FAQ

cover care - how to keep your nova pickups looking slick

Your Nova pickups don’t just sound great—they look great, too. Each cover is 3D printed using high-quality SLA resin and arrives sandblasted and lightly oiled to bring out deep blacks or crisp whites, depending on your chosen color. To keep them looking their best, here are some simple care tips and important do’s and don’ts. General Cleaning For regular maintenance, dry cleaning is best. Use a clean, fine fiber (microfiber) cloth to gently wipe away dust and fingerprints. If needed, apply a tiny amount of fine oil (such as mineral oil or sewing machine oil) to the cloth—just enough to restore that subtle luster without overcoating. What to Avoid Do not use WD-40 or comparable stuff – It leaves behind a crystallized residue that can dull the finish over time. Avoid unknown cleaners – Some chemicals may react unpredictably with the resin material. If you want to try something new, test it on a small, hidden spot first or consult with us directly. Be careful with isopropyl alcohol – It’s effective for cleaning but comes with a few caveats. Using Isopropyl Alcohol – Proceed with Caution Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) can be used to remove heavier grime or oil buildup only if followed by immediate re-oiling. Otherwise, it will leave behind greyish marks as it strips the surface treatment. an example of how isopropyl alcohol affects the finish. Also, IPA should never touch the clear-coated rails, as it may degrade the corrosion protection layer. If you do use IPA: Use it sparingly on a soft cloth—never apply directly to the pickup. Avoid contact with the rails or any clear-coated areas. After cleaning, lightly re-oil the surface using a very thin layer of fine oil. Thinking About Painting? While some customers like to personalize their Nova pickups with custom paint jobs, be aware: we can't guarantee how spray paints will interact with the resin material. Always do your research and test materials beforehand. Painting is at your own discretion.We can only forward the limited experience of users who have already tried painting them - cleaning them with isopropyl alcohol before painting is mandatory. Also, a primer or a form of medium to help the color coating stick to the cover seems to help.If you explicitly plan to paint the covers we can offer not glueing the coils into them to facilitate separation - this way you could clean and paint them without damaging the rail coating and stick them back together after they're dry.Also, we can always add an additional cover or two for paint experiments. In Summary ✅ DO: Clean dry with a microfiber cloth Use a dab of fine oil if needed Re-oil after using IPA Handle with care ❌ DON’T: Use WD-40 Expose the blades to alcohol Use aggressive cleaning agents Paint without testing first Have a question about pickup care? Contact us here.   This is an example of the grey marks isopropyl alcohol leaves on the SLA covers.     And this is what it looks like after oiling it. I used Ballistol fine oil for this example.