When making changes to your guitar, switching up the sound or simply replacing a bad pickup, selecting the correct pickup can make all the difference.
Three primary types of pickups exist: single-coil, P90 and humbucker. Each offers a distinct sound signature.
Bridge Pickup
Pickups are devices that convert string vibration into an electrical signal. When you pluck a string, it vibrates the coils and magnets within them, disrupting their magnetic field to generate an electric current which in turn is converted to sound.
When selecting a pickup for your guitar, there are several factors to consider such as the type of instrument you play, what amplifier you have and what sound quality you desire. Furthermore, there are various manufacturers who make pickups so it’s essential that you assess which one best suits your playing style and requirements.
Bridge pickups are often preferred for rhythm playing due to their clear sound and brighter attack. Furthermore, bridge pickups have more sustain due to being closer to the center of the scale length – this is important as this is where strings vibrate most and provide longer sustain.
A neck pickup is ideal for lead playing as it provides a warmer and mellower tone. It also works well when performing solos or riffs due to its deeper bass response and rounder response that can help cut through the mix.
Neck pickups tend to be more expensive than bridge pickups, but they offer a wider range of tone and sustain – making them an excellent choice for most players. Furthermore, neck pickups can be beneficial when recording guitar music since they reduce muddiness during the recording process.
If desired, you can combine neck and bridge pickups for a more balanced sound by placing a middle pickup between the two positions on your guitar.
When selecting a pickup, consider the specifications of its coils, magnets and amount of wire wrapped around bobbins. All these factors have an effect on how loudly and clearly the pickup will sound.
For instance, if two coils are wound with 4,500 turns of wire and their DC resistance is 7.3 kohms, then the neck position will likely sound full and warm while the bridge position could produce thin and bright tones.
Neck Pickup
The electric guitar is an incredibly versatile instrument, thanks to the various pickups that can be mounted in different positions. Each pickup is tuned differently, creating a distinct tone which you can play through either an amp or digital audio workstation (DAW).
Most guitars feature two pickups, usually located one in the neck position and another at the bridge position, or even both. This enables you to customize your tone according to what kind of music you play and which style appeals most.
Typically, the neck pickup is warmer and mellower than its counterpart at the bridge, making it perfect for clean guitar parts with subtle overdrive or distortion effects. On the other hand, the bridge pickup has a brighter tone that works better with high gain lead parts or heavily distorted riffs.
The neck pickup is an excellent option if you want to add body and definition to your sound without sacrificing sharpness and clarity of your guitar tone. It also gives off a bluesy edge when playing along to some bluesy tunes, making it perfect for those chunky rock riffs that you might enjoy playing from time to time.
Beyond the pickup position, it’s essential to understand that much of the sound you get from each type of pickup is determined by what guitar you play through it. This is especially true with humbuckers and single-coil pickups where coil type and winding will have an immense effect on tone produced from each.
Another factor is how pickups interpret string vibrations. Generally, the neck pickup is closer to the center of the scale length, meaning it receives more vibrations from strings that excite its magnetic field. This results in a higher output than with the bridge pickup.
Similarly, the bridge pickup is further away from the center of the scale length, meaning there are less vibrations above it to excite its magnetic field. As such, its output tends to be lower than that of its neighbor – thus why it’s usually wired with more output than the neck pickup in order to achieve balance between them and prevent drastic volume drops or level boosts when switching between them.
Middle Pickup
Pickups on guitars are the devices that convert vibration of metal strings in a magnetic field into an electrical signal. There are various types of pickups, with the most popular being’single-coil’ models which emphasize high frequencies.
Single-coil pickups typically offer less output than their humbucker-type counterparts, but they sound more ‘jangly’ and detailed. They’re often employed for clean tones, though they can also be wired differently for more ‘dynamic’ sounds.
There are various types of pickups available, with several companies specializing in their design and production. Popular manufacturers include Fender, Gibson and Seymour Duncan.
One of the most versatile pickups on the market is the Fralin Vintage Hot pickup. It’s ideal for players who desire a traditional tone with more character than other single-coil pickups, plus it provides excellent sustain – ideal for rock and metal musicians, blues musicians, jazz pianists who desire an organic sound.
The Fralin Vintage Hot pickup is wound in reverse, so it can be used with either neck or bridge pickups to create a powerful ‘hum-bucking’ circuit that amplifies sound. These passive pickups do not need batteries or power sources and can be used on most guitars without issue.
Another outstanding benefit of the Fralin Vintage Hot pickup is its responsiveness to playing technique; it adjusts rapidly and effortlessly to various changes in strumming or fretting style. This makes it a great option for guitarists who want to experiment with different sounds without investing in costly new pickups.
Though not as powerful as a true humbucker-type pickup, the Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot is still an excellent option for players seeking a classic sound with less feedback. It boasts Alnico magnets which generate rich tones with plenty of sustain.
When selecting a pickup for your needs, the most important thing is finding one that you are comfortable with and works well with your gear and style of music. To find the ideal pickup, it is best to test out multiple models until finding one that perfectly suits your requirements.
Distortion Pickup
When shopping for guitar pickups, there is a vast array of choices. If you’re after something that will enhance the sound coming out of your amp, or give your instrument an updated and edgy tone, or one that responds better to changes in playing dynamics, then look no further – we have got the perfect pickup for your needs!
There is no universal answer to this question, as there are multiple factors that can affect the sound of any guitar pickup, such as wiring; magnet size and type; winding pattern around bobbins; and wire length. That makes ‘best pickup’ an incredibly subjective concept; always go with what sounds closest to you personally when selecting your model.
Humbuckers are one of the most commonly used pickup designs, and they come in various variants. Popular examples include vintage-style PAFs used on classic guitars and more powerful humbuckers designed specifically for metal players who require high output levels.
Humbuckers differ from single coil pickups in that they feature a built-in preamp which amplifies the signal before it goes into the amplifier. This makes them ideal for recording guitarists looking to add extra gain, harmonics and sustain to their tracks.
Some humbuckers are passive, meaning they connect directly to your amplifier without needing an external power source. This feature is especially convenient for musicians using vintage amps since it eliminates the need for external batteries.
Active pickups are another popular choice, often featuring a preamp that enhances the signal before it enters the amplifier. This makes them ideal for recording guitar players who use vintage amplifiers or pedal boards since it can enhance the tone before it leaves the guitar.
Humbucker pickups usually have more output than single coil pickups, meaning it is easier to drive your amplifier into distortion. While this can be beneficial if you’re seeking that overdriven sound found on many classic rock and metal tracks, playing with the pickup in your guitar may result in more background buzz (the ‘hum’).