Painted Jackson Pick up covers

[Spider Riff]

I am picking up a Jackson that has a pick up cover that has part of the graphic painted on it. The owner says the original pick up was replaced with a Dimarzio evolution. Doesn't the Jackson cover alter the sound? I am going to ship the whole guitar off to GMW when I receive it for a touch up. Any input?

[Jim Shine]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

I feel that the covers take off some of the high end. Not a huge difference, but it is there. I have been playing my '88 Archtop with and without the covers and I think in the end I will take them off. If you decide to take yours off, you are still lucky that you can preserve the value by keeping the stock covers in the case. Just give them a try on and off and see what you think.

[delt]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

the difference is barely audible, if at all.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

From my experience it depends on how hot the pickup is,if it's not a high output pickup it'll probably be pretty weak with the cover,a high output hum will be better but it'll still lose a bit of high end & output!! I think the covers look great but kinda make it sound a bit muffled??!! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Chucksplatter

[Chuckracer]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

I remember getting one Charvel with a pickup cover that was painted with the graphic, playing it, and thinking right away the pickup needs to go. Later I pulled it apart and to my suprise the pickup was a Duncan Custom, my favorite pickup!
I put it together without the cover and it screamed like a Custom should.
It makes a HUGE difference.

[jackson1]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

Chuck, was that a metallic paint used on that cover?

/Henrik

[Spider Riff]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

Well since the original pick up was removed and the cover needs a touch up ....I will have GMW dump an EMG in there but the guitar has a factory splitter switch.I will post a picture here when the guitar arrives. How are you Jim? What show are you going to next?

[Metalcop]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

EMG's are the answer. If you need a painted p/u, use an EMG, otherwise, covering a perfectly good passive pickup with a plastic box is not a good idea. For arguments sake - what about those metal covers, where the actually functioning pole pieces protrude through? People have been saying for years (since Clapton and Page in the 60's) that the covers make a difference?

[Ace]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

Metal covers create a Faraday Cage around the pickup, which blocks noise, but also makes the pickups sound darker.

[jackson1]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

I am not saying there's is no loss in signal or frequency as i have never tested this myself, but being an electronical engineer, i would love to see it documented how a piece of 2mm thick plastic will obstruct the electromagnetic forces (induction) of the pickup system and metal strings. Maybe if the plastic was painted with paint containing metal or if metal particles were molded into the plastic (for whatever reason).

/Henrik

[circle of the tyrants]

Re: Painted Jackson Pick up covers

Originally posted by Metalcop:
"EMG's are the answer. If you need a painted p/u, use an EMG, otherwise, covering a perfectly good passive pickup with a plastic box is not a good idea. For arguments sake - what about those metal covers, where the actually functioning pole pieces protrude through? People have been saying for years (since Clapton and Page in the 60's) that the covers make a difference?"

I agree with you on the EMG thing. I have an XTRR with both pickups painted (EMG 81's) and it really doesn't seem to change the output much at all, if any. I can't remember ever playing a painted passive pickup, however, so I can't comment there.