Do a new pickup need to activate or run in.?

[doc-bass]

Do a new pickup need to activate or run in like tube amp, car engine.? I know it's silly question. I'm always heard most of the guitar shop told to plug guitar into the amp frequently in order to improve the sound of pickup. My friend also told me that seymour antiquity model was pass the run in process.

Do I need to do when I bought a new pickup.?

[David Schwab]

No. There is no "run in" process. Antiquities are made like every other pickup, but then they are made to look old.

Plugging a pickup into an amp wont change the way they sound. These people are mistaken.

[Steve Conner]

Well, they sound completely different when they're not plugged into an amp. There's a kind of Zen one-hand-clapping purity to the tone, that goes away as soon as you can actually hear it.

[Rick Turner]

The only aging issues are a diminishing of the magnetic field strength with Alnico magnets and possible deterioration of magnet wire insulation under really tough conditions, sweat, etc. The Antiquities are made to look appropriate for putting on older and/or beat up guitars.

[LtKojak]

Well, they sound completely different when they're not plugged into an amp. There's a kind of Zen one-hand-clapping purity to the tone, that goes away as soon as you can actually hear it.

Yes, I agree.

[David Schwab]

Well, they sound completely different when they're not plugged into an amp. There's a kind of Zen one-hand-clapping purity to the tone, that goes away as soon as you can actually hear it.

No, they actually sound the same when not plugged in, but you can't hear them.

It's like the age old question; does a tree make any noise if it falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it? I say the answer is no.

[Mike Sulzer]

No, they actually sound the same when not plugged in, but you can't hear them.

It's like the age old question; does a tree make any noise if it falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it? I say the answer is no.

I see, it makes noise if one person hears it. So if 100 people hear it must make more noise.

[Mike Sulzer]

No, they actually sound the same when not plugged in, but you can't hear them.

It's like the age old question; does a tree make any noise if it falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it? I say the answer is no.

Oh, and what if a bear hears it? A mouse? A snake? A snail?

[Musiclogic]

does "exercise in futility" enter at any time?

[jonson]

If a man speaks in the woods and his wife or girlfriend doesn't hear him is he still wrong.

[Rosewood]

Snakes have ears?

[Bruce Johnson]

I test all of my pickups unplugged by holding them up in a quiet room, shaking them at precisely 0.5hz, and listening for any low frequency "rattle".

[David Schwab]

Oh, and what if a bear hears it? A mouse? A snake? A snail?

Well I said "no one." That would include the rest of the animal kingdom, not just humans. But sound is a perceived phenomenon. The tree wound make vibrations for sure. (and I'm half serious about it).

[David Schwab]

Snakes have ears?

They have inner ears, but no external ears or ear drums. They can sense vibrations very well.

[RedHouse]

Well I see I need to stand alone here, but I'd say YES.

I have notice a minor difference in tone after a pickup is played (lets say installed and strummed) for a while.

I've attributed it to (in the case of humbuckers) the magnet/keeper/slugs/Poles all seem to balance-out.

In the case of Strat/Tele type pickups I feel it's the magnets working against themselves and finding balance/equalibrium.
(Strat/Tele types are like-poles next to like-poles, they influence each other even in the absence of a player)

So I'd say yes, do some run-in and see what you have before you make any tone decisions.

YMMV

{Edit}

This question reminds me of when I build an amp, when you first fire it up it has a sound/tone but let it do a burn-in and the tone settles a bit, small but noticeable. I am also reminded of a set of humbuckers I wound in my holy grail search, I wound them and installed them, played them, (made notes) and then replaced them with others. Later I re-installed them and tested them again and they sounded different and (in my case) more like what I was looking for.

Again, I would say wind/assemble the pickup, play it for a while, then re-evaluate it, you may find it has changed a little.