Chrome covers revisited...

I really like the recent threads with pictures of a GFS FatBody wrapped in a Tele chrome cover with the top machined out...

...Then I see that SD is coming out with a very similar offering...

...I'm not much for eye candy when it comes to pickups, but I'm all about durability.

I'd like to machine some of these covers out for Strat pickups, maybe even Tele bridge pickups, if they exist for pickups other than the Tele neck.

Anyone know of any vendors?

Good Luck. I would say you would need to do a CAD drawing, take it to a molder, have the tooling made, run a sample then pay for the initial run of some pre-set amount by the shop and you will have it. Probably in the range realistically of between 3,000 and 7,000 just a estimate:shock:

Us Pickup makers have been down that road and it is just way too costly for the small guys to handle such a venture, of course we would make them of a good quality nickel/silver to be as tonally transparent as we could get. Coated brass is just crap for a cover, sucks the life right out of a good pickup.

Come to think of it, metal fabrication and machining is one of my assets.:idea:

It would never be practical to do in great numbers, but I could make a few batches.

If I could shave down the bobbin, I could conceivably mill them out of aluminum.

Most likely I would shape them from stainless, then cut, bend, weld, grind, and polish.

I know that Burns has metal covers on their SCs, but I doubt that they'd have the same dimensions as Strat pickups. Plus, they look like they're made out of aluminum foil.

I wonder if I could extrude a Tele cover outward without overly stressing the metal.

Have you seen the SUPER cheesy chrome electroplated plastic Strat pickup covers? The only way that plastic can look more chintzy is when you try to make it look like something other than plastic:roll:

Please don't use aluminum. Probably the worst material I can think of for a pickup cover, it will suck every bit of high end right out of it. Nickel/silver is the best for a tonally transparent cover....

All Parts has chrome Strat P-up covers (http://www.allparts.com/store/pickup-covers-rings-parts-pickup-covers-pc-0406-010,Product.asp)

idk, they might be the cheesy ones you've mentioned....

Hello,
Sometime back I saw one where the top had been cut out with a dremel. I was thinking of
trying that or removing the cover all together. benbo is right about nickel silver being one
of the few materials that is practical for covers. To fabricate them is beyond most peoples
finances, as it would require expensive tooling, and most materials are sold with minimum
order pricing (usually in the hundreds of dollar range). Magnets are one example.

Please don't use aluminum. Probably the worst material I can think of for a pickup cover, it will suck every bit of high end right out of it.

Yeah, really not a good choice.

Vintage Vibe?

Single coil pickups for Strat style guitars with Tele neck pickup covers

http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/pickup_sc.html#

Seem to remember that Groove Tubes(?) marketed a strat pickup cover like that; came with a bottom plate as well. I've got one around here somewhere...

Guys, you're replying to a 5 year-old thread. Closed.