Author Topic: help me think of and pick something unique for pickup covers (Read 4491 times)

JoshuaLogan · « **on:** March 13, 2007, 07:44:50 PM »

I was originally just going to go with plain black open poled pickups, but I figured what the hell I might as well just go ahead and get covers and get something unique looking. Right now I think I am getting a CWP bridge/CS neck set

I haven't taken pictures of my actual guitar yet, because I'm lazy... haha... but here's a picture I found online of the model I have:

I think I want the pickups to say "Bare Knuckle Pickups" in script across the covers somewhere like I saw on somebody else's pictures, but I'm not sure what kind of color or design to go with for the cover itself.

I was thinking something either black to match that hardware on the guitar, or red/brown to match the guitar itself (the body is a red/brown finish over a maple top called "violin flat", the fretboard is rosewood, and you can't tell in the picture above, but there is a brown rosewood veneer over the headstock that is streaked with different shades of red/brown)

Do any of you guys have any cool ideas? Show me any cover designs you want. I want to see some more to get ideas. or just describe something to me if you have an idea you think would look cool.

I kinda had two ideas, but I'm not sure if either is possible... not sure how they would do them. One idea was having the covers look wooden somehow... streaked in different shades of brown like the rosewood headstock veneer, but I'm not sure how this would be done. The other idea I had was to have kind of a dark bronze color for the pickups with red blotches across it.. to kinda match the body... and then have diagnol black lines across them to match the hardware... This one seems more likely possible, but I'm still not sure if they could do it or not.

I don't know. I just know I want them to look unique. Help me out with some ideas/suggestions, please. :)

JoshuaLogan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 13, 2007, 07:47:33 PM »

oh, one other question. even though it's a fixed bridge, will I need an F-spaced pickup for the bridge? Do I also need F-spaced for the neck, or would a standard sized neck have the pole pieces align with the strings better?

dave_mc · « **Reply #2 on:** March 13, 2007, 08:02:07 PM »

if you measure the polepieces at your bridge pickup, that should tell you- i have a feeling that being ibanez it may still be f-spaced, but don't quote me on that.

If you had a way of burning your other hardware (warning, i have no idea if this is even feasible, don't go setting yourself or your house on fire!), burnt chrome covers would be cool. Alternatively, some kind of camo would be nice, because of the brown finish. That might be nice.

If you had the natural version, I'd probably be boring and say go zebra, lol, I like zebra coils with natural finishes.

Up to you, obviously. there are some nice pics in the gallery section too. Which pickups are you thinking of going for? Some (like the warpig) look a little different as it is.

Simon D · « **Reply #3 on:** March 13, 2007, 08:07:08 PM »

For the neck pickup, you'll want a standard spacing, not an F spacing. I'm not even sure you could get one with an F spacing, and it would be unlikely to line up right if you did.

I'm afraid I can't help you much with the bridge pickup thing. With the guitar being an Ibanez, I'd guess it was a 52mm or F spaced bridge pickup you'll be wanting. Try measuring the screw poles on the existing pickup with an accurate ruler and see what you have now.

JoshuaLogan · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2007, 08:07:44 PM »

Quote from: dave_mc

if you measure the polepieces at your bridge pickup, that should tell you- i have a feeling that being ibanez it may still be f-spaced, but don't quote me on that.

If you had a way of burning your other hardware (warning, i have no idea if this is even feasible, don't go setting yourself or your house on fire!), burnt chrome covers would be cool. Alternatively, some kind of camo would be nice, because of the brown finish. That might be nice.

If you had the natural version, I'd probably be boring and say go zebra, lol, I like zebra coils with natural finishes.

Up to you, obviously. there are some nice pics in the gallery section too. Which pickups are you thinking of going for? Some (like the warpig) look a little different as it is.

Yeah, I've seen zebra on the natural ones and it does look good. I like the violin finish a little more, but the natural finish would have been my second pick.

The pickups are going to be (unless I change my mind again) ceramic warpig in bridge and coldsweat in neck.

So, I'll have to measure to find out? 53mm for f-spaced and 50mm for standard right? I am pretty sure the bridge needs f-spaced, but I'm not sure about the neck... I know on some f-spaced guitars they still use standard spaced pickups in the neck position....

JoshuaLogan · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2007, 08:09:33 PM »

Quote from: Simon D

For the neck pickup, you'll want a standard spacing, not an F spacing. I'm not even sure you could get one with an F spacing, and it would be unlikely to line up right if you did.

I'm afraid I can't help you much with the bridge pickup thing. With the guitar being an Ibanez, I'd guess it was a 52mm or F spaced bridge pickup you'll be wanting. Try measuring the screw poles on the existing pickup with an accurate ruler and see what you have now.

Ah, alright. I just remember seeing somewhere that if the nut width was past a certain width, then f-spaced could be used in the neck too on some guitars

dave_mc · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2007, 08:12:18 PM »

^ aye, i think i read something like that too, but I guess it'd depend how much the neck widens too.

best bet is just to measure the polepieces, lol. if you can measure the nut, you can measure the pickup... (as long as you aren't just going by ibanez website specs, lol)

i guess, just bear in mind that the warpig will look a bit different to the cold sweat when you're considering what design to go for.

:drink:

Philly Q · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2007, 10:33:04 PM »

Quote from: JoshuaLogan

Ah, alright. I just remember seeing somewhere that if the nut width was past a certain width, then f-spaced could be used in the neck too on some guitars

I think DiMarzio say that, but their F-spaced pickups are only about 51mm whereas BKPs are 53mm.

The best thing to do is measure the actual string spacing above the pickups and order whatever's closest. You can't go wrong then.

JoshuaLogan · « **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2007, 07:20:54 AM »

any ideas for the covers?

Muzzzz · « **Reply #9 on:** March 14, 2007, 09:15:16 AM »

I'll be boring and say burnt chrome, or just camo would look pretty darn cool

hunter · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2007, 09:47:23 AM »

white (not cream) open coil - verz 80s :P

Ratrod · « **Reply #11 on:** March 14, 2007, 04:12:24 PM »

Something like this looks pretty cool on natural guitars.

Kinda matches the wood grain.

dave_mc · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2007, 04:17:12 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

I think DiMarzio say that, but their F-spaced pickups are only about 51mm whereas BKPs are 53mm.

The best thing to do is measure the actual string spacing above the pickups and order whatever's closest. You can't go wrong then.

ah, touche. That's kind of what I mean when I say "measure the poles". I guess I should clarify, lol. EDIT: on my eggle, the stock pickups don't match up at the bridge at all with the strings, I guess measuring the poles in that case would be next to useless! :lol:

:drink:

JoshuaLogan · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2007, 04:20:23 PM »

guys, one thing I didn't even think about before -- will pickups with covers even fit on this guitar since they are direct mount pickups and don't have pickup rings? does it matter?

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #14 on:** March 14, 2007, 04:29:31 PM »

looking at the nature of the route; possibly.