Covered pickups question

[Neil F]

I understand from reading various threads that adding a cover to a pickup cuts a little of the top end. I've also read that Tim adjusts the wind to compensate when making a covered pickup. My question is ... does the changing in wind fully compensate for the addition of the cover or is there still some loss of top end, albeit less than would have been the case otherwise?

Apologies if this has been asked before, and thanks for the help.

[MDV]

I've heard about this but never heard it.

I very much doubt anyone, even Tim et al can compensate perfectly for the exact amplitude of reduction in exactly the right frequencies from attenuation of the pickups magnetic field by the cover. However, you'd likely need some pretty decent instrumentation to show it, since the difference is pretty marginal to begin with.

[Neil F]

Thanks - you've made me realise I probably didn't put that question as well as I might. When I ask if Tim can compensate fully for the cover I don't mean in true audiophile terms, i.e so it sounds absolutely identical. I suppose I'm wondering whether I would expect to hear much of a difference between covered (and wound accordingly) pickups and uncovered in normal use.

One of the reasons that made me ask is that I have covered Mules in a LP and uncovered Nailbombs in an Ibanez SA2120FM, which isn't very different to a LP (it has a maple topped mahogany body and set neck). I find the Nailbombs sound more open and "alive" (as well as driving the amp harder).

I know there could be other explanations (different pickups, differences in the guitars, etc.) but it made me wonder whether, if I'd got uncovered Mules, they would have sounded a little more airy like the Nailbombs or whether it would have made little difference because of the way the covered Mule had been wound to compensate anyway?

Maybe I'm thinking too much about these things!

[MDV]

Thanks -

 I suppose I'm wondering whether I would expect to hear much of a difference between covered (and wound accordingly) pickups and uncovered in normal use.

Quite weoclome

and

No, I ver much doubt you will. From BKP the only experiences of this are of 3 miracle men I put one after another in one guitar. One was covered. I had another uncovered one made double screw pole so it was bassier, but the high end was the same stuff. You'd have to A/B them to hear a difference and even then my moneys one anyone at all failing a pepsi challenge blindfold test.

Edit: Oh, in case you wonder where it went the third miracle man was overwound to 23k so its not a fair comparison. This pickup remains to this day  :twisted:

[808]

When I asked Tim about the difference in tone between covered and uncovered he put it this way for me.

Covered has a warmer tone and uncovered has more presence.

I was going for blusier\hard rock tone; plus I wanted the aged covers. I wanted more of a Albert King and Freddie King tone. I couldn't get it with my uncovered stock Gibson pick ups and Seymour Duncans.

[Twinfan]

I think you'll find unpotted vs potted is more noticeable to the ear than covered/uncovered.  The difference between covered/not will come mainly from the height the polepieces are in the bobbins.  With a cover off they'll be screwed into the pickup further when "flush".