Shush puppies?

[Justwannano]

Now I know the article was poorly written.

It was misleading using terminology without thought. Combined with no visual examples
made for an amateur pickup article.

Should it have stated "that each single coil sized pickup has two thin bobbins", which it didn't, then I wouldn't have had questions. (or as many pertaining to pickup terminology nor as many about the pickup)

I'll continue thinking that a single coil pickup is just that.

[big_teee]

It was IMO misleading!
But, no big deal, because they showed us how they were made in the Vid.
It is a small humbucker, it is what it is.
T

[David Schwab]

I'll continue thinking that a single coil pickup is just that.

Then you will continue to be confused!

let's take an example, the EMG SA:

"The SA is an active single coil loaded with an Alnico V bar magnet that provides a vintage Strat™ single coil sound: bright, airy, with a rich bottom end. "

Only it's not a single coil. It's a stacked humbucker.

They continue this will all their Strat size pickups, like the SV:

"The SV is a single coil that has the tone, clarity, responsiveness and a look that vintage enthusiasts will appreciate, all topped off by EMG's reliability and quality of workmanship."

So what they are talking about is the tone of the pickup, and not the way it's made. If it's hum canceling, it has more than one coil. And sometimes more than two.

[Justwannano]

Then you will continue to be confused!

let's take an example, the EMG SA:

"The SA is an active single coil loaded with an Alnico V bar magnet that provides a vintage Strat™ single coil sound: bright, airy, with a rich bottom end. "

Only it's not a single coil. It's a stacked humbucker.

They continue this will all their Strat size pickups, like the SV:

"The SV is a single coil that has the tone, clarity, responsiveness and a look that vintage enthusiasts will appreciate, all topped off by EMG's reliability and quality of workmanship."

So what they are talking about is the tone of the pickup, and not the way it's made. If it's hum canceling, it has more than one coil. And sometimes more than two.

If they stated; "The SV is a single coil that has the tone, clarity, responsiveness and a look that vintage enthusiasts will appreciate, all topped off by EMG's reliability and quality of workmanship." and added..." Only it's not a single coil. It's a stacked humbucker." then I wouldn't need somebody to supply such a
great explanation...thank you David.

"more than two" sure got my attention too. I didn't realize there are pickups with more than two coils. ( of course when one doesn't know it's hard to know how much one doesn't know...like how does one know that they may have a memory problem? lol....except I do know I know very little about pickups and appreciate you guys sharing info.)

[David Schwab]

"more than two" sure got my attention too. I didn't realize there are pickups with more than two coils.

Well they aren't very common, but the original Bartolini/Hi-A pickups had one coil per string back in the late 70s. Both Gibson and Ovation had bass pickups like that too. The Wal bass pickup has two coils per string, and more recently you have the Zexcoil pickups with one coil per string, and I even make a few with multiple coils.

The interesting part is if you want a loud but bright pickup, that will do it. As an example, I can wind up a humbucker to 20K with 42 gauge wire, and it's going to sound like mud. Wind the same amount of wire on multiple coils and it retains the brightness of a pickup with less wire on it.

[ReWind]

I just asked the vibrato circuit in my amp, who confirmed with the input jack and tremolo bridge on my guitar, that confusing mis-terminology never happens in the music industry. Turns out that the paper-in-oil bumblebees in my Les Paul also agree.

[David Schwab]

I just asked the vibrato circuit in my amp, who confirmed with the input jack and tremolo bridge on my guitar, that confusing mis-terminology never happens in the music industry. Turns out that the paper-in-oil bumblebees in my Les Paul also agree.

I had an old Silvertone amp that really did have a vibrato circuit, but I've NEVER seen a tremolo on a guitar… unless it's a kill switch!

What annoys me is the "front/rear" pickup designation. Who the heck came up with that? Seems way too arbitrary and I never remember which is which. I guess neck/bridge, or the older bass/treble makes too much sense. Maybe "north/sound" would be an equally obtuse standard. Or "hither/yon"?

[big_teee]

I had an old Silvertone amp that really did have a vibrato circuit, but I've NEVER seen a tremolo on a guitar… unless it's a kill switch!

What annoys me is the "front/rear" pickup designation. Who the heck came up with that? Seems way too arbitrary and I never remember which is which. I guess neck/bridge, or the older bass/treble makes too much sense. Maybe "north/sound" would be an equally obtuse standard. Or "hither/yon"?

I prefer calling them Bridge and neck Pickups.
If you can't figure out bridge from Neck, you need to put it back in the box it came in!
T

[ReWind]

I prefer calling them Bridge and neck Pickups.
If you can't figure out bridge from Neck, you need to put it back in the box it came in!
T

What it it's a Steinberger? From a distance, I might have trouble figuring which end is which.