POLL - Should I remove the pickup cover on my Ricky?

[Ed]

@Linda

I think I want to SPICE up my boring yellow pick guard on my Sire P7. Do you know what material that Unique Designs uses to make the pick guards?

Hey @Linda I’m not sure about Unique Designs - mine’s from Alperius. His websites says his works are made from non-magnetic stainless steel and wood. I of course had him fashion mine from the teeth of a frost giant for the tone. Maybe get in touch with him on FB and see what he can offer?

[Linda]

@Ed, please let us see what you had created!

[Ed]

Certainly!

You can see the pickguard on the Ricky higher up the thread. I also had a pickguard and truss rod cover done for my T-bird because it’s worth it

[Linda]

WOWSA That is really nice @Ed. Love the black strings too. Stylish and individually you.

[terb]

this pickguard is really cool for sure

[Gio]

I’d love to get into a deep conversation with a pickup-cover fundamentalist. I too have no idea why these are things, other than aesthetics.
But it would be interesting to hear a dedicated, no-holds-barred commitment to the pickup cover for sound reasons.

Also, if the pickup cover is screwed into tonewood… that’s gotta make a difference, right?

[faydout]

@Gio

no-holds-barred commitment to the pickup cover for sound reasons

Toneplastic obviously.

[terb]

@Gio

Also, if the pickup cover is screwed into tonewood… that’s gotta make a difference, right?

in theory … no

@Gio

I’d love to get into a deep conversation with a pickup-cover fundamentalist

Sorry, I’m not, but …

@Gio

no idea why these are things, other than aesthetics.

on old Rick pickups, the cover is not only a cover, it’s also a part of the magnet of the pickup itself so it has a very direct impact of the magnetic field and behavior of the pickup.

I highly doubt it’s the same on current Rick pickups because big magnets with weird shapes are expensive and cause a lot of issues.

[Gio]

@terb

on old Rick pickups, the cover is not only a cover, it’s also a part of the magnet of the pickup itself so it has a very direct impact of the magnetic field and behavior of the pickup.

you rule.
I love this. Thanks for the heads up! As the old GI Joe cartoons used to say… Knowing is half the battle!

[Ed]

Thanks! I originally wanted something like the “Flying Tigers” but in the end thought “Venom” would be better for the black finish

[Ed]

Thanks @terb ! It was a little difficult to fit because Alper (Alperious pickguards) had about half a dozen different pickguard templates for Thunderbirds but in the end none of them were exactly the right size. Soooo… I had to draw round the old pickguard and send a template through.

Now he has at least half a dozen plus one

[Ed]

@Gio

But it would be interesting to hear a dedicated, no-holds-barred commitment to the pickup cover for sound reasons.

Well, for me it’s purely aesthetic. I just couldn’t get with the standard plastic guards on the Rick and the Tbird. Alper thinks the new guard can add to the sustain a little on the Rick but I’ve not noticed any significant increases (although it hasn’t lost anything )

@Gio

Also, if the pickup cover is screwed into tonewood… that’s gotta make a difference, right?

I guess… but you’d have to really listen hard …

[terb]

@Ed

Alper thinks the new guard can add to the sustain a little on the Rick but I’ve not noticed any significant increases

Possibly in the measureable range but I doubt it changes anything really on what the instrument is