do pickup covers serve a purpose?

[chrispizzy]

I was looking online at some bass parts and came across some pickup covers and bridge covers. Do these things actually affect the sound of the instrument or are they purely cosmetic?

 

[Jumbotron]

Purely cosmetic.

 

[primusfan1989]

no, it just makes the bass look sexy, it doesnt effect the sound at all

 

[Kyon`]

Well, you could mutes to the cover and put them over the strings.

 

[Headless Llama]

they cover the pickups

sorry... the real answer is some people are going to say that it does something, and others are going to say they don't. There may even be a couple of fancy graphs of wave lengths with or with out the covers...

It has been my experience that the actual cover offers little if any sound difference.
That is different than saying that the distance from the top of the pickup may or may not be affected by the pickup cover.

Then again, I am sure someone will tell me that I am wrong.

 

[perkidan]

Back in the day the bridge cover used to have foam mutes in it, but just for looks nowdays.

 

[Labi]

Purely cosmetic.

I disagree. The cover protects the pickup and the screws from the direct contact with sweaty hands thus prevents corrosion (rust) of the poles and screws as well as the bridge.

 

[Exploiter8]

I've noticed some pick-players use the cover as a rest for their hand. This would make sense if the cover also served as a mute. I would think muting would be quite difficult with the picking hand otherwise.

 

[lavmonga]

I've noticed some pick-players use the cover as a rest for their hand. This would make sense if the cover also served as a mute. I would think muting would be quite difficult with the picking hand otherwise.

I like using the bridge cover as a handrest, doesn't affect my tone though.

 

[MisterBassie]

Bob Babbitt and (I think) Carole Kaye used the pickup cover on their Fenders as a hand rest

 

[stingray69]

They look great - but things get too tight (for me) when both the pickup & bridge covers are on.

 

[brekfustuvluzer]

its kinda like the hood on a car. partly cosmetic to hide the guts of the car (this may have been how leo thought of it since he followed car design) and partly to keep things underneath clean. it also helps shield the open pole pieces from electro magnetic radiation.

 

[spade2you]

They hide the pickups from peering eyes, thereby preserving the modesty of the bass.

 

[RCCollins]

it also helps shield the open pole pieces from electro magnetic radiation.

yup. especially the right metal covers!

 

[Brendan5]

If you're talking about the plastic things sometimes they cover the pole pieces which keeps you from touching them.

 

[sarcastro83]

they exist solely to ensure adherence to the social rule of "No shirt, no pickup covers, no service".

 

[SurferJoe46]

I added them and there is a tonal and voicing difference - but it's because I am playing in different places now on the strings and with the added foam mute the whole 'color' of the bass has changed. For the better I believe.

 

[BassNoob1]

I always thought they served the purpose of protecting the pickups from your stray pick on a guitar, and were added to basses for pick-style players.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Having a pickup cover over the neck pickup on a jazz bass makes a difference in sound for me because when playing fingerstyle it forces me to play 'exactly' between the two pickups, whereas without it I tend unconsciously to shift my right hand a bit. This is good in the studio so I can focus on the vibe rather than on my technique.

peace!

 

[Pilgrim]

Search TB for the phrase "pickup covers" and you'll learn a lot.