Why so loud?

[macguy]

Greetings...I am new to the Forum.

Will a Strat pickup with a higher ohm reading than another necessarily be "louder"?
I've got two sets from two different manufactures and the set with the lower ohm reading, each pickup, is louder than the other set. Is it NOT just the resistance that determines the relative loudness of a pickup?

Many thanks,
MG

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Why so loud?

The OHm reading is just a general indication of the output.. but is not neccsarily how loud the pickup will be. A lot more with regards constrution of the Pickup make up fopr the voice and Vloume and out put . Welcome to the forum

 

[macguy]

Re: Why so loud?

Thanks for the info...I have been a player since...1954...and had the good fortune to meet Roy Buchanan in 1965 in Washington DC...what an experience that evolved into.
I had another good fortune to meet Albert Lee in 1997...what an experience that has turned into.

Music and music people are great!

MG

 

[uOpt]

Re: Why so loud?

A pickup with thinner wire will have more resistance with less winds and hence be quieter with same resistance.

The kind of magnet(s) used and the strengths also play a major role.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Why so loud?

A pickup with thinner wire will have more resistance with less winds and hence be quieter with same resistance.

The kind of magnet(s) used and the strengths also play a major role.

+1 to that

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Why so loud?

Macguy, as others have said, it's not the resistance per se, but the number of turns. But the resistance is useful in giving us some idea the number of turns and thus output, as long as you're aware of the other output-determining factors.

The type of magnet will make a difference, A5 will generally be louder than A2 or A3, assuming fully charged. Thinner guage wire will make a difference too, but that isn't a factor in Strat pu's until you get up to about 9k, where the 43 gauge wire (standard vintage is 42) appears. Although for probably most manufacturers, there is a bit of a no-man's land between 8k and 12k in Strat pu's. There is 42.5 wire out there but hardly anybody uses it. Not sure why...

All that said, though, macguy, what you said is generally true. Take a typical 6.3k/A5 Strat pu and it won't be as loud as a 7.5k/A5.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Why so loud?

So who'd going to make the first A8 vintage Strat pickup?

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Why so loud?

Whoever can find A8 rod magnets first, I guess. But I do have some A6 rods I haven't tried out yet.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Why so loud?

I know.

But passive rods and an A8 bar might be something, too.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Why so loud?

Wouldnt Alnico rods be too Harsh for a strat pup... Unless u add it as a magnet with Passive rods. I mean wouldnt it be to strong a magnetic field.?

 

[uOpt]

Re: Why so loud?

Vintage-style pickups for Fender style guitars have Alnico rods. No bars.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Why so loud?

Alnico rod pu IS what a classic Strat pu is. Or did you mean ceramic?

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Why so loud?

Hey Zhang!

did you ever made any single coil with a bar magnet and screws as poles, kind of a half HB? If yes, how did it sound?

Inquirying minds would like to know...

Yours truly,

Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Why so loud?

Alnico rod pu IS what a classic Strat pu is. Or did you mean ceramic?

Sorry A typo error My Mistake.. I meant ALNICO 8 RODS ... I like strats with Alnico 5 rods.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Why so loud?

Just got through making one with Invader-style polepieces and ceramic bars. It has potential, but needs refining, like mainly try to see if I can get some really narrow Alnico bars to get some air in the tone. It might not work because Alnico doesn't like having the N and S poles so close to each other. But if those magnet issues can be overcome, it has HUGE potential...

Hey Zhang!

did you ever made any single coil with a bar magnet and screws as poles, kind of a half HB? If yes, how did it sound?

Inquirying minds would like to know...

Yours truly,

Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Why so loud?

Sorry A typo error My Mistake.. I meant ALNICO 8 RODS ... I like strats with Alnico 5 rods.

Anyway, I think A8 might be a little muddy in a Strat pu. Might get some pretty bad string-pull problems too.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Why so loud?

Anyway, I think A8 might be a little muddy in a Strat pu. Might get some pretty bad string-pull problems too.

Thats excatly what I thought when I meant Harsh.. too strong string pull.