Humbuckers and Pickup Covers

[supersonic1414]

I have a set of killer Throbak pups with gold pup covers that have been in a 355. I am selling the 355, but want to keep the Throbaks and put them in a LP I have, but the hardware is nickel.

Can I de-solder the covers, and put new covers on? May be a stupid question, but a tech once told me that you really can't do this as it ruins the potting (he said soldering them on is about all that wax can take, so taking them off and soldering a new set on will totally ruin them)

Anyone chime in to confirm or have another view? Thanks

 

[hardys]

I have a set of killer Throbak pups with gold pup covers that have been in a 355. I am selling the 355, but want to keep the Throbaks and put them in a LP I have, but the hardware is nickel.

Can I de-solder the covers, and put new covers on? May be a stupid question, but a tech once told me that you really can't do this as it ruins the potting (he said soldering them on is about all that wax can take, so taking them off and soldering a new set on will totally ruin them)

Anyone chime in to confirm or have another view? Thanks

Your "tech" is mistaken. De-soldering will no more hurt the potting than soldering the cover on in the first place. That being said, it's difficult to de-solder the covers, although I've done it a number of times (even on the same pickup) and have never ruined one. An easier way and recommended by many techs, is to cut the solder joints. A dremel with a circular blade works well.

 

[Eli-Kauai]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJqIK93MC9Q&sns=em

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uBXid7Eq4A&sns=em


Changing or adding covers isn't all that hard. These are some tutorials on YouTube on how to do it. Just make sure you got the right size covers.

 

[Onioner]

A razor blade can get through that solder too. Just obviously use some caution ...

 

[MT Buckaroo]

I just installed and de-installed some PAF covers for the first time the other day. It's not that hard. I think I saw some instructions on the WCR site and followed those.

In any event, I used a box cutter to carefully cut the solder joint when taking them off.

As to installing them, I put some Scotch tape over the slug coil and covering the small crevasse between the coils, then put a thin, thin dab of poster mounting putty on the Scotch tape (to help with microphonics, I assume), then carefully pressed the cover on and seated the putty up against the inside roof of the cover. Since the cover had a little solder blob and the baseplate of the pickup had a corresponding little solder blob (on each side), it was a simple matter to fuse the two blobs together. A quick check with the meter for continuity, and I was good to go.

Covered vs. uncovered really does make a difference in tone, IMO.

 

[stratzrus]

Covered vs. uncovered really does make a difference in tone, IMO.

How would you describe the difference?

 

[MT Buckaroo]

About like what you're told to expect: Uncovered is brighter, more articulate, but sometimes this isn't the best thing as the pickup can sound a little too brash around the edges. Covered is a bit warmer, but if it goes too far in this direction you get mud. No real surprises, brighter pickups are helped by the covers, and darker pickups may be helped by taking them off.

I'm just saying that I tried the same pickups in the same guitar both uncovered and covered and preferred that particular set in that particular guitar covered. I could actually hear the difference. Often times with stuff like this, you hear what you want to hear or fool yourself into thinking you can hear it 'cuz everybody says that's what they hear, but this was not my imagination or the power of suggestion.

 

[Findthetone]

Your tech is a tard. Remove the gold covers and put nickel ones on. I use a hair dryer. Just watch the bottom of the pickup until the wax starts to run a little bit.

 

[danelectro]

I have five sets of Jon's Thobak pickups and none of them were potted. I don't know if he does it even by special request. Just remove the covers and swap them out. Here's my "potting" technique to ensure that you don't have any problems with microphonic feedback.

HELP:How to install pickup covers

 

[choucas09]

This vid shows the difference between covered and uncovered pickups.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D756154qUdo

 

[RAILhead]

Yep, you "tech" doesn't know what he's talking about in this situation. There's an RS Guitarworks video that shows how simple this is...