Home > Uncategorized > Coil Pickups

Coil Pickups

February 24th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

Coil Pickups

Pickups: Humbuckers, Piezos & Hexes

Certainly, if presented with an Acoustic Guitar and an electric guitar, most people can identify which is which. After all, while the acoustic instrument has a large hole in the middle, the body of the electric instrument is smooth and apparently solid. (Some electric guitars are solid core, some are hollow and some are a combination of both, but that is beside the point in this instance). At any rate, acoustic and electric are easy to tell apart on sight. And of course, the sound of the electric guitar and the manner in which it is produced is equally characteristic. Yet what are all the little parts and pieces that allow that this instrument to do what it does? There are quite a few, and one of the most essential is the pickup.

A pickup is a transducer, or a device that converts one type of energy into another. On an electric guitar, pickups are used to detect string vibrations and convert those vibrations electrical energy. This results in an electrical signal, which can then be electronically amplified. Most pickups for electric guitars are electromagnetic in design. They contain magnets that are tightly wrapped in a coil, or coils, of copper wire. Such pickups are usually located right underneath the guitar strings. The vibration of the strings causes a small voltage to be created in the coils surrounding the magnets; this signal voltage is later amplified.

Traditional electromagnetic pickups are either single-coil or double-coil. Single coil pickups are susceptible to noise induced from exterior electric fields. Fortunately, in the mid-1950s, the introduction of the humbucker put an end to this problem. This pickup has two magnets wrapped in copper wire. The magnets are of reversed polarity and the wire is wound in opposite directions, and the result is that they are all but unaffected by interfering electric fields.

Piezoelectric, or piezo, pickups represent another category of pickup. These employ piezoelectricity, which is the ability of some materials (such as crystals, ceramics and bone) to generate electric potential in response to applied mechanical stress. Piezos are popular in hybrid electro-acoustic guitars. A crystal is located under each string, usually in the saddle. When the string vibrates, the shape of the crystal is distorted, and the stresses associated with this change produce tiny voltages across the crystal that can be amplified and manipulated.

Some guitarists use hexaphonic pickups, which can be used in conjunction with piezo pickups. In a hexaphonic pickup setup, each guitar string has a separate piezo that obtains a separate output. These outputs, of which there are six, are then fed into the hexaphonic pickup. Such an arrangement allows the final signal to be easily modified. With modern on-board modeling technology, an electric guitar's signal can be manipulated to attain a variety of different sounds, and a hexaphonic pickup makes this easier.

The type and model of pickup or pickups used can greatly affect the tone of the guitar. Typically, humbuckers are associated with a heavier sound, while single coil pickups are used by to create a brighter, twangier sound with greater dynamic range. And as mentioned, hexaphonic pickups are useful in enabling the guitarists to produce a variety of sounds.

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, keyboards, sheet music, guitar tab, and home theater audio. You can find the best marketplace at these sites for electric guitars, pickups,, sheet music, guitar tabs, and home theater audio.

6pcs new Nickel single coil pickup mounting screws for fender Strat guitar
6pcs new Nickel single coil pickup mounting screws for fender Strat guitar
Paypal   US $.90
6p New black single coil pickup Mout screws for fender Strat Stratocaster Guitar
6p New black single coil pickup Mout screws for fender Strat Stratocaster Guitar
Paypal   US $3.00
Gibson HOT PAF BurstBucker 57 Classic Pickup PAIR Double Cream Coils CUSTOM
Gibson HOT PAF BurstBucker 57 Classic Pickup PAIR Double Cream Coils CUSTOM
Paypal   US $153.99
EMG USA EMG SA Single Coil BLACK Active Guitar Pickups SET OF 3 STRAT
EMG USA EMG SA Single Coil BLACK Active Guitar Pickups SET OF 3 STRAT
Paypal   US $89.00
Fender US Jazz Bass single coil pickups
Fender US Jazz Bass single coil pickups
Paypal   US $26.00
Seymour Duncan Custom Flat SSL 6 RWRP Single Coil Pickup Middle Position
Seymour Duncan Custom Flat SSL 6 RWRP Single Coil Pickup Middle Position
Paypal   US $20.50
Seymour Duncan Custom Flat SSL 6 Single Coil Pickup Neck or Bridge Position
Seymour Duncan Custom Flat SSL 6 Single Coil Pickup Neck or Bridge Position
Paypal   US $19.50
STRAT PICKUP VINTAGE STYLE STRATOCASTER SINGLE COIL
STRAT PICKUP VINTAGE STYLE STRATOCASTER SINGLE COIL
Paypal   US $9.99
Stellah PU 01 Matched Electric Guitar White Single Coil Pickups Brand New
Stellah PU 01 Matched Electric Guitar White Single Coil Pickups Brand New
Paypal   US $10.54
Fender Humbucker guitar pickup Bridge coil tap tapping
Fender Humbucker guitar pickup Bridge coil tap tapping
Paypal   US $30.00
Stellah PU 04 Single Coil Pickup for Fender Electric Guitar etc New
Stellah PU 04 Single Coil Pickup for Fender Electric Guitar etc New
Paypal   US $6.58
Vintage Heit guitar 4 DeArmond style Big Chunky Chrome single coil pickups
Vintage Heit guitar 4 DeArmond style Big Chunky Chrome single coil pickups
Paypal   US $180.00
Single Coil Pickup Believed to be made by DiMarzio
Single Coil Pickup Believed to be made by DiMarzio
Paypal   US $25.00
MIJ Single Coil Pick up Set
MIJ Single Coil Pick up Set
Paypal   US $45.00
White Single Coil Pickup For 6 Strings Electric Guitar
White Single Coil Pickup For 6 Strings Electric Guitar
Paypal   US $3.58
3 x SINGLE COIL PICKUP COVERS FOR FENDER STRAT BLACK
3 x SINGLE COIL PICKUP COVERS FOR FENDER STRAT BLACK
Paypal   US $1.18
1x 502x52 Strat Single Coil Pickup Covers yellow
1x 502x52 Strat Single Coil Pickup Covers yellow
Paypal   US $.99
WHITE Humbucker Double Coil Guitar Pickup SET
WHITE Humbucker Double Coil Guitar Pickup SET
Paypal   US $4.99
RARE 1970s Japan Ibanez Telecaster With Custom Neck Pick Up And Coil Tap
RARE 1970s Japan Ibanez Telecaster With Custom Neck Pick Up And Coil Tap
Paypal   US $1,000.00
STRAT STYLE PICKUP SINGLE COIL NEW IN PACKAGE BY SAGA WHITE COVER W SCREWS ETC
STRAT STYLE PICKUP SINGLE COIL NEW IN PACKAGE BY SAGA WHITE COVER W SCREWS ETC
   US $7.00
Wilkinson Lic Vintage Single Coil Pickup MWVSN M B
Wilkinson Lic Vintage Single Coil Pickup MWVSN M B
Paypal   US $9.99
Wilkinson Lic P90 Soapbar Single Coil Pickups MW90N B
Wilkinson Lic P90 Soapbar Single Coil Pickups MW90N B
Paypal   US $16.05
tele single coil pickup
tele single coil pickup
Paypal   US $17.50
Jackson Performer PS4 Dinky Guitar Pickup Set H S H Humbucker Single Coil PU P U
Jackson Performer PS4 Dinky Guitar Pickup Set H S H Humbucker Single Coil PU P U
Paypal   US $5.00
Kramer Focus 111S 1115 Strat Style Guitar Loaded Pickguard Pickups Single Coil
Kramer Focus 111S 1115 Strat Style Guitar Loaded Pickguard Pickups Single Coil
Paypal   US $5.00
Guitar Noiseless Copper Single Coil Magnetic Guitar Pickup 20Hz
Guitar Noiseless Copper Single Coil Magnetic Guitar Pickup 20Hz
Paypal   US $.99
View Page:   1  2  3  4

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret overdrive guitar effects pedal demo with Single Coil pickups

Share and Enjoy:
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Blogplay
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,
  1. No comments yet.
  1. No trackbacks yet.