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Post subject: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:53 am
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me and a friend of mine (who thinks that the strat is "overrated") are having an argument over Pickup covers. he belives they are "pointless, gey (sic.) and outdated" i am trying to explain to him that they are actualy good and quite nice looking. what do other people think of them?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:00 pm
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edit: I was stupid, read the original post wrong and gave stupid advise...sorry :oops: :oops:

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Last edited by PowerJazzBass on Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:22 pm
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If in fact you're in the right place asking about bass pickup and bridge covers, I have them on my basses and will soon be ordering a set for my new Jazz. It's all about preference. For some, their style of playing doesn't allow for them, they get in the way, for others we like the look and our style isn't affected.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:43 am
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Oh shoot, I read it wrong...my bad.

I like the look of it, but I don't like it on my basses.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:58 am
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thanks, he seems to think they're totaly counterproductive; but at least he stopped constantly trying to convince me not to get them for my bass :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:11 pm
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14BlazingBlue wrote:
thanks, he seems to think they're totaly counterproductive; but at least he stopped constantly trying to convince me not to get them for my bass :lol:



Sorry late to the party here, but I like the "ashtrays" on my Tele bass because they keep all the tone from leaking out :D

JP

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:06 pm
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I use them. Especially I use them on both of the first generation P-Basses I have with the single coil bare pickup. These pickups are far more fragile than the plastic encased second generation split coil P-Bass or Jazz pickups. Leaving the chrome pickup cover installed helps prevent damage to the pickup on these single coil instruments. I've seen several of these pickups damaged. Actually I've seen more than several. This damage happens when a player removes the pickup cover and uses the top flatwork for a thumbrest and one good thumb tug pops the top flatwork off and then the pickup poles roll out onto the floor. It also can happen when a string (usually the E or G) is so aggressively pulled that it catches under the top flatwork and pops it off. Either way the pickup is destroyed and can not be repaired. Leaving the pickup cover on completely eliminates the thumb tugging and minimizes the chance a string will be manipulated under the top flatwork.

Additionally pickup covers absolutely do have a bit of a shielding effect which is more beneficial on a single coil pickup than on a Precision split coil. They are especially beneficial when grounded.

On the original 51 P-Bass there actually was a ground wire that went to a terminal ring through which one of the pickup cover mounting screws was inserted. This aided slightly in RFI rejection but Leo Fender determined that the extra time spent on it did not yield enough of a benefit to justify continuing it beyond 1951 and it was eliminated in the 1952 models.

When I set up a single-coil bass with pickup covers I copper shield the pickup and control cavities and I run a ground wire to one of the pickup cover screws just like on the real 1951's. Some people also do this grounding wire procedure on the bridge cover. However I do not see as much benefit in grounding the bridge cover as the pickup cover, but I can't say it is totally worthless to go to the trouble.

If you or anyone else has ever walked past your instrument while it was on a stand and had pants fabric snag on the bridge and pull the instrument over, then you already know one very important benefit of a Fender bridge cover.

James L. Jamerson was asked about the secret to his bass tone. He said part of it was the covers which he left on while many players of the day removed them. Mr. Jamerson said "Leo Fender put them there for a reason." I agree with him to a certain extent. But I think on the second generation P-Bass the pickup cover doesn't contribute as much of a benefit as it does on a first generation P-Bass or on a Jazz Bass. Another very famous player, Duck Dunn, removed the pickup cover from his second generation P-Basses because he often used the pickup itself as a thumbrest and mostly he played right over the pickup.

Whether to use them or not on a second generation P-Bass is sort of a personal decision. However on a first generation single coil P-Bass the pickup cover definitely serves two purposes which are pickup protection and RFI shielding. On the Jazz they do help with RFI shielding a bit, even more so if grounded.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:35 am
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I use the Pick Up cover only on my 62RI P, and both on my 51RI P. I can play while floating my thumb, but I'm lazy and usually rest my thumb there. :?

As far as the bridge cover I use it on the 51RI as I run flats on that bass and if I want to stuff a rolled polish cloth under it for a mute it doesn't look as "jank". People might look at me funny stuffing what they'd likely assume was a dish towel under my strings and playing. :?



I don't use it on the 62RI since every great now and then I'll still use a pick on that bass for certain songs. That way the cover isn't in my way should I want to pick back by the bridge. :?

It's your bass. Put 'em on, leave 'em off. Who cares what guitarists think anyhow? 8)

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:54 pm
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King of Pain, ever tried a felt wrap on flats? Like the felt wrap on my muting page: [url][url]http://brotherdave.com/add_mute.htm[/url][/url]


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:08 pm
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As brother dave knows. I've tried all different kinds of mutes, felt, various kinds and sizes of foam and some cloth. I've found felt to be what i like best. My way is to fold it and put it between the strings and the bridge cover. Before I put the cover on, i used the wrap technique. I found the muting almost the same.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:37 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
King of Pain, ever tried a felt wrap on flats? Like the felt wrap on my muting page: [url][url]http://brotherdave.com/add_mute.htm[/url][/url]



I haven't, and that looks awesome! Thanks for the info. I will definitely be trying that!

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:39 pm
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dang link didn't work. trying again! http://brotherdave.com/add_mute.htm


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Pickup Covers
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:55 pm
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TheKingofPain wrote:
It's your bass. Put 'em on, leave 'em off. Who cares what guitarists think anyhow? 8)


Agreed. This is the proper attitude to take.

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