Do Guitar Pickup Covers Change The Tone
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2022
- Do Pickup Covers Change The Tone? We do an A/B Test
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I do really love the covered look but definitely prefer the uncovered sound
Thank you for doing this video, Dylan. I completely agree. I've heard so many artists I respect, such as Trent Reznor and Tom Morello, talk about working with what you have and finding a tone you like.
I used to have a pair of open back Sennheiser headphones (I believe they were the HD385 or 485) that sounded amazing! However, I didn't love music any less from my car or home stereo.
Definitely heard more brightness from the covered pickup, but of course both sounded good, but I expect without a side-by-side comparison I may not be able to hear that difference.
All these comparisons videos....they almost always never do a side by side. They play an example, than they talk.... It defeats the purpose
You found a way to switch pickups without changing the guitar at all. Awesome, and the spalted wood is beautiful. Great video.
Great video! Thanks Dylan!
Very interesting. Thank you Dylan.
I always appreciate your oppinions and engineering thoughs
Great video, I love this side by side comparisons. Well done editing & presenting this.
I did hear a difference. It seems the setup with covers gave a “brighter” sound (a bit more midrange?)
I would love to see a potted vs unpotted video.
***REQUEST PLEASE*** on the topic of pickup comparisons, can you make one comparing blade style pickups vs pole pieces PLEASE???? Same amount of winds, I would just like to see a side by side comparison, when it comes to tone and string bending.
I love the backing sound track. 👍. I could hear a ever so slight difference but only because it was pointed out. I'd never have noticed. Thanks
Hey Dylan. I have a couple of "Golden age" humbuckers mounted in a partscaster. They both came covered and I used them covered for awhile, One day I got the notion to pull the covers off and maybe here some difference. These are good pups out of the box but after removing the covers I noticed a presence quality that wasn't there before; maybe a bit brighter, not remarkable but noticeable I like the difference so I've kept them with covers off. I like your channel, keep up the good work.
Nice job! Perfect guitar for that comparison!
With cover, sounds a bit restrained. Almost like the pickup is being slightly covered 😉 My preference is with cover. A little too bright for me, uncovered.
Very helpful video👍👍
I can hear a difference but totally agree with you. There other variables that weigh in more. Thank you for this video.
Hey Dylan thank you for sharing your valuable opinions really very appreciated, you are one of the best for explaining many queries in the field of the pickups and many guitar related issues and I salute you my friend best regards from England UK 👍🎸🤘
Great video, thx! I always wonder whether you wouldn't need some quite good quality speakers on your pc to be even able to hear minor differences in tone.
Excellent comparison/demo ...........and from my experience ....I totally agree. Kudos !
Preach it!
Doesn’t matter.
Every instance of use dictates the sound you’ll get, that particular time.
Honest review!
Great video - thanks Dylan! I could hear a difference back to back (uncovered had a bit more high end), but I think you hit the nail on the head - put 10 minutes between the sound samples and I doubt that I could hear a difference.
A small difference. The uncovered pickup sounded slightly more 'open', as though slightly more upper treble content was present - possibly upper harmonics.
Of course, in the real world you would never hear a comparison like this, and the difference is so small that a little tweak of the EQ would have a greater effect. The side-by-side comparison is interesting and useful - and it's performed properly here, with no gaps between samples - but it's as artificial as putting something under a microscope: under a microscope is the only time you'll ever see it that way.
I didn't really notice a difference. Maybe cuz I've been playing in front of loud amps for decades. For me it comes down to the look of the guitar. I have guitars with pups covered and uncovered and I love them both ways. Good stuff Dylan!
I actually like the covered sound. I prefer it with a bit less treble. You are right though. People freak out about minute details. Nothing is ever going to be absolutely perfect but we do our best!
I definitely heard a difference and preferred the uncovered sound. Covered was quieter, so maybe it's that, but I heard a tone difference too (more bottom uncovered). That said, I ordered my latest humbuckers with covers because that's the look I wanted for that particular guitar.
I noticed that the pickups for the uncovered pickup sounded more alive (or brighter) than covered (slightly duller tone). I think in a band setting, I might not notice as much.
I owned a PRS McCarty ll with covered 59/08s and they sound kind of mellow compared to my CE24 Semi Hollowbody with uncovered 85/15 pickups. I preferred the CE24.
I've definitely had guitars where their harmonics were dampened by the cover on the bridge pup. May have been because they were cheap with cheap covers. But it was night and day for me at the time.
The only difference I could discern was a slight volume drop with the pickup cover on. Other than that I detected no change in EQ curve or anything.
Thanks for making this video!
I could hear a difference, though visual cues can actually affect how we hear things. Look up the "McGurk Effect" to have your mind blown! Trickery aside, the pickup without the cover sounded brighter and harsher than with the cover.
Though the differences were fairly small, they occurred in a frequency range that often determines whether I like a tone or not. I preferred the warmer sound of the pickup with the cover, and suspect the difference is probably due to the way the magnet field is spread out, based on my own experiments with small plates of metal around pole pieces.
That said, we have such powerful tools to shape EQ to our desires, obsessing over the differences is probably not with the effort. I do like that Dylan obsessed over trying to minimize the variables, and that Somnium made such a cool designed guitar that helps shine a clear light on Pickups and their true qualities. Thanks
Les Paul said, "People listen with their eyes" after he found out that people responded more favorably to his "log" after he glued pieces of an Epiphone body to the sides of it...lol
funny enough, I thought the no cover sounded a little warmer and more musical.
If I don't hear a difference are my eyes lying to me?
@@joehahn8817 Les Paul was making an analogy, what he meant was looks matter also. He wasn't being literal LOL.
That's the exact reason when listening to an A/B comparison I always turn my screen off, close my eyes, turn around, etc. I've definitely let my brain bias me before so I do what I can to force more objectivity
Hi Dylan, Loved the comparision I did not hear much difference but I didn't have head phones on.
I have a side question. Have you ever heard of DeArmond Goldtone humbucker pickups? I have some and they are hard to find. But the sound I get from those pick-ups, is to my ears is brighter and more clear. I can hear better note definition in chords even with distortion/overdrive. I am not talking triads/power chords, but rather 5 and 6 note chords. Do you know how they were made? winds and gauge magnet type? Any thing you know of that has simular clarity?
Really glad you used the Somnium. For a second, I thought we were going to have an Internet slap-fight about tone color. LOL.
I couldn't tell a difference.
I heard a difference in volume but not tone. I'm an old fart (68) and I have frequency limitations so instrumentation is the only way to distinguish the nuances. This was an excellent "no BS" video. Love this channel.
I was just getting into the remix break when the video went back to normal. Aw....
Informative as always. I thought I could hear a little bit of difference, more so on the clean samples. But I'd agree, it's one of those tiny differences that you can isolate with enough effort, that even isolated I'd have to resort to statistics to see whether or not I was just making lucky guesses as to A or B, and which will totally vanish into all the other bigger variables when you go play a real gig in a bar somewhere.
Still haven't decided if I like the looks of covered or uncovered more, though. I'd probably do it differently on different guitars, or just as part of the costuming for different shows or styles.
I did that experiment from myself a little while ago where I had a pickup that had a cover and I removed it and did the same kind of testing on my test jig guitar and found that uncovered it sounded a little brighter and sharper than the cover which was a little bit warmer tone. So in essence I went in the reverse Direction leaving the screws on the pickup and everything as they were when it was covered and set up at exactly the same height as initially with the cover. The difference is minimal but definitely hearable and I prefer open to covered to be able to get that specific tonal definition of the sharpness of a tone over the Warmness. Some people depending on what they play might like the Warmness especially if it's Jazzy type stuff
???? Dylan, I have an Electromatic Stumpomatic ( Corvette) with Gretsch Megatron pickups and I can't stand them, am I missing something here and am missing out on a good pickup? Do you have any suggestions on how to adjust these pickups for a tone closer to a vintage Filtertron or should I look at replacing these, thank you!
Thank you for your video. I agree with you 100% well professional.😊
You are so welcome!
I could tell a small difference. I have often wondered about this, thanks for sharing, great channel!
Also, Dylan please help me with a situation when playing my electric guitar acoustically (not using any amp) !
When I do a hammer on at any fret above fret #4 or 5, I get weird detuned high pitch harmonics
and btw it is not Stratitis nor bad intonation cause I checked very well !
Not all my guitars have this issue !
Can you help ?
I bought a second-hand powerful humbucker 15.5 kohm, 8.21 H, Alnico 5 is magnetized to level 8. The clear sound is very bright and loud, but with high gain sound is too sharp. I thought I could put a cover and reduce power of humbucker. But now I understand that this will not have an effect. What should I do to get the sound of a standard PAF? Thanks!
Thanks for these educational videos. People say this or that matters, and it's hard for an average person to know if it's true. For me, I prefer the *visual aesthetics* of the covered pickup. I have guitars with and without, and they sound different, but there are so many other differences between the guitars it's impossible for me to tell which aspects are responsible. It's cool to see a pretty careful A/B comparison by somebody who knows what they are doing. This demo confirms my suspicion that there is a lot of stuff that makes a difference, but not everything makes a big enough difference to worry about. For me, I end up sounding pretty much the same on almost any electric guitar.
Great video of pick-up winding, hand made in the USA, love it. The sounds were so close, yet the un-covered seemed to have more individual note sounds not as blended, if that makes sense.
So I've been trying to figure out why my '79 Les Paul is not grounding when on the neck pickup. Only to realize that I swapped out the pickups and forgot that Norlin era needed ALL THE SHIELDING to prevent hum.
On my phone i couldn't really tell though there was a moment toward the end where i thought the no cover sounded like there was less treble
Yes! I'm surprised!! The no cover sounded brighter! The covered sounded a bit muffled.
Yes, difference but subtle. I really want to like the covered pup, covers look so great on a guitar. But the cover removed some frequencies I found pleasing from the open pup. This means I don't have to be jealous of covers anymore, that open pups are fine. Thanks for the most painstakingly precise comparison I've seen yet, all variables considered, this makes my OCD happy!
Is there a demo video of your Thruxton humbucker ?
Listening side by side, I couldn't tell the difference. I would be interested in potted VS unpotted! Good video!
bro that remix was fire 🔥 lol good stuff 👍. The humbucker with No Cover sounded Brighter to me. Only slightly - subtle difference. SideNote: I want your guitar collection… the only thing i would add to it would be a PRS DGT maybe. Gr8 video!
Did the cover make a difference to the Signal To Noise Ratio?? on mega mega distortion??
I have a Classic Vibe '70s Squier Telecaster with a "widerange" pickup (known to be muddy), and according to my untrained ear the pickup without a cover sounded brighter so... how easy will be to remove it and do you think it will make a difference? I understand Dylan said it's just minutiae, but I wanna know what people think about it, also I prefer the look of a pickup without cover.
Like what you like. Dial in your sound and dont overthink the bs
My question is between plastic and metal covers for a Casino P90’s. Have you ever checked the difference there?
The metal covered ones are usually wax embedded too though right? (Surely also make no difference)
I enjoyed the demonstration and I really couldn’t detect the difference. Both were good,
Yo Dylan, plastic covers matter even less right? Especially if you raise the covered pickup to make up for the open pickup high tones?
Can I put a cover on a sustainer, like the Sustainiac?
I'd say I can hear a difference more in the output of the pickup than in his tone. I agree to the consideration that it's not a dramatic change and there are many other things contributing far more to the sound.
Does wax potting change the tone? Other than stopping microphonic feedback?
Looking forward to the next vid
Wax potting doesn't effect tone as much as it effects sustain and little nuances that are created when playing compared to non wax. The 1959 PAF's are all non wax potted yet it's the sound of 400,000 dollars.
Do you know why Seymour Duncan shielding coils on trembuckers, but sh hasn't? Maybe trembuckers sounds brighter, maybe more wire = more hum? Do you know the reason?
Cool, but do chrome painted plastic covers on single coils affect tone?
The guitar you fall in love with is personal. The music you love to play on your guitar is personal. The tone you work to get out of it is personal. Therefore covers are down to a personal preference too. Great vid. Thanks.
Do covers help shield from noise?
You are soooooooo right. So many other things that can affect and effect your sound.
does a metal pickup cover affect shielding ?
I listened without watching and really couldn’t hear when you changed pickups. Thanks
I hear less low end and more mid range and less highs with the cover. Its different than what I have always imagined. Maybe the cover attenuates the upper and lower frequency response and that's why it sounded more mid range-y.
me too !!!
Yes. I've taken covers of quite a few pickups then cleaned the wax off.
It got rid of the mud from. Epiphone brand pickups of old. When tthey sucked. Had the goldfish looking base plates.
I happened on a an epi sg400 of just the right era. It sounds killer its my only un modded guitar.
Except for removing the covers. It certainly brought top end in, in my ears.
I feel it made them sound better.
Amen. On very careful listening with 4 guitars with the same PU, No covers sounded a 'bit' more open and the covered ones sounded tighter. When you use dirt ...tight is more than not a good thing. I could not perceive any difference in output.
The only significant difference is with a cover or not to use really different PUs. I freely mix HB at the bridge but use, Strat, Gretsch, Gold Foil, P90 and even Rickenbacker at the neck. I get scary good results doing for example the verse with one PU and the chorus with the other. I never split a HB it is a single coil compromise when you can easily have a real single coil that has some serious character.
I can’t tell enough of a difference that it matters, I like covered or uncovered depending on the style of guitar or whatever look that I’m going for at the time.
Agree, it is slightly more open. But not worth swapping out a nice set of humbuckers over or going through a big ordeal. It keeps the dust out, looks classier and has a smoother sound. But if you are planning a build than yes it is something to consider. Personally I like covered. Comes down to weather you want a raw open aggressive sound or smooth classic tight vibe.
Very interesting. Yes, I can here a very slight difference.
DYLAN, fender new guitars and basses model series are using GoldFoil pickups, is Dylan talks tone going to make a goldfoil pickup in 2023? They sound really good when playing slide on guitar just sounds amazing but not sure why goldfoil would make that big of difference when playing slide on guitar. It seems that goldfoil don't use a pickup cover and also goldfoil don't use A2 or A5 magnets which they use a goldfoil instead of magnets. You should make a video lesson watching you winding goldfoil pickups in your motorhome I hope to see soon.
I heard a tad more high end clean with the cover, and more midrange presence overdriven with the cover off.
I think your test might be better if the pickups are potted.
Epiphone tries to sell nickel silver covers as controlling eddy currents, and that might be true. The filtertron radiator cover is supposed to be managing the shape of the magnetic field too.
I'm not comparing identical pickups when I say this, but I find that coverless pickups tend to have a little extra microphonics which add up to more amp feed back and a little more squeal in the pinch harmonics, but the same phenomenon happens with overwound pickups over medium or low output pickups.
And yes you should compare potted to unpotted.
Any video with these kinds of titles are guilty of being a little "click baity". Which is the purpose of titles to begin with, and yes, I'll give in and watch too.
But to settle the entire "does ______ affect tone?", question. The answer is always, Yes. Because everything effects tone. Introducing a vibration into anything turns it into a dynamic environment. Can't be helped. And it's rarely even the case where even the slightest differences can't be perceived. We all have different ears and perceptions. It's almost always a case of "do I care?". Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. And the world keeps turning, either way.
Bruh is monologuing 😂
Ok relax we get it
I prefer the covered sound, really don't know why, I never have used covered pickups but i was planning on putting some covers on the di marzio super distortion. It kinda smoothes out the thing, like, polishes it, the other one gives you the full stuff and that is great, or it was when I had 20.
I just like the look of potted chrome covered pups with chrome. metal rings.
Potted vs Unpotted interests me, go for it!
I think you nailed why there is a difference. It's the pick up height and the magnetic field that the cover changes.
So I am 15% down in one ear and 5%. down in the other could not tell the difference running you video through my sound bar
I can tell a difference when I take covers on and off. I used to go back and forth on them on a few guitars.
Heard no discernible difference - youtube, ipad, ipad audio, so there’s that. Great vid thanks
I can definitely, the cover seems to almost muffle the sound taking out the high end to an extent to me. Which is why I have it change pickups to uncovered even tho I love the covered look much better.
Exactly!
I have 5 covered JB/59 guitars . My sole uncovered guitar with same pups seems brighter.
It’s fun to get into the weeds but honestly I can’t tell the difference unless it’s something major like the pickups, pickup height, strings, setup, amp.
I listened with the screen off and I couldn’t really tell a difference 🤷♂️
But regardless I vibe with your message. Love how you think!
Awesome!
There's a difference I prefer the bite you can get uncovered so it's a good start for your tone shaping then the amp and pedals how many is up to each player and style
Did you ever do a potted Vs unpotted comparison video?
Yep
I can hear a difference in strings like the attack.. I can hear individual notes without the cover with the cover it all just kinda sounds muddy together
I couldn't hear the difference but I'm listing on laptop speakers. And does it matter / not to me. As you said so many other variables that affect the sound. Personally I like the look of covers. Thanks for doing this comparison.
The uncovered pickup had more top end on both clean and distorted than the covered pickup. Definitely a lot more punch from the uncovered pickup. At the end of the day in a mix, i don’t think it matters. The setting on the amp can easily rectify that. I also found that the covered humbucker had more airiness to the overall sound. It might help other people who have a hard time hearing the difference playing the same phrases back to back on the guitar. I prefer the looks of a covered humbucker which is the most important factor. You gotta look cool playing guitar!
Through my headphone, I CAN hear the different. When covered, the tone loses a little bit of very top end sparkle. So it becomes less pointy and more rounded. But, I honestly can hear it because you put the comparison next to each other. In real life, it doesn't really matter.
There the same great video. Im going to order some pckups from you soon
On the clean comparison the uncovered overloaded the input a bit.
Missed the live. I do hear a difference but I'm not sure I like one more.
I am very happy with my DAFs . They have the clear covers. Wouldn't change a thing. Thanks again, Dylan.
How about the difference between a nickle cover and a brass cover?
thanks for playing different lines @@
I could hear the difference.
I thought even you first said the pickup heights were exactly the same you'd measured by the pre-raised pole screws or something, so that the coil to string space would be the same
I could hear the slightest difference if I was listening with my eyes. When I knew the change was more likely, I could focus super hard and differentiate. But, and I like doing this with comparison videos, if I closed my eyes and only listened, I really couldn't tell anything. Like Dylan said, the change is so minute, that it is irrelevant. I started the video with, "Oh crap, I have a lot of covers I need to take off...", to, "Nope. I don't need to change a thing." Any change in the sound can so easily be addressed with EQ. I am curious now to investigate brass vs. nickel and see where my collection stands on that front.
Can you redo the comparison with your fingers sliding on the strings? That's the noise I'm looking to get rid of.
Practice
Every change in isolation makes negligible difference. Yet, lots of small differences combine to make a huge difference. The sum of all parts is critical to tone
I have been playing since 1962 and I cannot tell the difference especially if you use the tone and volume controls on the guitar and amp make the them sound the same. I will say that if you have to play the uncovered pickups on a Les Paul at a gig with a bad florescent light above the electrical buzz will be picked up and go through the amp. We had a 335 at the gig with covered Humbuckers and the electrical interference did not come through the 335 to the amp..!
I can definitely hear a difference. I prefer the look and sound of a nice humbucker with a nickel cover...💕♥️
What I can say is that the cleans were clipping both with and without the cover.
Sounded more twangy without cover. More buttery smooth with. Sounds like I'd prefer to have a cover on my neck and without for bridge.