The Electra Forums

How much effect does a solid pickup cover over a single coil have on the magnetic pull of the poles? Bringing an X145 back to life,need to know if I need more of a high output single coil to overcome a solid cover as on originals-have some Westone singles from H/S/H combos, 5.35k to 5.64k-don't want to completely drown them out.
Or, interestingly enough,these had a humbucker bridge route with single neck and middle- could do the H/S/S thing with an MMK 45 bridge and the single coils as it will never be original anyway-thoughts?
Joe

_________________
"If it ain't been in the pawnshop,it can't play the blues" R.L.Burnside

I have the X145 and it has covers on 2 of the 3 pickups. I can't notice any difference in the volume or tone only in the looks.

_________________
Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

I suppose you could slip a piece of plastic between the pickup and the strings on a non-covered example, and listening through an amp try to compare any differences. So many players pulled the chrome covers off their (now irreplaceable) vintage Gibson Humbuckers in an attempt to get more gain, or something... not sure how successful they were! The pickup is transferring the magnetic field produced by the vibrating string (Captain Obvious here), and to me the cover shouldn't do much to stop that phenomenon.

As far as the H/S/S setup, this is a good call. The Bridge location always needs some help output wise because the string vibrations are decreased there. Never understood why the Tele's with a humbucker in the neck position and a single coil at the bridge were so popular, seems a$$ backwards to me. Players want the output to be kinda close, or if anything the bridge to be hotter for leads... right? But you know what they say about opinions! Good luck, Mike.

_________________
Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

[quote="proendorser]As far as the H/S/S setup, this is a good call. The Bridge location always needs some help output wise because the string vibrations are decreased there. Never understood why the Tele's with a humbucker in the neck position and a single coil at the bridge were so popular, seems a$$ backwards to me. Players want the output to be kinda close, or if anything the bridge to be hotter for leads... right? But you know what they say about opinions! Good luck, Mike.[/quote]

I think this is the way I'm gonna go-just have to figure out the best wiring scheme,push/pull,tone pot values,selector,etc. Thanks Mike,I just needed a nudge!
Joe

_________________
"If it ain't been in the pawnshop,it can't play the blues" R.L.Burnside

If you can find a three wire MMK45, you could wire it for both single coil and phase switches. Is the pickguard set up for a Blade type switch? You could wire the center pickup like the H/S/H guitars with its own on/off push pull, in combination with a 3-way selector its actually more versatile than a typical strat 5 position blade switch. The only pickup selection you can't dial up is the middle pickup all by itself (does that setting get much use?). As always, tell us how it progresses, and think about posting some before and afters! Cheers, Mike.

_________________
Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch