Will covers really make such a big difference? I ordered them already so I won't change my mind, but if it's that much difference as you say I will be very disappointed...
It's almost as if it would sound like a completely different pickup?
I wouldn't worry about covered BKP's and their sound quality. My bad experience was with Duncans, which I hate, not BKP's which I'm sure to love. So, don't get worried man. Tim gives his covered pups extra winding to compensate for the covers, so the covers only make a very slight difference. VERY SLIGHT is what I hear from the guys, and there haven't been any complaints I don't think about the effect of covers in BKP's.