What does the pickup look like under metal cover on std epi lp?

[mrjones200x]

Simple question really.

 

Will they look crap without the covers, i mean will they have loads of wax over them? or will they just look like normal hums?

 

Only asking as im gonna change the string some time over the weekend and wanted to remove them.

 

Thanks.

 

If there is loads of addition wax is it possible to remove it without making a difference to the pickup.

[Ricochet]

Standard looking humbucker underneath dude. Just scrape the wax off with a non ebrasive material like an old credit card. Wipe it clean with a coarse towel. If it hardened, soften it first with a blowdryer.

[mrjones200x]

Cheers dude. Will do. There only soldered on too arent they?

[Ricochet]

Cheers dude. Will do. There only soldered on too arent they?

 

Yes

[BillyGibson]

This is probably a dumb question. Why then do the cover them up in the first place. I actually like how the covers look though. But have seen uncovered p/u's like on the Slash model.

[carverman]

Simple question really.

 

Will they look crap without the covers' date=' i mean will they have loads of wax over them? or will they just look like normal hums?

 

If there is loads of addition wax is it possible to remove it without making a difference to the pickup.[/quote']

 

Here's a pic of an old Epi humbucker I was doing some 4 wire experiments with.

I melted off some of the wax with a hairdryer. Be careful and don't touch the tape that

holds the connections between the two coils..if you try to unwind it, you can break the #42 copper

soldered connection and you will have a heck of a time repairing it.

 

I drilled and cut out the center of the brass cover to expose the coils..the naked ones are not what

I would call estetically pleasing..the plastic covers are much nicer.

 

[layboomo]

Some pickups are much more wax potted than others........and those really should be left alone IMO. Many simply have a little wax on top of the coils to prevent microphonics when the cover is fitted.

[antwhi2001]

Bill, as I understand it when humbuckers were invented they were all covered because the exposed pup was thought to look unfinished. In those days they weren't wax-potted, so when rock n rollers started turning up the gain they got microphonic feedback. They started removing the covers to eliminate the feedback, and that made it fashionable.

 

I prefer them with covers, so if a new guitar squeals at me I wax pot mine :

 

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/A-LINDYFRALIN.html

 

If you're going to remove a cover, apart from un-soldering the cover from the plate, give it a blast with a hair dryer for a minute to soften any wax. If you refit, do the same to make sure the wax fills any gaps. Put masking tape across the screw heads to stop the wax running out, and do it with the pup upside down.

 

Some Epi pups have a dull grey coloured plastic bobbin that some folks won't like the look of. I was surprised when I opened up a Kent Armstrong to find one black and one white. Looked quite good.

[carverman]

Some pickups are much more wax potted than others........and those really should be left alone IMO. Many simply have a little wax on top of the coils to prevent microphonics when the cover is fitted.

 

Yes lots of wax, and the fact, that if you are trying to turn the Epi ones (with the metal cover) into a p_up without

the metal cover, those coils have very little support without the metal cover, that's why I had to cut out the top

of the brass cover and glue it back on.

If you don't get the plastic covers for them to secure them better, they will jiggle around, possibly fall out

and you will get lots of microphonics too.

 

Stew-Mac and others sell individual coil plastic covers for single coils, but these are more for Strat style SC, not humbucker style. You can get full plastic covers to replace the metal covers, in black or white around $5.00..but

these have to be glued to the metal base.... is it worth it for these oem p_ups?

 

The Epi ones are designed to be potted in wax, and probably that's the best way to leave them.

There are lots of open coil style p_ups available on the market, some are pretty cheap.