#1914087 - 03/21/08 11:12 PM
Humbucker pickup covers...
|
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/23/00
Posts: 11517
Loc: NY Hudson Valley, USA
|
Offline
|
|
I've exchanged pickups and installed coil tap switches and done a lot of rewiring...etc...
...but I've never removed the chrome PU covers.
So...I have some HBs without any covers...just the dual coils with the black plastic and ribbon around the sides. And I want to take the chrome covers off another set of PUs and put them on those.
Can you just unscrew the six screws from a chrome covered PUs...and then use them for the uncovered ones (also removing the six screws there)…?
And…will the previously covered PU look the same underneath as the typical uncovered ones…or are they going to be different underneath the cover…?
And I'm not sure if the cover is tied to the rest of the pickup in any other way or if removing the screws will somehow mess up the coils inside...???
Anyone...?
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914088 - 03/21/08 11:15 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: miroslav]
|
Kramer Ferrington III.
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/12/05
Posts: 9069
Loc: Wellington, NZ
|
|
Offline
|
|
No, the covers aren't just screwed on, you have to "pot" them. The potting involves soaking the pickup in a mix of hot wax and paraffin and stops the pickup cover from rattling. There's stuff about it on a lot of those luthiery websites.
Removing the covers is apparently not an easy task and it's suposed to be quite risky as well. It's easy to wreck the pickup.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914090 - 03/21/08 11:21 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
|
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/23/00
Posts: 11517
Loc: NY Hudson Valley, USA
|
|
Offline
|
|
Yeah...I took one screw out just to see…and when I saw the wax on the screw, I stopped as I figured the whole thing was sorta' fused with the wax, and I didn't want to mess it up.
So...when they sell just covers...I guess you can't just toss 'em on the typical uncovered PUs without doing a wax job...?
I knew that single coils are all about using wax to minimize the microphonics, but I wasn't sure if HBs had to have a solid wax seal also.
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914096 - 03/21/08 11:43 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: miroslav]
|
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/23/00
Posts: 11517
Loc: NY Hudson Valley, USA
|
|
Offline
|
|
So I'm looking at the SteMac website...and for their HB covers...they just show in the instructions that you should solder them to the actual PU in a couiple of spots underneath.
They make no mention that you need to do anything more...?
I'm still not sure about unscrewing all the pole screws...but I see no other way to place a cover on the PU.
I just don't know if taking out the screws will hurt the PU in any way...?
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914099 - 03/21/08 11:54 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: miroslav]
|
Kramer Ferrington III.
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/12/05
Posts: 9069
Loc: Wellington, NZ
|
|
Offline
|
|
Well, I don't know about the StewMac ones. All I know is that the covers are traditionally potted. I guess the solder takes the place of the wax (and a good thing, too! That potting sounds like a real PITA) If StewMac reckons that's the way it is, that's the way it is.
Mind you, removing a potted cover sounds like it requires some skills as well.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914118 - 03/22/08 02:37 AM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
|
GeoffB
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 11/05/04
Posts: 6854
Loc: UK East Midlands via Scotland
|
|
Offline
|
|
Unscrewing the pole screws won't do any harm - they are just extensions to the magnetic field. You would have to unscrew them to take the cover off, in many cases, although some covers might have holes big enough to let them slip through.
The cover is usually tagged onto the base plate by a couple of solder tags. This also grounds the cover.
The problem is, the base plate forms a pretty big heat sink and you'll need a pretty powerful soldriring iron to melt the tags. This will also melt some of the wax inside.
I've done it, successfully, i.e. I've taken covers *off* and the pickup inside was just as you'd expect it to be - black plastic bobbins.
I've never put a cover back on, but it would be the reverse process.
G.
_________________________
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace"
Jimi Hendrix
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914147 - 03/22/08 06:01 AM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: GeoffB]
|
mdrs
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 06/15/06
Posts: 9101
Loc: rural PA
|
|
Offline
|
|
I've taken them off, and put them on. The covers are soldered on to the pu, usually in two spots underneith the pu cover, right along the edge. Typically the soldered spots have been on either lateral side of the pu cover, in my experience.
I've not had a problem releasing the solder points to remove a pu cover. It's a little tricky to get the solder just exactly where you want it when you solder it back on. But, I'm no expert solder-er, and just have a cheap pencil soldering iron, yet somehow got thru....
I've never had a humbucker that I had to touch the pole screws in order to either put on, or take off a pu cover. The screws have always just simply fit thru the holes in the pu cover.
Also, the bridge pu cover and pole screws will be slightly farther apart than those on the neck up.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914197 - 03/22/08 07:28 AM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: mdrs]
|
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/23/00
Posts: 11517
Loc: NY Hudson Valley, USA
|
|
Offline
|
|
Thanks GeoffB and Don....that's what I was hoping to hear.
I did notice on some of my covered HBs that that holes around the pole screws appear to be just big enough to let the cover pass without any need to remove the screws.
But I think on the ones I want to remove, it looks like I will have to also unscrew the pole screws.
When I took one out and saw the wax on the screw...I stopped, as I was concerned that something was being permanently disrupted inside.
I will go for it then, as I have a pair of uncovered PUs that just don't work for me esthetically...and I've been wanting to take the covers off of another set.
It would be easier to just swap the whole PUs…but they are different tone flavors.
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914206 - 03/22/08 07:39 AM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: miroslav]
|
mdrs
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 06/15/06
Posts: 9101
Loc: rural PA
|
|
Offline
|
|
Putting a pu cover on will alter the tone of that pu, as will taking a cover off. It's not either better or worse....just different. The cover may make the tone a bit more "distant" or slightly less edgy. This can be good, or bad. It's really personal preference.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914215 - 03/22/08 07:50 AM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: mdrs]
|
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 05/23/00
Posts: 11517
Loc: NY Hudson Valley, USA
|
|
Offline
|
|
I don't mind less edgy. 
I have another guitar with a covered version of same pickups as the uncovered ones...and I really like their tone.
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914551 - 03/22/08 08:05 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: miroslav]
|
soggybomb
Gold Member
Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 518
Loc: Gainesville, FL
|
|
Offline
|
|
to take this from a different angle: don't cover the uncovered set. an uncovered humbucker, IMHO, allows access to a broader tonal range, as it is easy to get edgy grit as well as mellow sounds. in one of my guitars i put some uncovered seymour duncans awhile back (forgot what they were), and i love that one.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914568 - 03/22/08 09:09 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: soggybomb]
|
guitarzan
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 02/26/02
Posts: 12735
|
Online
|
|
i have removed covers by carefully cutting through the cover's solder joint with a sharp pair of wire cutters (nipping very carefully ) i reduced the microphonics to a poorly potted set of buckers that way.
i don't think you can hurt a standard bucker by removing the pole piece screws. some guys on the LP forum like to change the pole piece screws with shorter or longer screws to modify the tone. they are quite extreme over there.
a standard set of buckers do not need the screws removed to take of the cover.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1914626 - 03/23/08 02:55 AM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: guitarzan]
|
GeoffB
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 11/05/04
Posts: 6854
Loc: UK East Midlands via Scotland
|
|
Offline
|
|
I read *somewhere*(?) that having long ends of pole pieces sticking out the bottom, underneath the pickup, messes around the magnetic field and having either shorter screws, or cutting off the excess is beneficial to the tone.
I did this a while back and to my ears the bottom end seemed a little tighter, but I can't say it was a massive change.
G.
_________________________
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace"
Jimi Hendrix
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1915611 - 03/24/08 05:56 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: GeoffB]
|
mdrs
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 06/15/06
Posts: 9101
Loc: rural PA
|
|
Offline
|
|
I am NOT an expert on the effects of the length of the screws, or pole pieces on a pu.
I do know that Pete Townshend messed around with the screw lengths on the P-90's on his SG's. And, some of the old wood axes I have that have P-90's do seem to have been "adjusted", meaning that the screws are at varing lenghts.
I've never messed with them, and don't really know what it would do. I'll make some inquiries, and see if I can get some info.
Here's some illustrations;
Interestingly, while the All Gold and Gold Top LP with two P-90's both have pole pieces/screws that are "screwed out", and some are longer than others, all of my old LP Jr's have the pole pieces/screws on their single P-90 at a uniform lower level. I'm not sure of the significance, if any.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1915649 - 03/24/08 06:42 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: mdrs]
|
guitarzan
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 02/26/02
Posts: 12735
|
|
Online
|
|
send the Jr. to me and i will check it out for you. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1915651 - 03/24/08 06:44 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: guitarzan]
|
mdrs
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 06/15/06
Posts: 9101
Loc: rural PA
|
|
Offline
|
|
Sorry, I already tucked Jr. into bed. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1915654 - 03/24/08 06:47 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: mdrs]
|
guitarzan
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 02/26/02
Posts: 12735
|
|
Online
|
|
thats ok i am sneaking into Ellwood's house tonight to snag his aluminum strat....shhhhhh
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1916697 - 03/26/08 04:02 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: guitarzan]
|
mdrs
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 06/15/06
Posts: 9101
Loc: rural PA
|
|
Offline
|
|
Yea, Zan, that'll mow them down alright!!! 
I spoke to one of my guitar gurus, and he informed me that the screws in the old P-90 pu's were screwed in or out (i.e. left long or short) in order to balance out the loudness of each string. Adjusted properly each string should be equally loud, so that each stands on it's own, without drowning out another string.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1916707 - 03/26/08 04:15 PM
Re: Humbucker pickup covers...
[Re: mdrs]
|
GeoffB
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 11/05/04
Posts: 6854
Loc: UK East Midlands via Scotland
|
|
Offline
|
|
I spoke to one of my guitar gurus, and he informed me that the screws in the old P-90 pu's were screwed in or out (i.e. left long or short) in order to balance out the loudness of each string. Adjusted properly each string should be equally loud, so that each stands on it's own, without drowning out another string.
Yup - that's what they are for, right enough!!!
Having said that, I find mine sound best if the screws are adjusted flush & the whole pup is lifted as close to the strings as possible.
G.
_________________________
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace"
Jimi Hendrix
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: myles_rose, A String, Bluesape
|
|
|
WE ARE READY FOR YA ZAN!! 
