Advice on removing pickup covers

[Mr_Ibanez]

Hey there!

I need your advice on removing pickup covers.

The thing is: I've got a painkiller in a 7-string RG (basswood body) without covers and a painkiller with covers in a 6-string RG (mahagony). Both guitars are tuned to B and got the same string gauge, but sound very differently.
Ok, I know, wood and mass contribute to the sound, still the mahagony guitar is way darker in sound than the basswood. Additionally the 7-string seems to have more attack although pickup height is aprox. the same. I've never experienced such huge difference in that matter.

Now: would removing the cover the 6-string pickup lead to a brighter and maybe even attackier sound?
Has anyone ever had a problem like that?

Greetings,
Alex

[BigK]

Covers can roll off the high treble slightly but its not alot of difference. However Tim compensates for this in the wind.

I would have a look at changing the pots for some high quality 500k ones or even 1meg pots if you want to brighten up your tone a little.

How do the guitars sound acoustically compared to each other?

also the bridge's on each guitar play a part too.

[gwEm]

the mahagony guitar is way darker in sound than the basswood. Additionally the 7-string seems to have more attack although pickup height is aprox. the same. I've never experienced such huge difference in that matter.

not entirely an unexpected result.

BKPs do highlight differences in guitars alot more than typical commercial brands

mahogany can be very dark

[Mr_Ibanez]

not entirely an unexpected result.

BKPs do highlight differences in guitars alot more than typical commercial brands

mahogany can be very dark

That's what I thought, too. Then again: attack. It just seems like the basswood guitar has more gain to it apart from clarity and brightness.
Acoustically the basswood 7-string sounds naturally brighter. Both bridges are Ibanez Floyds: the mahagony's got a double edge, the basswood's got a edge pro.

[gwEm]

basswood has a reputation for more compression/gainier tone. i'm not generally a basswood fan, so have no basswood guitars to comment more here.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Actually removing covers can sometimes be tricky -
You need to get the pickup hot to stop the wax in it holding onto the cover and also desolder the base from the cover too.

I will often use a soldering iron and solder wick to get the solder join off the baseplate , and then pop the pickup in my wax bath for half an hour to melt the wax
Sometimes you can just apply a little heat to the cover with a lighter enough to loosen the wax's grip and gently wiggle the cover off.

[Mr_Ibanez]

Actually removing covers can sometimes be tricky -
You need to get the pickup hot to stop the wax in it holding onto the cover and also desolder the base from the cover too.

I will often use a soldering iron and solder wick to get the solder join off the baseplate , and then pop the pickup in my wax bath for half an hour to melt the wax
Sometimes you can just apply a little heat to the cover with a lighter enough to loosen the wax's grip and gently wiggle the cover off.

I'm sorry, I just realised that the subject might be a little misleading.
Actually I wouldn't remove the covers myself, that would be Tim's job ;) Only in case I decide to go that step...