Guitar pickups are an integral part of the sound a guitar makes. If you want to change your tone up, you might consider replacing your old pickup cover with one that better suits your preferences. This is a great way to try out different types of tones without purchasing a whole new guitar. But before you go out and start buying all new parts for your acoustic or electric guitar, read on to learn how to remove a guitar pickup cover and replace it with another one.
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How to Remove a Guitar Pickup Cover
Guitar pickup covers are usually found on acoustic and electric guitars. However, some people choose to use them as well. They are installed by screwing it to the guitar’s body. To replace a cover you need to remove it first before installing the new one.
There are a few different ways you can remove a pickup cover from your guitar. The easiest method is using pliers and unscrewing it from the body of your guitar. This is usually located near the sound hole and can be either on the top part of the guitar or on one side in the middle of the guitar’s body.
Another way to remove a guitar pickup cover is with a screwdriver and unscrewing it from its place on your guitar. You will also need either needle-nose pliers or long-nose pliers for this method as well as some patience and time to get it done properly.
A third way to remove a pickup cover would be using wire cutters and cutting off any metal strings that might be attached to the old cover piece. This is not advised if you want to reuse your old piece however, because this will destroy any metal threads on the inside of your new piece that might be used for installation purposes.
Types of Replacement Guitar Pickups
Guitar pickups come in a variety of styles and sizes to accommodate your preferences. Different guitar pickups will produce different sounds, so it’s important to find the one that best suits your needs.
If you want a higher sound quality, then it’s best to look for a ceramic bridge pickup. This type of pickup is known for providing a richer tone with better string definition than others. On the other hand, if you are looking for something that provides more power or “drive,” then an alnico type of pickup is better suited for you. Alnico pickups are often found on guitars with tremolo bars because they produce more sustain than others.
There are several types of replacement pickup covers. If you have an acoustic guitar, you might want to try a piezo pickup. A piezo pickup converts sound waves into an electric signal, which makes it possible for your guitar to be amplified with a standard guitar amp. On the other hand, if you have an electric or semi-hollow body guitar, you might want to replace your pickups with magnetic pickups, which work by picking up vibrations from the steel strings and then converting them into electrical signals.
*If you have a magnetic pickup and want to replace the cover with a piezo pickup, you’ll need a preamp. This is because magnetic pickups don’t work without amplification.
*If you’re not sure what type of replacement cover will suit your needs best, ask someone at your local music store for help. They should be able to direct you in the right direction as they know what will fit your equipment best.
What to Consider When Purchasing a Replacement Guitar Pickup Cover
If you’ve never replaced a guitar pickup cover before, it might seem like an easy task. You remove the old one and pop on a new one. You would be surprised to learn that there are many different types of covers, and they all have their own pros and cons. Start by looking at your old cover. If you want to replicate the sound, then try to find a replacement with the same size and type of magnets as the original. If you want to change up your tone, look for a cover with different magnet types.
Different pickups also have different styles and shapes. For example, single-coil pickups are thin while humbucking pickups are broad. Look at your old pickup and see if it looks similar or very different from what you want to buy next if you want to replicate the sound of an acoustic guitar or make use of an electric guitar’s distortion effect.
Once you’ve found a pickup cover that suits your needs, there are two methods that work best for removing an old pickup cover: soldering and simply pulling it out with pliers. If you choose to solder, be sure to use flux and rosin (or a similar product) before heating up the solder, so that the solder sticks better and doesn’t drip onto your guitar’s body.
If you prefer not to solder, try grabbing the end of the string with some pliers and pulling hard until it comes out of its slot. You can also simply push down on the string until it pops out of its slot on its own.
Type of guitar pickup cover
There are several types of pickup covers, but the two most popular types are magnetic and piezo. Magnetic pickup covers use magnets to produce sound. Piezo pickup covers use a small piece of metal called a piezo-electric crystal that produces sound when the string vibrates against it.
A guitar pickup cover is a piece of plastic that goes over the pickup. These come in different shapes and sizes for acoustic and electric guitars. They’re usually made from plastic, but other materials, like metal, are not unheard of.
There are three different types of guitar pickup covers: metal, foil-foil, and fabric.
Metal covers are the most common type of pickup cover and are made from a thin metal and can be found on the majority of acoustic or electric guitars. There is a metal wire that connects to where the sound is produced which gives the metal pickup its unique sound.
Foil-foil covers are more uncommon as they are often found only on very expensive models. Foil-foil pickups use a metal foil inside some sort of plastic housing to create the desired tone. Fabric pickups have been gaining popularity in recent years as they offer a more distinct sound than their metal counterparts.
Material of guitar pickup cover
The first thing you’ll want to figure out is what material the pickup cover you’re looking to remove is made of. While some are plastic, there are some that are made of metal or wood. You’ll need to choose a method based on the material in order for it to work properly. The most notable difference is whether or not you can use a household cleaner like bleach. For example, if the pickup cover is made of wood, then using chlorine bleach may be too harsh and will damage the wood instead of removing it.
Color of guitar pickup cover
The color of the guitar pickup cover is one of the most important factors to consider when deciding which one you want to buy. The more popular color is black, but there are also covers that come in white, green, orange, purple, and several other colors. They all have their own unique sound quality and if you’re looking for a particular tone that isn’t available in one color, you can choose a different one.
How to remove guitar pickup cover FAQS
There are two main types of materials for guitar pickup covers: plastic and metal. Plastic covers tend to be cheaper, but they can also produce a harsher sound than metal covers. Metal covers, on the other hand, produce a more natural sound with better harmonics–but they’re much more expensive.
It depends on which type of cover you have: if you have a plastic one, all you need is a screwdriver or pliers to remove the old one and put on the new one–it’s that easy! But if you have a metal cover, it will take a bit more work. You’ll need to remove the screws holding in your old plastic or metal cover by unscrewing them with a screwdriver or pliers. You’ll then need to gently pry off the old cover and place the new one back in its original position, securing it with new screws.
Conclusion
Now that you know what type of guitar pickup cover you need and how to remove a guitar pickup cover, it’s time to shop! If you are looking to replace your guitar pickup cover, you’ll want to know what to look for to make sure your new pickup cover is a good fit.
Review the type of pickup cover you need and the types of replacement pickups available and select the best one for your needs. Keep in the mind the material, color, and type of guitar pickup cover when making your selection.
You can find replacement guitar pickup covers for all types of guitars, so now it’s just a matter of personal preference.
