Active Pickup - Equipped with an onboard preamp powered by a battery, active pickups offer higher output and more consistent performance. They are often used in genres requiring high gain and clarity.
Coil - Material wrapped around pole pieces, either as a self-contained unit (in a single coil) or as part of a slightly more complex assembly which shares a single magnet.
Coil Split - A type of wiring option which ‘turns off’ one coil of a humbucker to approximate the sound of a single coil. Usually requires a pickup with four conductor wiring.
Coil Tap - A type of wiring available with certain kinds of single coil where a ‘tap’ is run off the wire at a certain point, giving you two switchable power levels.
Four Conductor Hookup Wire - Lead wire (i.e.: from the pickup to the guitar’s electronics) which gives you direct access to each of a humbucker’s coils, so you can perform wiring options like coil split, series/parallel and phase switching.
Humbucker - These pickups use two coils wired in series and out of phase with each other. This design cancels out the hum and noise associated with single coils, resulting in a quieter and thicker sound.
Ohm - a measurement of the DC resistance of an electrical current passing through the pickup's coil.
Out of Phase/Phase Switching - When two pickups are built or wired so that they cancel out many of each others’ frequencies, resulting in a hollow, distant, fluid kind of sound.
Passive Pickup - Passive pickups are made up of a magnet wrapped in copper wire, which creates a magnetic field around the strings. When the strings are plucked or strummed, they disturb the magnetic field, which the pickup senses and converts into an electrical current. Passive pickups don't require a battery or external power source to function. Pickups - Electronic devices that detect the vibrations of the strings and convert them into an electrical signal. The signal is then sent to an amplifier, which amplifies the sound of the guitar. Most guitars have one to three pickups, which can be either single-coil or humbucking.
Pole Piece - A metal slug or screw which corresponds to each individual guitar string, focusing the pickup’s magnetic field.
Series - When two coils are wired so that the current from one goes through the other. This is how humbuckers are usually wired as standard, or you can wire two single coils in series for a bigger tone.
Single Coil - Known for their bright and clear sound, single coil pickups have a single winding of wire around the magnet. However, they are prone to picking up electromagnetic interference, resulting in a characteristic hum.
Trem Spacing - a term for a pickup whose pole pieces are spaced slightly wider apart for a guitar with a Trem or Floyd Rose-style bridge. The main difference between a single coil and a humbucker pickup is that single coil pickups produce a bright, clear sound but are prone to electromagnetic interference and noise, while humbucker pickups use two coils wired together to cancel out this interference, resulting in a thicker, warmer sound with reduced noise. Alnico
Composition: Made from an alloy of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt.
Sound: Generally produce a warm, smooth, and vintage tone with rich harmonics and a more organic feel. They are often preferred in classic rock, blues, and jazz.
Magnetic Strength: Weaker magnetic field compared to ceramic magnets, which contributes to their softer, more nuanced sound.
Cost: Typically more expensive than ceramic magnets due to the materials and manufacturing process.
Types: Alnico magnets come in different grades (e.g., Alnico II, III, V) that offer variations in tone and magnetic strength.
Ceramic
Composition: Made from a combination of iron oxide and ceramic material.
Sound: Produce a brighter, sharper, and more aggressive tone with higher output. They are often used in genres like metal and hard rock.
Magnetic Strength: Stronger magnetic field compared to Alnico magnets, resulting in a higher output and more pronounced high frequencies.
Cost: Generally less expensive than Alnico magnets, making them a popular choice for budget-friendly pickups.
Durability: More resistant to demagnetization and physical wear compared to Alnico magnets.

The primary difference between active and passive pickups lies in their design and functionality:

Active Pickups: These pickups incorporate an onboard preamp powered by a battery, which boosts the signal and often includes tone-shaping capabilities. This results in a higher output, greater consistency, and a broader frequency response, making them popular for genres requiring high gain and clarity, such as metal and modern rock.

Passive Pickups: These pickups operate without an onboard preamp, relying solely on the magnets and coil wire to generate the signal. They produce a more dynamic and organic tone with a wide range of natural harmonics but can have a lower output and be more susceptible to noise and signal loss over long cable runs.

Tone and Dynamics: Passive pickups are known for their warm, rich, and dynamic sound, often preferred in genres like blues, jazz, and classic rock. In contrast, active pickups deliver a more precise, articulate tone, maintaining clarity even with heavy distortion and longer cable runs.

Power Source: Active pickups require a battery (usually a 9V) to power the onboard electronics, whereas passive pickups do not need any external power source.

Output Level: Active pickups typically have a higher output level, providing a stronger signal that can drive amplifiers harder, while passive pickups usually have a lower output, which can be more responsive to playing dynamics and picking attack.

Pickups are crucial in defining a guitar's sound. Their design, type, and placement influence the tonal characteristics, allowing you to tailor your instruments to your playing style. Our trusted partners help us deliver and create top tier instruments with high quality parts.