How to Choose Pickups for Your Guitar: A Comprehensive Guide

There are many factors that influence the playing experience and tonality of an electric guitar. While the wood and construction methods employed lay the foundations, the pickups play the most critical role, acting as interpreters, and adding their unique character and nuance to the instrument’s voice. By understanding the influence pickups have on aspects such as tonality, volume, response, and balance, we guitarists can make more informed choices with regard to tailoring our desired sound.

In the following article, we’re going to dive headlong into the world of pickups, first explaining how pickups work, before taking a closer look at the different types available, and how each influences your playing experience. So, if you don’t know a P90 from a humbucker, stay tuned!

What are Guitar Pickups?

Before we get into the finer details, let’s quickly define what a pickup is.

A pickup is a transducer, a device used to convert energy from one form to another. In the case of electric guitars, this means converting the vibration of the guitar's strings into an electrical signal which can then be amplified.

While I find almost everything about guitars fascinating, I’ve always found pickups to be kind of magical e.g. while they are simple electromagnetic devices (more on this shortly), the subtle nuances they capture and the wide tonal palette they can produce from just a vibrating string make them extraordinarily complex in practice.

How Do Guitar Pickups Work?

Pickups operate on the principles of electromagnetic induction. At their essence, pickups consist of a magnet or magnets surrounded by a coil of wire. When a guitar string, typically made of a ferromagnetic material like steel, is plucked, it vibrates above the magnet. These vibrations disturb the magnetic field created by the magnets in the pickup.

As the guitar string moves above this magnetic field, it induces a voltage in the surrounding coil of wire. This voltage, or electrical signal, is a representation of the string’s vibrations e.g. it is mapped to the nuances imparted on the guitar’s string in the act of playing the guitar, and, by extension, the musical note being played. This signal can then be sent to an amplifier, which magnifies the sound and projects it through speakers, allowing us to hear the guitar’s distinctive voice.

Types of Guitar Pickups

Single Coil Pickups

The single-coil pickup is at the heart of the electric guitar’s evolution. Its origins trace back to the early 1930s, with innovators like George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker pioneering its design. The fundamental aim was to amplify the sound of the guitar without relying on large resonating bodies, leading to the birth of the electric guitar.

Sound Characteristics

From a tonal perspective, single-coil pickups are known for their bright, clear, and distinct sound, and are usually heard in genres such as blues, country, and indie rock. Their response is not only dynamic but also highly detailed, allowing them to faithfully reproduce every nuance imparted on the guitar’s strings. Iconic musicians such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Eric Clapton, have both championed the unique voice of single coils, highlighting the unmatched clarity and brilliance of these pickups.

Pros and Cons

While single-coil pickups shine in terms of tonality and response, they typically offer a lower output volume compared to humbuckers. In most cases, their balance also tends to lean towards the treble frequencies.

One well-known drawback associated with single coils is “60 cycle hum.” This refers to the electromagnetic interference derived from electrical devices that operate at a frequency of 60 Hz (in countries with 60 Hz AC power). Unlike humbuckers, which were developed to negate such interference, single coils are inherently susceptible to this hum, especially in high-gain settings. Despite this, many players are drawn to the single coil’s distinctive voice.

Humbuckers

Debuting in the 1950s and specifically designed to counter the noise problems associated with single-coil pickups, humbuckers were developed by the innovative mind of Seth Lover at Gibson. The name “humbucker” itself stems from its main function: to “buck” or eliminate the “hum” due to electromagnetic disturbances.

Sound Characteristics

Recognized for their warm, full-bodied sound, humbuckers are ideal for genres such as rock, jazz, and heavy metal. They exude a deep, powerful tonal presence. Legends including Jimmy Page, Slash, and B.B. King highlight the versatility of humbuckers through their performances. Adding to their adaptability, humbuckers may also come with “splitting” and “tapping” capabilities, allowing guitarists to switch between a full humbucking sound and a single-coil-like tone, granting even greater tonal versatility.

Pros and Cons

Humbuckers are revered for their tonal richness and power, typically presenting a higher output volume than their single-coil counterparts. Their tonal balance is often more evenly spread across the frequency spectrum, ensuring a more full-bodied sound.

But where humbuckers really shine is in their ability to resist interference, notably the “60 cycle hum” that plagues single coils. By using two coils wired out of phase, humbuckers naturally cancel out electrical noise, resulting in a cleaner sound, especially in environments with electronic interference. This allows humbuckers to be played with higher amounts of gain and at greater volumes, making them better suited to hard rock and metal than single-coil pickups.

However, some purists believe this noise-cancellation ability can sometimes compromise the clarity and brightness achieved with single coils. Regardless, the humbucker’s full-bodied sound and noise-resistant design make it a favorite among many guitarists.

P90 Pickups

Before I say too much, I should confess my favorite pickup is undoubtedly the P90. Often associated with iconic guitars like the Les Paul Junior, P90 pickups serve as a harmonious bridge between the sound of single coil and humbucker pickups. First conceived in the late 1940s by Gibson employee Walter Fuller, the P90 carves out its own distinctive sonic niche. This pickup, while being an evolved iteration of the original single-coil blueprint, delivers a gutsier tone yet preserves the treasured clarity beloved by guitarists.

Sound Characteristics

P90s are acclaimed for their warm, textured tone, yet they still retain a certain bite, making them versatile across genres from blues and rock to jazz. They encompass the brightness of single coils, yet manage to capture some of the depth of humbuckers. The P90’s unique construction allows for a broad spectrum of sound, ensuring it’s both punchy and clear.

Pros and Cons

While P90’s tonal richness is undeniable, they also offer a solid output, although not as hot as the typical humbucker but certainly hotter than traditional single coils. Their sound profile is well-balanced, leaning neither too trebly nor too bassy, ensuring a versatile tonal output.

However, similar to single coils, P90s are not immune to interference and may sometimes pick up the dreaded “60 cycle hum.” This is because, despite their beefier build, they still operate on a single-coil principle. Some players also feel that P90s, while versatile, don’t quite achieve the piercing highs of single coils or the profound lows of humbuckers. Nevertheless, for those seeking a tonal sweet spot with both warmth and clarity, the P90 remains perhaps the best option.

Active Pickups

Distinguishing themselves from the traditional passive pickups, active pickups incorporate a built-in preamp that is powered by an external battery source. This serves several purposes. First, the onboard preamp provides the capability for a hotter output, making active pickups significantly louder than their passive counterparts. Second, this preamp ensures a consistent tone across various frequencies, reducing the potential loss of highs when adjusting the volume and delivering a more balanced and controlled sound.

Active technology can be implemented in single-coil designs, humbuckers, and even P90s, although it’s most commonly associated with humbuckers. This adaptability makes them versatile for various musical styles, though they have found a particular stronghold among metal and hard rock guitarists due to their clarity at high-gain settings and reduced noise.

EMG is a brand that has become synonymous with active pickups. Their models, such as the famed EMG 81 and EMG 85, are fixtures in the metal guitar world.

Other Pickup Types

Below are some of the less common pickup types you may come across.

• Blade Pickups: A deviation from the traditional design, blade pickups employ a continuous magnetic bar, often referred to as a “blade.” This design choice ensures a uniform string response and dramatically reduces the chances of any dead spots.
• Hexaphonic Pickups: Going a step further in individual string response, hexaphonic pickups provide independent outputs for every string. This setup paves the way for intricate processes like guitar-synth tracking and effects that can be tailored to specific strings, granting the guitarist a wider palette of sonic experimentation.
• Piezo Pickups: Mostly associated with acoustic-electric guitars, piezo pickups operate based on pressure changes. Situated under the saddle or bridge, they can detect vibrations from the instrument itself rather than just the strings, producing a sound that leans towards a true acoustic tone.
• Optical Pickups: Treading into more unconventional territory, optical pickups leverage LED lights and photosensors. By detecting string vibrations through changes in light intensity, they offer a completely noise-free output. However, their distinct tonal qualities and the technical challenges they pose have led to them being less common.
• MIDI Pickups: These stand apart from conventional pickups. Rather than simply amplifying sound, MIDI pickups transform string vibrations into MIDI data. This transformation empowers the guitarist to control a plethora of electronic devices, from synthesizers to drum machines, expanding their musical horizons.
• Contact Pickups: Often categorized as transducer pickups, these devices seize vibrations straight from the instrument’s body. Their versatility shines as they are not just limited to guitars; instruments ranging from violins to cellos can harness their capabilities.

Each of these pickup variations brings its own distinct advantages, and potential challenges to the table, opening up a universe of tonal exploration.

Final Thoughts: Factors to Consider When Choosing Pickups

Selecting the right pickups for your guitar is not merely a matter of aesthetics or brand preference; it’s a crucial decision that will significantly influence your instrument’s tone, playability, and overall sonic character.

The foremost consideration is the music genre you’re drawn to, as certain pickups are tailored for specific musical styles. Additionally, the output level is pivotal; do you want a hotter output for driving an amp harder, or are you seeking a softer, more vintage sound? Consider also the pickup’s tonal characteristics, such as its brightness or warmth, and its response to dynamics. If you’re looking to eliminate unwanted hum and noise, then factors like hum-canceling become relevant. Lastly, the guitar’s wood and construction play a role, as pickups will interact differently depending on the instrument’s inherent tonal properties. Balancing these considerations with your personal playing style and preferences will guide you to the perfect pickup for your musical journey.

Keep in mind, if designing your own electric guitar in the majority of cases, your options will include single coil, P90, Humbuckers, or a combination of both e.g. HSS guitars which feature a humbucker in the bridge position and single coil in the middle and neck positions. For many of our guitars, we offer optional pickup configuration so this may provide a “best of both worlds” option for you.

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