| Author |
Topic: should I remove this pickup cover |
Jason Schofield
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 4:22 am |
|
Hey gang, finally getting back to practicing my lap steel again. I have this Goldtone 6 string and was wondering what is the reason for this cover over the bridge and pickup? Seems to be taking up extra space where my palm could rest more comfortably. Should I take it off? Any feedback would be helpful. thank 
 |
|
|
 |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 5:11 am
|
|
I would definitely take it off.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Craig Stenseth
From:
Naperville, Illinois, USA
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 5:57 am
|
|
Are the knobs mounted to it and nothing underneath?
edit : didn't see the two screws on the pickup cover part... |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 6:34 am
|
|
i would say a combination of a cool old school look with the added plus of some shielding for the pickup.
you can take it off if you want to. see if you hear any difference in the 60cycle noise. of course stay away from your computer monitor and neon and other lights when you test it. if the noise does not seem so bad then fine. |
|
|
|
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 5:28 pm Why?
|
|
What do you hope to accomplish by removing a factory designed and installed part? Must've been a good reason for putting there.
WHY would you choose to place your hand directly on top of a pickup?
Wouldn't that be a harsh, trebly sound? |
|
|
|
Mitch Crane
From:
1000 Oaks, CA
|
|
|
|
Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 6:24 pm
|
|
| Mitch Crane wrote: |
| It's just 2 screws, right ? Take it off, play it.. if you like it off, leave it off. If not, put the 2 screws back in... done. |
Problem solved! |
|
|
|
George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
|
Posted 1 Dec 2011 11:08 pm
|
|
| I have a NATIONAL D-8 with plastic covers. They were easy to remove. Skip asked, "Why?" ... well I often place my r/h palm right on the bridge to obtain that muted sound, (or as some call it, the "chicken pluckin' sound"). Nevertheless, I do find pickup covers to be annoying and totally useless. JMHO of course. |
|
|
|
Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
|
Posted 2 Dec 2011 10:44 am
|
|
This Goldtone model is a reasonably close copy of an Oahu Tonemaster, which has the same kind of handrest, designed to be removeable with the two screws. If you do any palm muting the cover extends enough to get in the way a bit, so it would make sense to try removing it. If the guts are like the Oahu, it's a bit less attractive with the cover off, whatever that's worth.
I'm not sure about how much extra sheilding the cover provides, but it might be noticeable. |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 2 Dec 2011 11:31 am
|
|
I'd say take it off if you like, its not going to hurt anything and its easy enough to put back on if you want. It is very possible that there may be a little more noise. It is also possible that with the change of magnetic eddy currents that the resonant peak of the pickup may change a little, but that might be something you like.
I think that historically, most bridge and or pickup covers were just for looks. A great many of them were made of plastic and would not have offered any tonal effect.
I know that when I designed my Teardrop model, a bridge cover was high on my list for aesthetics, but I did not want it to get in the way like most do. As you can see in the pic below, my solution was to keep the tolerances machined tight and low so as to not interfere with muting. While looks are important to me, they should not come at the sacrifice of tone or playability.
.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 2 Dec 2011 6:49 pm
|
|
| I believe the important thing is not to lose it if you remove it ! Ever notice how many String Masters have the cover missing that sits over the blend pot..... |
|
|
|
Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
|
Posted 4 Dec 2011 1:19 pm
|
|
| Billy hit the nail on the head. I have had a few of the oahu models and when the cover is missing it devalues the instrument. If you can keep track of the parts, it is a lot easier to get a good tone picking closer to the bridge, especially if you palm mute, without the cover. |
|
|
|
Jason Schofield
|
Posted 5 Dec 2011 2:43 pm
|
|
thanks guys. I took it off and it's much more comfortable to play now. I mostly practice with headphones so no worries about feedback or hum (yet)..haha.. Now I gotta get back to practicing.
and I'll make sure not to lose the cover. |
|
|
|
Matt Berg
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 7 Dec 2011 2:00 pm
|
|
| George Keoki Lake wrote: |
| I have a NATIONAL D-8 with plastic covers. They were easy to remove. Skip asked, "Why?" ... well I often place my r/h palm right on the bridge to obtain that muted sound, (or as some call it, the "chicken pluckin' sound"). Nevertheless, I do find pickup covers to be annoying and totally useless. JMHO of course. |
Yeah, I did the same, but there's some awfully sharp metal underneath that cover! |
|
|
|
Jason Schofield
|
Posted 7 Dec 2011 4:51 pm
|
|
| Tom that's absolutely beautiful guitar. Got any recordings online? I'd love to hear her. |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 7 Dec 2011 6:43 pm
|
|
| Just don't try removing the pick up cover on a bakelite |
|
|
|
Don Barnhardt
From:
North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 13 Dec 2011 9:05 pm
|
|
| Are pickup covers a carry over from resonator guitars? |
|
|
|
