Raising The Tone - The Big Cover Up

Jamie Dickson asks… On or off, what do pickup covers on humbuckers actually change tonally?

- Jamie Dickson

As we delve deep into the world of modding in this issue’s cover story (see page 68), it seemed appropriate to revisit one of the first mods for electric guitar to receive widespread attention. Back in the late 60s and early 70s, before replacement pickups were a thing, it was fashionable to remove the pickup covers from your Les Paul’s humbuckers. The theory was that it made them sound louder and hotter. In the retro obsessed present, however, avid modders will just as often seek to fit period-correct PAF-style nickel covers back on again to get the vintage look, even on more modern models from PRS, Suhr and so on. But what are the real pros and cons behind covers? Are they just a cosmetic detail or is your guitar’s sound significantly affected?

“There are many other companies that produce aftermarket covers of all shapes, sizes and designs these days,” explains Tim Mills, founder of Cornwall’s Bare Knuckle Pickups, one of the best-known brands in the business and a supplier of high-quality pickup covers.