Pickups - how much difference do they make


dlwalke
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Joined: 02/02/19
Posts: 240
dlwalke
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Joined: 02/02/19
Posts: 240
03/03/2019 11:49 pm

Not sure if this is best posted here or maybe in the tech forum. Anyway, I get that different classes of pickups (e.g., humbuckers vs single coil) and configurations (e.g., series vs parallel or neck vs bridge) make a big difference in the sound. But when I listen to videos that compare different pickups of the same class (like a stock strat p.u. vs a particular Seymour Duncan single coil replacement) I most often am hard pressed to hear any difference. To the extent that they are different, I am wondering if it is just about output and frequency characteristics. If that's the case, it seems as if these are things you could just as easily accomplish using the guitars volume and the guitar&s tone/EQ controls. Or am I wrong about this?


# 1
manXcat
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manXcat
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Joined: 02/17/18
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03/04/2019 1:25 am

Now I'm fairly new at this too, but over the past fifteen months I've managed to acquire quite a bit of kit and 7 electrics of different configs and styles and 3 all now e-acoustic configured guitars.

Short answer is IMO&E so far is no.

Although they can inarguably influence tone remarkably, especially amp simulators IME, no amp or guitar tone, volume, EQ, or preset controls alone are a total substitute for individual pickup variations, or config variations like string gauges, materials including coatings or player attack all alter tone. Those tools can go part of the way, but pickup capability is important IMV.

i.e. There is absolutely no comparison between the Manson spec wound lipstick neck and alnico bridge in my Cort Classic TC and the cheapy ferrites in my Squier Tele. After I replaced those with an lipstick and alnico Korean made Wilkinson WVTN&B set, which sounded different again and much better to my ear than the OEM ceramics, but again there is no comparison really. They sound different, appealing to the point I can enthusiastically endorse and recommend them, but distinctively different to the Manson specs in my Cort which AFAIC are "da bomb".

For me it's difficult to evaluate pickup output or pot resistance from vids, and any chance of doing so for my ear requires viewing multiples if available. I usually rely upon manufacturer spec for those which will IME generally be an accurate datum to gauge comparitively from an reputable manufacturer. But there are so many variables in any You Tube vid presentation including the amp being used, how recorded, the play demo e.g. the 'look at my ego' star super shredder vs someone truly aware of how to present a purposeful demo.

Tone is altogether a can of worms and so subjective. Then there's simply brand blindness to always remain aware of, often fed by defensive end user ownership pride, a folly in most of us at some time whether past or present.


# 2
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
03/04/2019 2:33 pm
Originally Posted by: dlwalkeI get that different classes of pickups (e.g., humbuckers vs single coil) and configurations (e.g., series vs parallel or neck vs bridge) make a big difference in the sound.[/quote]

They can. But the difference is often difficult to isolate considering all the elements that comprise any given electric guitar tone.

Originally Posted by: dlwalkeBut when I listen to videos that compare different pickups of the same class (like a stock strat p.u. vs a particular Seymour Duncan single coil replacement) I most often am hard pressed to hear any difference.

It definitely helps when those demos use a scientific approach: use the exact same guitar, amp & settings, player, playing the same music, using the same recording process.

But many product demos are obviously going to adjust the process to put the product in the best possible light. That's natural of course. :)

[quote=dlwalke]To the extent that they are different, I am wondering if it is just about output and frequency characteristics. If that's the case, it seems as if these are things you could just as easily accomplish using the guitars volume and the guitar&s tone/EQ controls. Or am I wrong about this?

Sometimes that's possible. But consider that most specialized gear is optimized for some specific purpose. This particular pickup is a great blues pickup for Strats. That one is a great high-output pickup for metal. This other one is great for classic rock rhythm playing. And so on.

Having a pickup that is designed & built for some particular purpose is going to be much more beneficial in achieving some particular tone. As opposed to having one that is average, then trying dial in your amp & effects to compensate for the rest of the signal chain.

It's like having a specific rachet size is better is certain situations than trying to use an adjustable wrench. Make sense?

Another important aspect about different pickups is how they respond to your playing. How it feels to play through them yourself. And this can be described in demos. But there's simply no substitute for actually playing through a set of pickups yourself. The way any given pickup responds to your individual pick attack, articulation & overall playing is a huge factor in whether or not any given pickup will work for you. And sometimes that even means adjusting your playing to get the right result from the pickups (or any gear for that matter).

Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
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# 3

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