Pickup FAQs?

[Windwatrerthfir]

I've recently have gotten into the sound in my guitar in depth and would like to know more about pickups, mainly DC resistance and different type of pickup magnents. What I know so far is .. Ceramics give a more harsher sound compared the the alnico magnents, IIs and Vs. And the higher the DC resistance the higher the output. Now I'm not exactly sure how all that ties in but I sorta of do but please help thanks!.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Pickup FAQs?

There a site of a boutique pickup builder call sk specialities. There is the best explanations why does a pup sound in certain way. Check this.

http://www.ampge.com/SKGS/sk/pickup_factors.htm

 

[Artie]

Re: Pickup FAQs?

Also, if you go to the SD main page, and mouse-over "Support", click on the "FAQ's", and "Seymour Q & A". Its a lot of reading, but you'll be a virtual pup-wizard if you read it all.

One of the differences with ceramic magnets, that I read there, was that since they aren't a ferrous material, there are no eddy-currents generated in them, which tends to "soften" the tone. (That is, the ceramics don't soften the tone.) Its sort of the same principal as using the baseplate with some pups.

Artie

btw - Welcome to the forum.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Pickup FAQs?

I've recently have gotten into the sound in my guitar in depth and would like to know more about pickups, mainly DC resistance and different type of pickup magnents. What I know so far is .. Ceramics give a more harsher sound compared the the alnico magnents, IIs and Vs. And the higher the DC resistance the higher the output. Now I'm not exactly sure how all that ties in but I sorta of do but please help thanks!.

one note, the DC Resistance of a pickup tells more of it's tonal characteristics than output, my experience tells me that higher readings are equal to brighter pups. For example, the JB is around 16K and is quite bright and almost clanky, where a Dimarzio Super Distortion is around 13K and quite a bit darker.

That's not a rule, but more of a guideline. I don't spend a lot of time with low reading pups (8k and below) but the few that I have tried have been resonably middy and a bit smoother.

YMMV!

Trevor