Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
- Thread starter Desert
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idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
With direct mounting you get more direct vibrations from the body and strings. The result is the pickups response is closer to the natural resonance of the guitar. Basically you are removing a few layers of dampening material between your playing, the strings, the body and lastly the pickup. Pickguards and pickup rings can dampen and isolate the pickups from the natural resonance of the guitar. It's not a huge difference, but you can notice it. What you notice most is how quick and sensitive the guitar is once it is in the feedback loop.
With direct mounting you get more direct vibrations from the body and strings. The result is the pickups response is closer to the natural resonance of the guitar. Basically you are removing a few layers of dampening material between your playing, the strings, the body and lastly the pickup. Pickguards and pickup rings can dampen and isolate the pickups from the natural resonance of the guitar. It's not a huge difference, but you can notice it. What you notice most is how quick and sensitive the guitar is once it is in the feedback loop.
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Hagbard Celine
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
How can vibrations from the body affect a pickup's electromagnetic properties? This claim has never made any sense to me.
How can vibrations from the body affect a pickup's electromagnetic properties? This claim has never made any sense to me.
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
As mentioned in another thread, I'd like to hear an ABX recording where the only thing changed is direct-mounted pickups vs traditional mounted pickups. Have to admit I'm skeptical. I've owned some guitars with direct mounted pickups and plenty with pickguard or ring mounted pickups. But I've never tried both on the same guitar. Just a guess.....but I'm gonna speculate an ABX would reveal extremely subtle to zero differences.
As mentioned in another thread, I'd like to hear an ABX recording where the only thing changed is direct-mounted pickups vs traditional mounted pickups. Have to admit I'm skeptical. I've owned some guitars with direct mounted pickups and plenty with pickguard or ring mounted pickups. But I've never tried both on the same guitar. Just a guess.....but I'm gonna speculate an ABX would reveal extremely subtle to zero differences.
Binnerscot
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
There is no difference. Snake oil.
There is no difference. Snake oil.
KoreanGuitarMan
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
They look cool?
They look cool?
Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
+1 to this... I never understood it either...
+1 to this... I never understood it either...
JOLLY
Super Simonologist
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
It's never made any sense to me either.
oilpit
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
Me either...
Me either...
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
i think there has to be some sense to it, other wise companies wouldnt do it. i dont think its cost effective to drill and instal instead of slapping on a pickguard.
i think there has to be some sense to it, other wise companies wouldnt do it. i dont think its cost effective to drill and instal instead of slapping on a pickguard.
ParameterMan
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
It doesn't. Pickups generate current when their magnetic field gets mangled. This can happen when the strings move or when the pickup moves under the strings. I've played a guitar where the humbucker was basically floating on it's springs - if you looked closely you could see it vibrate as I played. I find the mounting makes the most difference at high volumes - if the pickup is free floating it acts more like a microphone. If it's tightly coupled to the body feedback is more natural and controlled.
If the body is resonating, and the pickup is tightly affixed to the body, one would presume to hear a difference. How subtle that difference is in practice is a matter of debate because there aren't many guys that have tried both in the same guitar.
It doesn't. Pickups generate current when their magnetic field gets mangled. This can happen when the strings move or when the pickup moves under the strings. I've played a guitar where the humbucker was basically floating on it's springs - if you looked closely you could see it vibrate as I played. I find the mounting makes the most difference at high volumes - if the pickup is free floating it acts more like a microphone. If it's tightly coupled to the body feedback is more natural and controlled.
If the body is resonating, and the pickup is tightly affixed to the body, one would presume to hear a difference. How subtle that difference is in practice is a matter of debate because there aren't many guys that have tried both in the same guitar.
V
Varg
Guest
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
That doesn't make any sense. Is it cheaper to build a guitar with a pickguard or without? Surely without is cheaper, since you don't have to pay for a pickguard?
It's not hard to screw a self tapping wood screw into a guitar body. You don't even need to drill.
That doesn't make any sense. Is it cheaper to build a guitar with a pickguard or without? Surely without is cheaper, since you don't have to pay for a pickguard?
It's not hard to screw a self tapping wood screw into a guitar body. You don't even need to drill.
donnievaz
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
It doesn't change the electromagnetic properties. What it does change is the movement of the electromagnetic field in relation to the vibrating strings and that's going to affect the tone, there's no way around it.
I did it 30 years ago and it made a difference but I can't really remember the details, plus it was a Kramer Striker ply body, a Duncan Custom, into a Peavey Backstage amp. Not exactly a great platform for tone testing (except for the pickup)
It doesn't change the electromagnetic properties. What it does change is the movement of the electromagnetic field in relation to the vibrating strings and that's going to affect the tone, there's no way around it.
I did it 30 years ago and it made a difference but I can't really remember the details, plus it was a Kramer Striker ply body, a Duncan Custom, into a Peavey Backstage amp. Not exactly a great platform for tone testing (except for the pickup)
V
Varg
Guest
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
It's the same old story - it might CHANGE the tone, but whether it makes it better or not is subjective.
It's the same old story - it might CHANGE the tone, but whether it makes it better or not is subjective.
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
The "wobblier" the mount the more the pickup will move relative to the body. Actually it's the pickup that's not moving relative to the room and the body is vibrating with the - well, music. Any movement of pickup versus string, regardless of who's moving, will change things.
I couldn't notice a difference, though.
The effect, if any, will definitely depend on strength of springs and things like whether a Strat pickguard is convex or concave. I doubt that a tight pickguard under pressure around the pickups and strong springs would sound audibly different than direct mount.
The "wobblier" the mount the more the pickup will move relative to the body. Actually it's the pickup that's not moving relative to the room and the body is vibrating with the - well, music. Any movement of pickup versus string, regardless of who's moving, will change things.
I couldn't notice a difference, though.
The effect, if any, will definitely depend on strength of springs and things like whether a Strat pickguard is convex or concave. I doubt that a tight pickguard under pressure around the pickups and strong springs would sound audibly different than direct mount.
V
Varg
Guest
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
They had Duncan Custom's 30 years ago?
(that's not sarcastic BTW, I just assumed they were fairly recent pickups)
They had Duncan Custom's 30 years ago?
(that's not sarcastic BTW, I just assumed they were fairly recent pickups)
donnievaz
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
I bought it when I graduated high school in '83 brand new at Veneman's music in Rockville Md. so it was close to 30.
I bought it when I graduated high school in '83 brand new at Veneman's music in Rockville Md. so it was close to 30.
Desert
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
Some good answers.
What I'd like to see is someone post a before/after situation, exactly what tonal differences they experienced...and how the mounted the pickup. Would also be nice to know if the pickup was potted or unpotted.
Some good answers.
What I'd like to see is someone post a before/after situation, exactly what tonal differences they experienced...and how the mounted the pickup. Would also be nice to know if the pickup was potted or unpotted.
Hagbard Celine
New member
Re: Who here has body-mounted their pickups, and what differences did you notice?
No, this isn't the same. The body wood affects the vibrations of the string which drive the pickup.
No, this isn't the same. The body wood affects the vibrations of the string which drive the pickup.