Choosing the Right Guitar Pickups: All About Electric Guitar Pickups
Want to improve or modify your guitar sound? Then choosing the right electric guitar pickup is essential. Guitar pickups, also called pickups, largely determine the character of your tone. In this article, you'll discover all about popular pickups like the humbucker , single coil , and P90 , as well as well-known brands like Fender , Gibson , Seymour Duncan , Dimarzio , and more.
What is an electric guitar pickup?
An electric guitar pickup is the element that captures the vibrations of your strings and converts them into an electrical signal. This signal is amplified, creating your guitar sound. Depending on the type of pickup and the manufacturer, the tone ranges from bright and sparkling to warm and full.
The three most commonly used guitar pickups
Single Coil
Known from brands like Fender , a single-coil pickup produces a clear, open sound with plenty of detail. Perfect for genres like blues, country, and funk. Think of the iconic Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster sound.
Humbucker
This dual coil eliminates interference and delivers a fuller, more powerful sound. Gibson pickups like the '57 Classic are famous for their warm tone, ideal for rock and jazz. Brands like Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio also offer a wide range of high-quality humbuckers.
P90
The P90 offers a raw, midrange-rich sound and is somewhere between a single coil and a humbucker. Brands like Lollar and Roswell make excellent P90 pickups that are popular in punk, indie, and blues.
Brands you should know
Fender pickups are known for their sparkling single-coil sound, while Gibson pickups are synonymous with classic humbucker power. Numerous other brands also offer high-quality guitar pickups:
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Seymour Duncan : Specialist in both vintage and high-gain pickups.
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Dimarzio : Known for innovative and powerful elements for rock and metal.
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Lollar : Hand-wound pickups with a focus on tonal details and vintage character.
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EVH : Eddie Van Halen's line of pickups, designed for modern rock tones.
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Allparts & Boston : Reliable parts suppliers with a wide range of pickups.
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Roswell : Affordable elements with surprisingly good sound quality.
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Gibus pickups : Emerging brand that is increasingly appreciated by custom builders.
Choose the guitar pickup that suits you
Whether you're looking for a bright Fender pickup , a robust Gibson humbucker , or a unique custom Lollar P90 , the right electric guitar pickup will elevate your playing. Brands like Seymour Duncan , Dimarzio, and EVH offer countless options for every genre and playing style.
