What is the difference between covered and uncovered humbuckers

While many claim that it has no impact on tone whatsoever, the truth is it does, although nowhere near as much as other humbucker design factors. In this article, we take a look at the key differences between covered and uncovered humbuckers. According to the pickup masters over at Seymour Duncan , there are a few differences between two otherwise identical humbuckers, one being covered and the other not.

First, covers can sometimes cause feedback when used with high-powered amps. For example, brightness might be a bit reduced with chrome, nickel or gold plated covers.

Nickel-silver covers also tend to have less capacitance, which can also affect brightness. Using the same guitar, same strings, same amp, same settings — same everything — I made two recordings, one with the covers on chrome on ours and another without. All in all, the uncovered pickup seemed to have a slightly brighter tone, while the covered pickup was a bit smoother and fuller.

Nothing too drastic, but it was there. Hi experts! I settled on a humbucker set, Bare Knuckles Abraxas. I'm struggling with covered vs. I know there are threads that discuss the differences, and I'm pretty clear that covers warm up the tone, while uncovered pickups have a more open, perhaps more aggressive sound. I have no idea how dramatic that is, so I don't know if I am stressing out over nothing. But I had an idea I think I wouldn't mind if the bridge is a bit more subdued, maybe creamier, but I don't want to muddy the neck at all, so I was thinking covered for the bridge, and open for the neck.

It would be a black cover and black bobbins. Is that strange? As always, I am grateful to this community for advice! For me it's either both on or both off. I prefer the sound with them off, but the look of them on. You are right though, if you left one off it would be better if it were the neck cover. Mighty Melvin Senior Member. Messages 2, Maybe you could get them covered and if you don't like the neck pickup for some reason that you could reasonably ascribe to the cover, you could just pop it off?

Bluesful Silver Supporting Member. Messages 42, On FFS!!! Mighty Melvin said:. Messages 8, If the covers are made of brass, it will make a difference, but it's not going to be a huge difference. Nickel silver covers will have a lot less of an impact on the tone.

Either way, I think you're overthinking how much of a difference it will actually make. Different strings can make a much bigger difference than covered vs uncovered pickups. Bluesful said:.

T Dizz Member. Messages 21, Bogner Senior Member. Messages 6, Minimal difference with covers in most cases. I have guitars with both and never have once felt like i Was missing something in the sound because I did or did not have a cover.

My decision making basis is purely cosmetic. Whether they have a cover or not is mostly aesthetic. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Differences between Covered vs. Open Coil Humbuckers? Ask Question. Asked 5 years, 11 months ago.

Active 2 years, 6 months ago. Viewed 3k times. As far as I know, there're two kinds of humbucker: The left one called open coil , and the right one called covered , are both humbuckers. Improve this question. There are more than two.

See wikipedia for evidence. I bet that there are even more designs than what is mentioned in the article: en. Notable options include stacked pickups, and coil taps.