Pickup Cover Material

[los100malditos]

Hi Folks, excuse my ignorance in the subject, i have used open pole pickups, and also plastic covered pickups wich don't seem to have interference or reduce sound.

Do you think metal covers -like the new Billy Sheehan Pickups- could interfere or reduce sound?. i have had the same question on plastic covered pickups, and I have even seen (not played) wood covered pickups.

 

[MPU]

Some metal covers will reduce highs. Wood or plastic have no effect on sound as long as they are not so thick that the poles are further from strings than without cover.

 

[sunbeast]

Here’s a cool deep-dive into how to get around losses associated with using metal covers on pickups: Undercover Pickups | kenwillmott.com
I have experimented with some Rickenbacker pickups to decrease losses noticeably by making cuts in the covers. Not sure about the metal used on the Sheehan covers, but certainly in some pickups the effects of these losses are a known part of their tone (like many Gibson humbuckers or Telecaster neck pickups)

 

[Watchootognbout]

Do Telecaster lipstick pickup covers interfere with the sound?
What material can stop magnetic induction?

 

[sunbeast]

Do Telecaster lipstick pickup covers interfere with the sound?
What material can stop magnetic induction?

Yes- if I understand correctly most metals can cause eddy currents (even non-ferrous metals). I have tested by removing covers from Tele pickups and the difference can be quite obvious. The brass bridge affects a Tele bridge pickup, as does a metal plate on the bottom. Even open pickup rings like those on Rickenbackers still have an effect

 

[therhodeo]

Some materials affect the highs more than others.

Yes- if I understand correctly most metals can cause eddy currents (even non-ferrous metals). I have tested by removing covers from Tele pickups and the difference can be quite obvious. The brass bridge affects a Tele bridge pickup, as does a metal plate on the bottom. Even open pickup rings like those on Rickenbackers still have an effect

Also the bridge on telecasters is not brass. The saddles are. Most tele bridges historically are stamped steel that's been plated. Being a ferrous metal it can cause issues with certain types of noiseless pickups. The recommended solution there is a non-ferrous material like some grades of stainless or brass.

 

[sunbeast]

Some materials affect the highs more than others.




Also the bridge on telecasters is not brass. The saddles are. Most tele bridges historically are stamped steel that's been plated. Being a ferrous metal it can cause issues with certain types of noiseless pickups. The recommended solution there is a non-ferrous material like some grades of stainless or brass.

Some Telecaster bridges are indeed brass- I have a Gotoh one. You are right that the original bridges were not. The brass bridge does still decrease the highs though, I’ve tried a number of options on my Teles including using a separate plastic mounting plate but found the tone too harsh that way.