in recent years that I picked up some cheap slot top metal covers from China just to have around when I don't want the uncovered pickups to flop around in the mounting rings...

What I've found about covers is they can resonate when playing at very high volumes, resulting in a "whistle" tone, or squeaks, particularly when the pickups are located near the amp speakers. This can be minimized by wax dipping the pickup with cover on. If it's done right, there will be a layer of wax left between the top of the pickup bobbins and the back of the cover, preventing any movement of the metal cover thereby squelching any squeals.

I've found that putting one or two thicknesses of electrical tape on top of the stud coil will usually work as well as wax potting for those squeals.

Steve Ahola

P.S. I think that metal covers help with the "buzzy" noises that I associate with unshielded Les Paul style guitars (the Seth Lover design usually takes care of the hum.)

P.P.S. I see that Philadelphia Luthier has free shipping for orders over $50. Damn... they have 6 pages of humbucker covers but this link should get you to the $6.49 ones that bajaman mentioned:

Pickup Making Parts - Pickup Covers - Humbucker - Page 1 - Philadelphia Luthier Tools & Supplies, LLC

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
I agree with big_tee on this. There are a few members that over explain and, offer an analysis that complicates an otherwise simple question. That often times tend to contradict each other with dry technical details, and conversations that would be more at home on an electronics engineering forum of some sort.
And to John Kolbeck, can you explain exactly what the Q factor is, it comes up in every conversation dealing with anything from pickup covers to switch tips.

[Steve A.]

Hello,
I agree with big_tee on this. There are a few members that over explain and, offer an analysis that complicates an otherwise simple question. That often times tend to contradict each other with dry technical details, and conversations that would be more at home on an electronics engineering forum of some sort. (emphasis added)

Ummm... much of the Music Electronics Forum (like the Theory and Design subforum of Guitar Amps) is an electronics engineering forum.

And to John Kolbeck, can you explain exactly what the Q factor is, it comes up in every conversation dealing with anything from pickup covers to switch tips.

I'm not John but a quick Google search came up with an answer to your question. (No sense bothering our members for explanations readily available on the internet.)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_factor

Ì appreciate the fact that we can find both simple and more complex answers to our questions here at MEF. If an answer is too complicated we can always ignore it but if we are looking for a more thorough explanation it is great to be able to find it here, often worded much more succinctly than you might find at wikipedia which can be very dry and pedantic.





Steve Ahola

[Leo_Gnardo]

What I said way back in #2:

I'm sure the real experts will sound off on your question soon.

And so they have.

Pick the level of expertise you need for your project, enjoy your covers & yes let's get along.

Next question!