What Is an Electric Pickup?
Electric pickups for guitars come in two basic forms. Electromagnetic pickups are the type found on electric guitars, used to amplify metallic string vibrations. Piezoelectric pickups are common on acoustic guitars to amplify wood and surface vibrations caused by the strings.
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History
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Guitar makers began experimenting with electromagnetic guitar pickups in the 1930s, offering production models for electric guitars as early as 1936. Piezoelectric acoustic guitar pickups were developed in the 1960s.
Electromagnetic Features
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Electromagnetic pickups come in single- and double-coil varieties. Double-coil pickups, also called "dual-coil" or "humbuckers", make use of two electromagnets which result in quieter operation and "thicker" sound. Electromagnetic pickups must be mounted directly below metal strings in order to reproduce sound.
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Piezoelectric Features
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Piezoelectric pickups, also called "piezos", come in several forms, depending on the application, but all are surface-mounted either under the guitar's bridge saddle or directly on the guitar's internal or external soundboard. Other installation areas are possible, adding special effects and tonal nuances, but these are usually supplements to traditionally mounted units.
Cross-Instrument Use
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Electromagnetic pickups may also be used on steel string acoustic guitars, and are sometimes used in conjunction with piezoelectric pickups. Some specialty electric guitars use special piezoelectric pickups in addition to electromagnetics, offering a full range of tonal variations.
Significance
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Both types of electric pickups have given rise to the popularity of many forms of modern and traditional music. Before amplification, guitars were essentially background band instruments, unable to reach volume levels to compete with louder instruments. Pickups, along with the amplifiers they prompted, are solely responsible for bringing the guitar to the forefront as a primary instrument.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Osvaldo RodrÃguez
