Describe covered vs uncovered humbuckers on a Les Paul

[soldano16]

I'm looking at a PU swap on one of my 3 LP standards and I'm thinking of finally trying an uncovered set, just for something different.

One of my replicas has covered Tom Holmes, the other is getting covered Dr. V's. Any suggestions for uncovered?

What should I expect from an uncovered set?

[soldano16]

Bump - someone must have something to say on this topic.

[lemonman]

IME, uncovered buckers have a little more presence and are slightly brighter and more aggressive in their attack; this can be either a good thing or bad thing, depending on the particular pickups and guitar.

Either way, it's not a big difference if the covers in question are high quality.

[Mr.Hanky]

If you can hear the difference, you have successfully bullshitted yerself.

[Speed_Racer71]

in the PRS book, it says that the uncovered p'ups are more raw sounding and the covers tone that down a little.

[alvagoldbook]

If you can hear the difference, you have successfully bullshitted yerself.

I agree. I've never been able to tell any difference in the tone of covered vs uncovered pups. covered pups look prettier in most cases.

[fast ricky love]

I do think there is a difference, covers mellow the tone a touch.

[scottlr]

I never liked the look of uncovered HBs.

[8Painting]

Not Ugly Vs. Ugly.

[Thwap]

If you can hear the difference, you have successfully bullshitted yerself.

My thoughts exactly.

[AndrewSimon]

There is definitely a difference in tone.
The covers mellow things a bit.... and let's not forget why they are there in the first place, they reduce interference.

:)

[Jon Silberman]

It can be difficult to resist the temptation of believing of that each of us is capable of hearing everything in the world there is to hear such that whenever someone else hears something we cannot it must be bullshit.

[scottlr]

Back then, Clapton and Page were pulling the covers off, so everyone did it. Somehow, it has been maintained over the years. Good thing when John Lennon sanded all of the finish off his Casino and J160e that everyone didn't mess up all of the vintage guitars ;)

[Jon Silberman]

I'm sure StewMac will have a bit more cred with some of you than little ole me so here goes.

Covers and capacitance

Guitar pickup covers are an example of a small aspect that can make an appreciable difference. The metal covers on Gibson, Fender, DeArmond, Gretsch and other pickups have more than a visual effect. Metal covers, including Telecaster bridge covers, are used as shielding against RF (radio frequency) interference, making the guitar quieter. A byproduct of having grounded conductive metal or shielding paint near a pickup’s coil is a high-end attenuation (cut) caused by a capacitance effect. This is the same effect that will make your guitar set-up sound warmer—or duller, depending on your perception—when you use a longer cable between the guitar and the amp. A five-foot cable will give a slightly brighter sound than a twenty footer.

Pickup covers are typically made from nonferrous (iron-free) metals such as brass or nickel-silver, and are usually plated with nickel, chrome, gold, or black chrome finish. If a cover were to contain iron, it would alter the pickup’s magnetic field, thus changing the pickup’s tone and response significantly. A prime example is the copper-plated steel plate used under original ’50s Tele bridge pickups to focus the magnetic field up toward the strings. This helped give those old pickups their bite and presence.

http://www.stewmac.com/wiring101/images/covers_compacitance.gif Just for fun, take a piece of steel, about 1/2" x 2-1/2" x .060", and put it underneath your favorite single-coil pickup, as shown in the photo at left. The magnets will hold it in place. The pickup will have a new sizzle that may give you the “edge” you’re looking for. This can also be useful for getting more of a Tele sound from a Strat bridge pickup. If you like it, you'll have to glue the steel in place with silicone or a glue that will isolate vibration. If you don’t, she’ll squeal like a pig!

Humbuckers without covers may look cool to some players, but they're defenseless against aggressive picks and playing styles that can penetrate the protective tape around the coils. A coil can be broken, leading to some serious repair work. The cover also warms the tone of the humbucker, which may or may not be to your liking. Much of the ’60s and ’70s craze to remove humbucker covers can be traced back to Jeff Beck, who was trying to get a slightly brighter tone from his Les Paul.

The moral of the story? Guitars are machines in which every component has a role in the overall tone and response. The right combination of stuff will sing! Remember too, that the amplifier is just as important. Use equipment that's suitable for the sound you want. Use the set-ups of your favorite players as guidelines for your own sonic impact. And don’t forget about the little stuff, because even a simple pickup cover can affect your tone.

[frank62]

People who claim they hear a difference are the same ones who claim they can hear if a guitar was made with hide glue.

[Jon Silberman]

Not at all so. The people who hear the difference between a covered and uncovered PUP can also explain, scientifically, WHY the tone is affected. Or do you disagree with that, too? (It's fine if you do though your position would be strengthened if you had any evidence or physics to present in addition to your personal opinion.)

[JMG]

Back then, Clapton and Page were pulling the covers off, so everyone did it. Somehow, it has been maintained over the years. Good thing when John Lennon sanded all of the finish off his Casino and J160e that everyone didn't mess up all of the vintage guitars ;)

In early '68, Jeff Beck sanded off the finish of his '58 Les Paul Standard. That was the guitar he used to record The Yardbirds (1966), and Truth (1968).

[frank62]

Jon, the difference is the shielding and that is all. In some situations that can be a big difference. I doubt you could listen to a recording and tell which one has covers on the pups and which one does not. Hey, it's cool.. Eric Johnson claims he can hear the difference in batteries so there you go.

[billm408]

Check out the Fralin HO HB's if you're considering uncovered. I have one in the bridge of one of my Standards and it's a great pup. Personally... I kinda like the uncovered look. I can't comment on tone as much because I haven't done a side by side of the same pup covered and uncovered, but the Fralin is hotter and slightly more aggressive than the covered Duncan on my other LP.

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6914/guitars3qf0.jpg

[D.G.]

Taking the covers off humbuckers will make them a smidge brighter, but you'll get more tonal impact by swapping out the potentiometers from 350k to 500k. An even greater difference is wiring a humbucker in parallel vs series (if it's 4-conductor.) Removing covers can also help control squealing feedback.

In a sensitive fuzz circuit (like a fuzz face) it's easy to hear the difference between alkaline/carbon/power supplies.

[OOG]

I'm looking at a PU swap on one of my 3 LP standards and I'm thinking of finally trying an uncovered set, just for something different.

One of my replicas has covered Tom Holmes, the other is getting covered Dr. V's. Any suggestions for uncovered?

What should I expect from an uncovered set?

depends on what cable you use

[Cthross]

When I shielded the inside of my strat the single coils mellowed out quite a bit. They lost some of their presence. I couldn't figure out why previously they were nice and bright and somewhat chimey and all of a sudden they had a softer sound. After some searching I found out that the shielding surrounding the coils can change the capacitance and tone of the pickups. The HB cover is essentially the same thing and it does have the same effect.

[soldano16]

depends on what cable you use

George L

[elkym]

It can be difficult to resist the temptation of believing of that each of us is capable of hearing everything in the world there is to hear such that whenever someone else hears something we cannot it must be bullshit.

+1

I agree with Jon.

[Boogs]

I have a Tele that I have swapped the cover on and off for the neck pickup.

Anyone who has actually A/B'd this and can't hear the difference must be deaf....at least with a Tele. The cover makes it sound very noticeably darker.

[Mr.Hanky]

http://oldcatman.blogspot.com/bullshit-lg%202.jpg

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[ECase]

For what it's worth, I remember an article with (amp and guitar tech) Cesar Diaz from an early 90s guitar mag, where he thanks all guitar players who pull the pickup covers off of their PAFs, because it increased the amount of corrosion that gets into the wiring, therefore giving him a lot more repair work....

[soldano16]

Well it's a split decision.

I ordered an uncovered neck PU and a covered bridge. A bit of both. The neck will be a zerba. I love that look.