Electric Guitar Pickups

The birth of sound in an electric guitar is due to the pickup. It is not surprising that in order to choose the right device, you must first understand its structure and basic functions. Actually, this article can be considered an educational program in the field of useful components for each electric guitar.

For beginner guitarists, in addition to knowing that electric guitar pickups are necessary, it will not hurt to become familiar with what physical processes are involved in transforming sound at the time of their operation. It is this lack of understanding that dooms newcomers to such a long search for the ideal adaptation. Now we will not talk about piezo sensors, since power tools are mainly equipped with electromagnetic devices that are sensitive to the vibration of metal strings.

In fact, A pickup is a coil with a permanent magnet inside that uses the vibrational vibration of the strings. Since they are made from ferromagnetic alloys, this also leads to a revitalization of the magnetic field. The current generated in the choke is then transmitted to the amplifying equipment through the cable, and sometimes immediately to the output, and then the sound appears in the speakers.

The classification of guitar transducers is diverse in their types, subspecies and types of magnets.

By their design (type of winding), pickups are divided into two main types.

• A single choke pickup is called a single coil. It is used for certain musical styles and provides a crisp, bright sound with a soft timbre, ideal for jazz music. Its coil contains up to 6 magnets and over 10,000 turns. The single is good for everyone, but it still has one significant drawback - the sensor is able to additionally capture sound waves of radio broadcasts, which is why clear sound may be accompanied by unwanted background distortions. However, if you install another coil, this problem is removed - the shielding effect appears, that is, the magnets set in antiphase will neutralize the negative effect of each other.
• Compared to a single coil, the humbucker already has two chokes that are constantly in antiphase. About the sound that it forms, we can say that it is depleted in overtones, does not capture high frequencies well, therefore it seems low. The highs seem to be cut off due to the different coil signals. In this case, the individual sound of the guitar is rather organic, with the exception of the use of overdrive - limiting its amplitude. Then the sound becomes too straightforward, filled with unnatural aggression.

There are types of pickups according to the amount of energy consumption.

• Passive pickups that transmit a clean signal to the amplifier without any conversion, after which its tone and sound volume are adjusted by the guitar settings. But they only allow you to reduce the signal intensity and cut the high frequencies. In such designs, windings with a large number of turns are provided to make the raw signal more pronounced, but because of this, the mid-frequency sound of the instrument predominates and the high and low register are attenuated. Contrary to this, the human ear visually perceives sound as more powerful. This feature of passive transducers causes some sound defects - "tops", attenuation of string vibrations, unusual timbre.
• Unlike the latter, active sensors have a number of advantages., the reason for which is the ability of these structures to pre-amplify the electromagnetic signal. Although they operate on weak magnets, the vibration of the strings is stronger and lasts longer because of this. This eliminates unwanted overtones that occur when the pickups are pulled up to the strings. In addition, when working with active sounds, there is no problem of a dull timbre, when the volume decreases due to the low resistance of the volume knobs - in the electrical circuit they maintain this small parameter all the time.

The choice of pickup equipment is always not so simple, here you need to decide what characteristics of the guitar do not suit you. So, consider all the pros and cons in relation to the type and type of sensor. Select the device based on:

• the brand of your instrument;
• the species of wood from which it is made;
• features of the timbre;
• the chosen direction and your own preferences in terms of sound.

When replacing pickups, pay attention to the type of magnets used in them. Based on the shape, they are rail (for humbuckers) and regular (singles). Basically, the color of the sound, its timbre and sustain is influenced by the material from which they are made. This is perhaps one of the main selection criteria.

Today magnets are made of cermet - they have the strongest field, respectively, they allow you to output high and medium frequencies, make the sound long and rich. As for the pure sound, there are not enough overtones in it - it is more depleted and dry. This type of magnets is relevant for metal and other heavy music styles.

Cobalt, nickel and aluminum alloys (Alnico) are considered weaker.

• Alnico-5 - such magnets are slightly weaker than those made from a mixture of iron oxide and ceramics. They allow you to achieve a balanced sound, both clean and overdriven. Pickups based on these pickups are applicable to a variety of styles, including hard rock and jazz.
• If a guitarist specializes in country, pop or blues, then he should take a closer look at magnets like "Alnico-2". This is the best option, since the processed sound is distinguished by natural harmony, warmth, and a predominance of mid and low frequencies. Of the minuses, the musicians allocate insufficient power and duration of the sound.

You will also have to choose from devices that differ in different volatility. It should be remembered here that active sounds are resistant to interference and interference, eliminate unpleasant timbre and overtones when the distance from the pickup to the strings is small.

If you have chosen a passive device, you need to know that it will need additional power, in addition, you should consider:

• tool model;
• type of magnet;
• the maximum level of suppression of noise and voltage at the output.

Another parameter is the height of the pickup switches, since the vibration amplitude of the strings near the neck mount and near the bridge is different. For some guitar models, the pickup selection is limited. A prime example is the Fender Stratocaster, which already has three single-coil sounds built into it.

The most popular and high-quality sounds are on our list.

• Seymour Duncan, in particular the JB modification - this is a deep, clear sound with the possibility of overdriving in the absence of interference, uniform sound in a wide range. The downside is the sticking of strings to magnets under pressure due to their extreme power. Especially useful for guitars with maple necks.
• DiMarzio Tone Zone Is a legendary brand of electric guitar pickups. The pickup consists of two coils (Hamkenseller version). Optimal for solo and chord sounding. If you are a fan of tapping irrigations, pick harmonics and dive bombs, this is the device for you.
• LICE - these devices are in demand among many famous rock guitarists, these are silent singles with lowered backgrounds that are smaller than even humbuckers. Models such as Music give a spacious, powerful yet transparent bass.
• Bass Pickup Precision (P-style). Pros - an enriched timbre, a good signal, from the disadvantages - a fixation method (you will need to make grooves).

Other sounds, which, however, are worse than those listed in terms of quality - BluesScreamer, WindStorm, Puncher, etc.

You can attach the pickups to the guitar with connectors, using soldering, depending on their model. It is much easier to install a similar new sensor instead of the old one. If the passive sound is replaced with an active one, you will need to cut the case to place a battery in it.

The stock device can be installed with your own hands, the scheme of actions for this is as follows.

• It is necessary to unscrew the old sensor, pull it out on the cable, expand the hole if necessary.
• Then fastening is carried out using long screws with springs.

It is already clear that tuning an electric instrument must begin with adjusting the position of the pickup itself - its height. This can be done quickly by tightening the same screws at the top and bottom of the sensor. When they are tightened, the distance between the strings and the pickup increases; when they are loosened, the distance decreases.

Before changing your pickups, consider whether this is the way to go. If you have a normal instrument, it already has its own "native" sounds, ideally matched to this model. Replacement is relevant only in cases where there is a desire to radically change the tone of the guitar, but even here it is not so simple - this must be done taking into account the wood from which the instrument is made. As for installing the sensor on an inexpensive model, it is a waste of work and a waste of money. The converter in this case will not solve the problem of bad sound.