How much the pickup cover darken the tone and tame brightness?

[Lucas]

Hi, as it says above, I`m just wondering how much the pickup cover darken the overall sound and make the highs smoother?
I know, I`ve seen Bare Knuckle tutorial video about the cover/no cover difference, but looking for more opinions and more experience in that manner.

cheers.

[Kiichi]

It is hard to tell exactly as it also varies from pickup to pickup. Makes sense as certain frequencies are effected more and if they are really high in the original pickup the cover has a different effect than when they are not prominent.

The video does give a good idea of what it does, but so many things factor into it. I for one am glad that my RY neck is covered and the bridge is not. Makes the contrast nicer for my liking without darkening the neck too much. With my amp that works well. In other guitars I can see the bridge covered too, no issue.

Thing is that I tend to go towards brighter necks and with those I feel like the cover does just the right amount of smoother and sweeting that I want without making it dark. At least with my equipment.

However, again, many factors come into this.

[JimmyMoorby]

In my experience if you can tell the difference between a covered and uncovered BKP you have a very vivid imagination 
I've removed pickup covers and couldn't tell any difference in tones and that was at home  and at a gig or band practise volumes well.......
When I buy a BKP I think of covers and open coils in terms of aesthetics and don't worry in slightest about how it will alter the tone.  Just my opinion though but I can get as cork sniffy as any one about such things.

[Dave Sloven]

I would say that there would be more difference in tone between shielded and unshielded cavities.  That is to say, not much that anyone can discern.

[Tim]

The tonal difference is very subtle indeed as we use solid nickel silver covers. Check out this tutorial:
https://www.facebook.com/bareknucklepickups/videos/vb.141809295967657/190833754398544/?type=2&theater

[Lucas]

The tonal difference is very subtle indeed as we use solid nickel silver covers. Check out this tutorial:
https://www.facebook.com/bareknucklepickups/videos/vb.141809295967657/190833754398544/?type=2&theater

Thanks a lot to all of you for great answer.
Does it apply to screws/bolts thing as well? Is the difference between screws and bolts subtle as well?

thanks

[Dave Sloven]

I would say that the difference with bolts is noticeable, more so than covers, but still slight.  I'm glad that I have bolts on my Warpig; I suspect that with screws it might have more 'woof'.  I would think that the benefit is mainly heard on high-output pickups like the Warpig though, and perhaps on some of the other models like the Juggernaut or Aftermath it might be largely cosmetic.

I want to see a black Pig 90 with black bolts, I think that would look very cool.