Ever noticed those odd-looking bars under your guitar strings and wondered what they do? Those are pickups—and they’re the reason why your electric guitar actually makes sound through an amp.
Without them, it’d be barely louder than an unplugged rubber band. If you’re new to electric guitars or just trying to understand why different guitars sound so different, this guide is for you.
We’ll break down how pickups work, what the different types sound like, and how they shape your tone without all the tech talk.
A pickup is a device that converts the vibration of your guitar strings into an electrical signal. That’s the short version.
Think of it like a microphone, but instead of picking up your voice, it “hears” the vibrations of your metal strings. More technically, it’s a transducer. It takes one type of energy (vibrating strings) and changes it into another (electrical current).
That signal then runs through your guitar cable and ends up at your amp, which turns it into sound loud enough to wake your neighbors.
Without pickups, a solid-body electric guitar barely makes any sound at all. You could still play it, but you’d have to press your ear against the wood to hear it.
Let’s keep this simple: pickups work using a thing called electromagnetic induction.
Here’s what makes up a typical pickup:
When you pluck a string, here’s what happens:
Pretty wild that all of that starts just from one little pluck.
Most electric guitars rely on either single-coil or humbucker pickups. These two types cover a huge range of tones and are behind many iconic sounds in popular music.
Single-coils are built with just one coil of wire wrapped around a magnet. Simple design but a lot of character.
Their Sound Profile is:
One downside is that they tend to pick up background noise, especially the common 60-cycle hum. That buzz is part of the deal with vintage-style single-coils, especially when using higher-gain amps or effects.
You’ll find them in:
These are common in country, pop, blues, surf, funk, and clean-toned styles where clarity and sparkle matter.
Humbuckers are made with two coils wired out of phase to cancel noise, literally “bucking the hum.”
Their Sound Profile is:
You’ll find them in:
They’re perfect for rock, metal, blues-rock, jazz, and anything that benefits from a fuller, heavier sound without the hum.
Beyond single-coils and humbuckers, there are a few other magnetic pickups that offer their own flavor. These might not be as common, but they’ve carved out a solid place in guitar history and modern music.
P90s are technically single-coils, but they’re built differently. The coil is wider, which changes the tone and feel quite a bit.
They’re fatter and punchier than standard single-coils, but still brighter and rawer than humbuckers. They’ve got a gritty, “barking” character that cuts through a mix. Like most single-coils, they can hum, especially around lighting or electronics.
They’re used in blues, punk, classic rock, and early rock ‘n roll, and they are common on older Gibson models like the Les Paul Junior and Special.
The big difference here is power.
These are the traditional kinds. No battery is required. Their tone comes straight from the magnets and coils. They’re often described as more expressive or “organic.”
These need a 9V battery. They include a built-in preamp that boosts the signal. That means higher output, less noise, and a more consistent tone. They’re favored by players who use a lot of distortion or need a super-clean signal…think metal or modern hard rock.
For more information, you can read this comparison guide.
Split-coils are designed to cut hum like a humbucker but do it a different way.
They’re usually found on bass guitars like the Fender Precision Bass. They use two coils, each covering two strings, and they are wired to cancel out hum.
Their sound is punchy, focused, and clean. Not overly bright or muddy—just solid and clear.
Where a pickup sits on your guitar and how they’re combined can make a big difference in how your guitar sounds. It’s not just about the type of pickup; position plays a big part, too.
Your strings vibrate differently depending on where you pluck them. Up near the neck, the string has more movement. Near the bridge, it’s tighter and stiffer. Pickups placed in different spots capture those differences.
Guitar makers use a shorthand to describe pickup setups:
Here are some popular layouts and where you’ll see them:
This is the little switch on your guitar that lets you choose between pickups or combine them.
Play around with it. Even if you only have two pickups, that selector opens up a surprising range of tones.
Besides the type and placement, pickups have a few other traits that can change your guitar’s tone in big ways. Output level, EQ voicing, and noise control all play a part in how your sound comes across.
Output refers to the strength of the signal your pickup sends to the amp. Low-output pickups sound cleaner and more dynamic. They let your playing feel more expressive with less natural distortion.
High-output pickups, on the other hand, hit the amp harder. That means more gain, sustain, and an easier path to distortion, especially useful in metal and hard rock.
Every pickup has a tonal shape, or “voicing,” that leans toward certain frequencies.
More coil windings usually mean higher output and more mids. This can make the pickup sound fuller but sometimes darker.
Noise is another factor, especially with single-coil pickups. Traditional single-coils and P90s often hum due to electrical interference. It’s part of their character but can be distracting, especially with high gain.
Humbuckers, active pickups, and split-coils are all designed to reduce that hum. If you need a clean signal, especially for recording or heavy distortion, these are a solid choice.
In short, understanding these traits can help you find pickups that match your style and gear setup.
Picking the right pickup can feel overwhelming at first, but it gets easier once you figure out what you’re really after. A little time spent listening and learning goes a long way.
Acoustic-electric guitars use different pickup systems than electrics. The goal here isn’t to shape the tone like in electric guitars…it’s to capture and amplify the natural sound of the acoustic as clearly as possible.
There are a few common types you’ll run into:
Each type has its own pros and quirks, but the best choice often comes down to your playing style, volume needs, and how natural you want your amplified tone to sound.
Pickups are the voice of your electric guitar. They’re the reason a Tele twangs, a Les Paul sings, and a Strat can scream or shimmer.
Now that you know the difference between single-coils, humbuckers, P90s, actives, and passives and how their placement and design impact tone, you’re in a better spot to shape your sound or make upgrades.
Whether you’re just getting started or trying to get more from your current rig, messing with your pickup selector and tone knobs can go a long way. Keep experimenting, trust your ears, and don’t worry too much about getting it “right.” It’s about what sounds good to you.
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