Pickup 101?

[Pierre]

I just thought to myself, eh I spend hours on the SD, Dimarzios, EMG, KA, BL websites researching about pickups... and yet I don't really know how to read the tone charts!
It seems that the more resistance the more output? Is that because the more coils, the more resistance, the bigger the sound? What does output mean in practical term? How to read all the info on the tone charts aside from the high/mid/low diagrams?
Any help in simple non tech or basic tech language would be appreciated Thanks

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Pickup 101?

I just thought to myself, eh I spend hours on the SD, Dimarzios, EMG, KA, BL websites researching about pickups... and yet I don't really know how to read the tone charts!
It seems that the more resistance the more output? Is that because the more coils, the more resistance, the bigger the sound? What does output mean in practical term? How to read all the info on the tone charts aside from the high/mid/low diagrams?
Any help in simple non tech or basic tech language would be appreciated Thanks

In contradict to what most people would say, D.C. Resistance has little or nothing to do with tone. You could use the "D.C. Resistance" value as advice for understanding what kind of pickup it is. More DC resistance means more turns in the coils and thinner wire, and that helps giving the pickup more output and a bassier sound. It would be much wiser use the electrical inductance value of the pickup instead! Inductance is about (not sure how i can explain this, i dont have the rigth words) inducing the electrical current in the coil by electromagnetical force from the string counteracting the magnet.

Output is often measured in mV's, and describes how "hot" the pickup is, also, how much sound the pickup makes

Resonance Frequency, is the frequency (like bass, mids, treble) where the pickup resonates, and therefore is louder. A resonance of 1000hz is in the mids area, 300hz is the bass and 5000hz is high mids\treble. You just have to get to know what tones is called "how many hertz" and it'll be easier

Then you have magnets, which greatly affects the sound. An Alnico 2 sounds very warm and buttery, Alnico 5 sounds glassier and tigther, and a Ceramic one has a very aggresive brigth sound and also high output.

Sorry if this is bull**** you more informed guys, i just wrote what i think is rigth :laugh2:

-Erlend

 

[Pierre]

Re: Pickup 101?

So a Resonant peak of 3.9khz would mean that if I dial in a lot of mid and treble, it'll be louder...?

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Pickup 101?

So a Resonant peak of 3.9khz would mean that if I dial in a lot of mid and treble, it'll be louder...?

Well, it just means that the pickup sounds loudest in the 3900hz area. A pickup with a resonance frequency of let's say 1000hz would emphazise that frequency more.

Don't trust the resonance frequency charts blindly, they say nothing about the actual frequency graph of the pickup! (only EMG does )

Anyway, just yell if you have some more questions!
-Erlend

 

[Pierre]

Re: Pickup 101?

Yeah I thought there was something weird... The tone chart of the JB shows a scooped mid frequency and loads of people says it has boosted mids. Go figure.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Pickup 101?

Well to be fair it's upper mids, some folks might consider it highs. As was stated all the pieces of the puzzle fit together to make you understand a bit more about what you hear. I use the soundclips the most, then compare the graphs.

Luke

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Pickup 101?

IMO the SD soundclips should not be used by listening to one clip and think "that sounds like crap" or "that sounds exremely good", because you don't have the exact guitar, amp, strings or whatever that were used on the recording.

I believe that the proper use is to compare the soundclip of a pickup that you already own to other clips,
so you can hear the different sound characteristics of the other pickups, and therefore imagine how the other pickups could sound in your guitar.

-Erlend

 

[Gamera]

Re: Pickup 101?

Bill Lawrence Pickupology has some good info on the science behind pickups.