Impact of neck pickup on electric guitar tone

[Hall Guitars]

I've occasionally heard that Esquires and Les Paul juniors sound better (although I realise that better is a subjective term!) than Telecasters and LP Standards etc., and that this might have something to do with the lack of neck pickup, and the resulting lack of an additional magnetic field that might affect the strings' ability to vibrate freely.

I want to ask whether forum members think this might be the case, and whether anyone is aware of any resarch that might have been done to explore this topic?

Thanks in advance, Simon

[rjb]

I've occasionally heard that Esquires and Les Paul juniors sound better (although I realise that better is a subjective term!) than Telecasters and LP Standards etc., and that this might have something to do with the lack of neck pickup, and the resulting lack of an additional magnetic field that might affect the strings' ability to vibrate freely.

It'd be easy enough to find out. Take the neck pickup out of your Telecaster or Les Paul, and hear for yourself.
You know the saying. "If it sounds good, it is good." Regardless of the science.

PS- Another theory is that routing a hole for a pickup near the neck "messes up" (scientific term) body vibrations.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Now there's a thought for Sunday morning . . . just think, all those millions of recordings and gazillions of live shows, that all sounded not as good as they could have, because the performers' guitars (basses too) had neck (or middle) pickups. I'm gonna be depressed all week!

"Research" . . . "better" . . . all very subjective. How do you propose this research could take place Simon? Don't forget, only a double blind test (or double "deaf" test in the case of audio phenomena) has any hope of revealing any true difference.

I'll give you one "difference". The performer doesn't have to think "which pickup should I select?" therefore can concentrate on their performance. Further, if the instrument has no volume or tone controls, so much the better: "how do I set it?" isn't involved.

[ric]

I've occasionally heard that Esquires and Les Paul juniors sound better (although I realise that better is a subjective term!) than Telecasters and LP Standards etc., and that this might have something to do with the lack of neck pickup, and the resulting lack of an additional magnetic field that might affect the strings' ability to vibrate freely.

I want to ask whether forum members think this might be the case, and whether anyone is aware of any resarch that might have been done to explore this topic?

Thanks in advance, Simon

Yeah, Simon, subjective's the word.

My guess is you're on to something with an extra magnetic field sapping sustain. I would have just chalked it up to more wood and so better sound transmission from nk to body.

Of course it all comes down to what you like, and what sounds you're going for. As Leo is saying, plenty of first rate performances from every kind of instrument imaginable.

[bbsailor]

It'd be easy enough to find out. Take the neck pickup out of your Telecaster or Les Paul, and hear for yourself.
You know the saying. "If it sounds good, it is good." Regardless of the science.

PS- Another theory is that routing a hole for a pickup near the neck "messes up" (scientific term) body vibrations.

Agree, but there is more!

It is all about the isolation of variables to see or hear any difference. These variables include: 1. scale length, 2. string gauge, 3. neck fit, 4. bridge type, 5. string termination (through body or through bridge), 6. neck and body resonances, 7. fingerboard material, 8. type of bridge pickup being used, 9. room size, 10. amp volume, 11. distance of player from amp and finally and most importantly 12. any prejudice for taking the effort to prove something with this many variables.

Joseph J. Rogowski

[big_teee]

Pickup Makers Forum, is down to Myth hunting?
WTF?
Normally we keep this tech forum for building and designing pickups.
Your Thread should be in one of the Non tech forums dedicated to opinions and here say!
Threads like this in a technical building forum IMO diminishes the forum, and should be moved.

[LtKojak]

I've occasionally heard that the lack of neck pickup, and the resulting lack of an additional magnetic field that might affect the strings' ability to vibrate freely.

In the case of a strat, with 18 very strongly focused magnetic rods under the strings, the effect is negligibly.

In the case of humbuckers, negligibly became nonexistent.

HTH,

[Jammin'John]

Bunk

I think it's all bunk.
I would never want a one pickup guitar. No variety there.
If there was only one pickup I sure wouldn't want it in the bridge position.
I would put it somewhere in the middle of the body.

JJ

[jack briggs]

I think it's all bunk.
I would never want a one pickup guitar. No variety there.
If there was only one pickup I sure wouldn't want it in the bridge position.
I would put it somewhere in the middle of the body.

JJ

agreed:

[Justin Thomas]

I could get away with an Esquire-style... then again, my Tele is a mid-90s American Standard with a Duncan Alnico II Pro in the bridge... totally different animal from a twang-banger... I'm not really fond of the "vintage Tele" sound... I could also go with a Strat without a bridge pickup.

Justin

[Hall Guitars]

I'm sorry that you don't think the topic is relevant to the group. I won't ask again!

[Justin Thomas]

Maybe this is just in the wrong subforum? Maybe belongs in pickup theory or what have you, instead of makers?

I don't think it's a bad question. But there is always the danger of endless speculation...
I never noticed a change when I tried it with my guitars, though... But as long as loud and crunchy comes out, with lots of bite, I'm happy. At the volumes I play at, speakers are going to have a much easier time overriding any influence an additional pickup might have!

Justin

Justin

[Hall Guitars]

Thanks for the reply. I've tried that (your first suggestion) and can't tell the difference. To be honest, it's the science I'm interested in. The reason for asking is that I'm writing a paper for a guitar making degree and will actually be testing this properly, with both frequency spectrum analysis and blind tests.

There is too much snake oil in this business already where people think their ears are sensitive enough to tell the difference between many aspects of guitar build/design when blind tests often find that they actually can't.

[Hall Guitars]

Thanks for the repy Joseph, I totally agree that I need to cut out all variables and conduct scientifically sound experiments and blind tests to prove it one way or another. That's exactly what I'm going to do but I thought you guys would have valid opinions which were well worth hearing too, which they have been!

Thanks for the tips, Simon

[Jammin'John]

Jack,I had a 60's Epiphone with one P90. It was nice sounding.

JJ