Whats the best way of measuring pickup output

[the great waldo]

Hi all

This ones for our more electronically gifted forum members. Can anyone tell me what would be the best way to measure a pickups output and which measuring gear would be required.

Cheers

Andrew

[Possum]

...

You can search the archives, this has been discussed many times. Basically there is no standard method, pick one and have fun. None of the commercial pickup makers use any kind of method that you can compare other maker's products with. Its not easy to even come up with a sensible standard, just how hard you hit the strings changes how much voltage is being generated. Probably the most sensible thing would to be to make a driver coil, sweep a full spectrum audio signal at a predetermined output level through the driver, and measure voltage from the pickup. The only use it will be is for you only, to compare different pickups of your own against eachother.....

There is also the problem of frequency response here too, a 22K humbucker with a ceramic magnet will have alot of voltage output but won't have alot of treble, so the guy with the 5K tele might walk all over your solo at a jam and be perceived as being "louder" because there's more high frequencies.

So, its kind of not real useful knowledge to have, higher voltage doesn't always mean louder, etc. think that pretty much sums that up...