Home› Musicians and Gearheads

Putting Chrome Covers On My Open Coil Humbuckers???

Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
edited June 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
Hey guys,

I've wanted to do this for a while now just because I love the look, I have a black Epiphone SG and it has the open coil humbuckers.....I ordered the covers from the store and they said they'd be like $15 each which is cool, and the labour to put them on would be around $15 too, so I figure it's like a $50 upgrade...

Anyways though, I heard from somebody that if you're just putting covers on that unless you "pot" them that you'll get tons of feedback?? I know they were going to "solder" (sp) the covers to my pick-ups because that's what the guy told me. Is that the same thing??

Is this really going to affect my tone that much in a negative way??? If so I may reconsider.

Thanks :)
"I Miss You Already!!!!!"

"Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

.NJD.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    I did the same thing to my SG when I got it. I haven't had any problems with feedback or any kind of negative impact on my tone. Plus I think it looks 100X better with the chrome covers that with the open coils. I took a look after they were done and saw that they do indeed solder the cover to a spot on the pickup, and maybe even a ground wire of some kind, not sure though on that one. Just make sure whoever does it, knows what they're doing.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    THey are referring to wax potting which reduces microphonics. see http://www.harmonicdesign.net. HD does this interesting thing called high pressure wax potting. It's not absolutely necessary I don't believe to do anything else, you'll be fine as it was likely potted to some degree at the factory albiet it ain't the best, but you'll be fine with the new covers anyhow. It does help with noise, but if you are fine with it now you will be fine with the covers as well, they just need to be soddered (sp) to anchor them on.

    Paging Bob. Who's Pearl Jam will know definitively.


    see this by pickup guru Lindy Fralin.

    http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/electronics/ts26fralin/ts26fralin.html
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    I actually started a thread about this when I first got my SG, to which Bob actually replied, it is here:

    http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=174448
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    moster78 wrote:
    I actually started a thread about this when I first got my SG, to which Bob actually replied, it is here:

    http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=174448

    Lol, it was all the same people as in this one :):)

    The guy told me that he had to order specific Epiphone ones.....so they should be here in a few weeks :)

    How did you like the change in tone moster??
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    Thumbing My Way wrote:
    Lol, it was all the same people as in this one :):)

    The guy told me that he had to order specific Epiphone ones.....so they should be here in a few weeks :)

    How did you like the change in tone moster??

    I didn't really notice a change in tone to be honest. I only had it without the covers for about two weeks before I had them put on. It still rocks to me.

    Funny that they would have to be specific Epiphone covers, but what do I know?
  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    moster78 wrote:
    I didn't really notice a change in tone to be honest. I only had it without the covers for about two weeks before I had them put on. It still rocks to me.

    Funny that they would have to be specific Epiphone covers, but what do I know?

    It all has to do with metric/imperial conversions when they design the parts. Most Les Paul replacement parts (knockoffs and Gibson), don't quite fit Epiphone guitars. I've learned this the hard way. I changed out pretty much all the plastic hardware on my Epiphone LP, and for the longest time I couldn't figure out why it kept breaking. I was using Gibson replacement pickup rings, and they were too tight for the Epiphone, so they kept snapping in the middle and at the screw holes. It's really, really annoying. :mad:
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    That would definitely explain it then.
  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    moster78 wrote:
    That would definitely explain it then.

    I blame Korea. ;)
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    Dirty_Frank wrote:
    I blame Korea. ;)

    That would also explain why the tech made me reiterate to him about five times that yes, they were genuine Gibson replacement parts. I guess he wanted to make sure they'd fit.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    :D I checked the other thread and it WAS the same people responding.

    The definitive answer is


    It depends!!!


    You shouldn't get feedback from putting covers on, unless the pickups are really loose and crappy, or they're loose, but you should be fine if a tech puts them on. The covers can tend to mellow the tone because they may filter some of the treble off, but you may not notice unless you're cranking at high volumes.
    If you don't like them,,, well, they're easy to take off again! They're held on with 2 blobs of solder.
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Dirty_FrankDirty_Frank Posts: 957
    I had an Epiphone LP100 at one point, and I think it had the same pups as your SG. They were actually wax potted and had no hum.

    The pups that came with my LP custom were as well, except I've got open coil buckers on it now.
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    Dirty_Frank wrote:
    I had an Epiphone LP100 at one point, and I think it had the same pups as your SG. They were actually wax potted and had no hum.

    The pups that came with my LP custom were as well, except I've got open coil buckers on it now.

    Good stuff...:)

    I'm putting a white pearloid pickguard on 'er too so I'll have to post some pics of my customized Epi SG :):)
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    Thumbing My Way wrote:
    Good stuff...:)

    I'm putting a white pearloid pickguard on 'er too so I'll have to post some pics of my customized Epi SG :):)

    Nice, now you got me wanting to do something different with mine. There is a crack around one of the screw holes of my pick guard. I've been debating replacing it, but its small and in the corner. Maybe when I do I'll have to go different.
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    moster78 wrote:
    Nice, now you got me wanting to do something different with mine. There is a crack around one of the screw holes of my pick guard. I've been debating replacing it, but its small and in the corner. Maybe when I do I'll have to go different.

    I just never see black SG's with white pickguard and it looks really sharp, especially if it's the pearloid ones :)

    I'm thinking it'll look cool too 'cause it's an Epiphone so the price of the upgrade isn't crazy expensive :):)

    I'll get some pics up within the next few weeks :)
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • brain of cbrain of c Posts: 5,213
    shiny.:cool:
    d'oh!!!!!!

    http://www.myspace.com/brain_of_c
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    Thumbing My Way wrote:
    I just never see black SG's with white pickguard and it looks really sharp, especially if it's the pearloid ones :)

    I'm sure it'll look unique, just like I think the teal and white might look kind of cool too.
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    moster78 wrote:
    I'm sure it'll look unique, just like I think the teal and white might look kind of cool too.

    That would look sick :D

    I just wanna class mine up abit :)
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
Sign In or Register to comment.