(almost) EVERYTHING About Pickups | Too Afraid To Ask
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- Output? Magnets? Resistance? Inductance?
What are pickups all about? What physical properties and materials define their sound? A plethora of viewer questions are answered in this episode of Too Afraid To Ask.
#pickup #tata #tooafraidtoask
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____________________________________________________________________ - เพลง
Output? Magnets? Resistance? Inductance?
What are pickups all about? What physical properties and materials define their sound? A plethora of viewer questions are answered in this episode of Too Afraid To Ask.
#pickup #tata #tooafraidtoask
More from CSGuitars:
Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars
Join CSGuitars Discord - discord.gg/d7b6MY8
Buy CSGuitars Merchandise - www.csguitars.co.uk/store
Website - www.csguitars.co.uk
Contact - colin@csguitars.co.uk
If you did a course on building a pickup from beginning to end I'd be interested in paying for that.
Colin, what was that you were winding that looked like 2 halves of a single coil? Looked interesting.
This was wicked
"The physical relationship between the magnetism and electricity" is by far the deepest nerdic erotic trigger I've experienced in YT and some other tubes combined.
For the love of God - timestamps please
it feels illegal to watch a video this good for free
I'll gladly accept any donations. Thanks for the kind words.
Dude he has a Patreon
@@JuveriSetila yeah video is still free i would give him some cash if i had any tho :d
An ill eagle is a sick bird!
It is. You're under arrest.
As a physicist, I know explaining complex topics in depth can very quickly become very boring; whereas explaining a simplified version might lead to wrong conclusions. I think this was very well balanced - thoroughly explained, but not so much so that someone unfamiliar with the specifics wouldn't understand it
Can you fississists please change that eternal fississist into a proper English word? Fississist is just white noise, I can't stand that word.
He got the whole stacking of the windings wrong though about causing the sounding different in the magnetic field. As an EE with an emphasis in electromagnetics, I can tell you that it's the distributed capacitance that effects the sound of the pickup with short vs tall wound bobbins, esp into higher impedance amplifier input stages.
Why am I tempted to see if I can build an electric forge, heater or motor using guitar pickups after watching this video?
@@voornaam3191 what is proper English though? Each English speaking country has different spelling.
@@indridcold4210
Thanks, now I'm completely confused about everything again, good job.
The fact that only 240k people are subscribed as I type this is absolutely fkn criminal. Absolute fkn quality.
"When it sounds right it is right" something new guitarist don't learn fast enough. At least for me, I was basing my pickup height on forum discussions(they know everything🙃) till 3 months ago
People obsess over the types of wood and joints in guitars and completely ignore what’s actually generating the signal.
Such people are "guitarded".
Actually, most people who obsess over the construction of the guitar are just as obsessive about their pickups. I have no idea where you get the oppinion that they ignore what's generating the signal at all never mind completely.
@@Relayer6a I'm talking about people who think tonewood is a thing, not the craftsmanship.
@@joshuabarron8535 I know what you meant. And those people most assuredly care about the pups, nut, bridge, etc... They probably care more than the people who don't think the guitar itself matters.
Besides, if it doesn't matter to you that's ok. But people telling others that it only matters if they think it does, is just self righteousness.
@@Relayer6a whatever
Damn, man! You are a true treasure on TH-cam, so many questions answered over the years; keep it up! Love your work!
Thank you!
@@ScienceofLoud 🤘🤘💪💪👏👏👏YES INDEED YOU ARE A TRUE TH-cam TREASURE !!!
AND.... I AM SUBSCRIBED SINCE MANY YEARS AND THE TH-cam ALGORITHM DOES NOT HELP YOU
AT ALL ! SHAME ON YOU "SO CALLED" TH-cam !!!
OMG ! You just answered a question I have made to various TH-cam guitar luthier/players like you and nobody never ever cared to read nor answered it !!!
I was going to start writing the same question to you having a weird Double Note that happened everytime I hammer-on any strings on some of my guitars specially when practicing WITHOUT an AMPLIFIER.
( BTW, I do not remember if it was more pronounce on the High non wound strings )
So, I happen to have a cheap practice Strat with NO pickups and I just tested it to hear if it has this Double Note problem and .....NOPE ....it does not happen on any string ! I should had noticed this did not happened on my Martín guitar, but I never did !!! Shame on me !!! Duhhhh....
I also called some excellent USA premier luthiers and ALL to my surprise, they said that my problem
was " STRATITIS " , which is a different problem for what I have read.
So now I ask you .....What is the diference between Stratitis versus Double note problem ?
And what if some of my Humbucker guitars also the Double note ISSUE ?
What should I do ?
Lower all the pickups on the problem Double Note guitars !
Please BE THE ONE THAT DOES A EXPLICIT VIDEO ON THIS ISSUE WITH NO AMP AUDIO EXAMPLES including the STRATITIS ISSUE TOO !!!
I am so happy now because of you !!!
You are my MASTER LUTHIER FROM NOW ON ! PERIOD !!!
THANK YOU AND MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL
ps. I hope you get to read my video suggestion !
And sorry for the length of the text !!!
It might be helpful to note that Seth Lover, inventor of the far-famed Gibson PAF humbucker, stated that the magnetic field of the permanent magnets in pickups extends upwards into the guitar's strings and MAGNETIZES them. They therefore generate their own mag field, which then penetrates the coil(s) beneath the strings. When any string moves, it necessarily moves its mag field with it, and the part of the field that penetrates the coil(s) below induces a small electrical current in said coil(s). THAT'S YOUR SIGNAL! I, too, used to think that the strings simply disturbed the mag field coming from the permanent magnet, but it isn't so. What IS so that matters is that the pickups WORK!😀
*watches whole video
**googles “what is a peckup?”
But seriously love these videos, great content 😂
Nice comment, part of the charm of his videos. Somehow makes them more interesting, I certainly have to listen a little closer.
It reminds me of Mr. Scott on Star Trek. "The engines canna take much more of this, Captain! Ach, my poor wee bairns!"
@@JohnShalamskas This was a beautifully done video. But only understood/deciphered about 80-85% of his plethora of valuable information, due to my hearing issues(I'm almost deaf), and Colin's really thick Scottish/Irish Brogue, my problem, not his. There was a lot of info here to assimilate!! Great video!!
"peckup", "sund", "defferent"... I've never heard this accent before and I really got curious where it comes from. I couldn't identify at all.
Wee Scotland🏴....... hearts desire💜
Such a breath of fresh air when you finally find the video made by a true expert who is also good at explaining 🙏🏼
Laphroaig 10? You are truly a man of taste
I didn’t think I would find a 22 minute video about pickups that interesting, but I am happy to admit that I found it extremely well put together and very interesting! Cheers!
Not going to lie I half heartedly came into this video but after the first couple minutes I was hooked
Colin can you PLEASE do a ‘What’s the Difference’ between Silicon and Germanium transistors in fuzz/boost pedals?
That is a really good request/question. I'd like to know too.
@@timmotel5804 I'm a little late, but fundamentally they have a similar sound because their transfer function is similar, much more similar than between transistors and tubes. From an engineering standpoint, germanium transistors may have an elusive quality to their sound due to their inconsistency. The properties of germanium transistors are much less consistent than modern silicon transistors, and their properties change much more with temperature, so devices built with them were temperamental and not two would sound exactly alike - I speak in past tense because they're no longer manufactured and any germanium effects you find now use new old stock parts, so they'll be gone soon. When using germanium, the same unit which sounds great in the summer might be unusable in the winter. Jimi Hendrix was known to keep several fuzz pedals with him to resolve this issue. Fuzz pedals built with germanium also have a lower maximum gain available for the most part because the majority of silicon transistors have higher gain factors than germanium transistors. It's important to remember that the differences between different types of transistors and tubes is only really audible when they're operating nonlinearly (distorting), especially if not using negative feedback in the circuit, otherwise circuits sound the way they do because of how they're designed. People will sell you on all sorts of hocus pocus, but there's nothing magical about germanium transistors - tubes on the other hand offer an appreciable difference in distortion characteristics. If you want to build a silicon fuzz that sounds closer to germanium fuzz circuits try a low gain transistor like 2N4123. You can't directly substitute an NPN transistor like that in a germanium circuit though and would need to find a PNP equivalent.
@@maudiojunky Thank You. Very informative. Best Regards
I guess I did it backwards, changing pups before knowing the science. Either way, thanks again colin!
"More resistance = more output, less resistance = lower output"
Not quite true. More windings equals more output, which happens to also make the DC resistance go up.
If your DC resistance goes up because you've used thinner wire, you won't get more output, you'll get less, due to the additional resistance.
Great video though. Awesome to see inside all those pickups
Yes! DC resistance is only a first order approximation of what's going on. In a coil, the resistance to current flow increases as the frequency rises. The AC equivalent of resistance is called "impedance" and is also measured in ohms. There is a reactive component to impedance, either inductive or capacitive, which means the voltage and current are out of phase. A stronger magnet increases the impedance. More coil turns increases the impedance and the DC resistance. Smaller wire increases DC resistance.
DISCORD NOTIFICATION SQUAAAAAAADDDDDDDD
SQUAAAAAD
SQUAD!
As someone who works in manufacturing, I appreciate your understanding of the elements and how they interact with each other, as opposed to some people you can tell when they read a paragraph off of the internet and are trying to make it seem like they know it all.
Now this is the most solid package of information on peckups i've seen so far, much appreciated.
Brilliant, simply brilliant! University quality Pickup course 101. I’m ready to enroll in Pickups 201.
Seth Lover's original humbucking pickup design had no adjustable pole pieces. They were only added at the request of the sales guys so that they would have a talking point with the Gibson dealers.
I think I've finally gotten used to short heard Colin
That was a way more complicated subject than I expected. But man I can’t wait to see the finished project. I was *this* close to pulling the trigger on a Fender Dave Murray sig Strat back in the day but passed due to lack of funds.
thanks so much for mentioning "oh just turn up the treble on the amp to make up for a dark-sounding pickup" I mean for a totally clean sound that kinda sorta is a little tiny bit true but once you factor in ANY distortion it is definitely NOT the same thing LOL.
I like how people overthink too much about these stuff and how perfectionist about these stuff but then they play through 10 pedals
Love every second of this. It's not so much that I was *afraid to ask* but rather, most of it were simply things I had never thought to ask myself before assembling my own guitar just now. Thank you so much!
Spot on, good graphics, well produced video, excellent summary! Information is well written and very correct.
Of course the beaswax for the potting needs to be from beas fed on organic wildflower meadows as that really brings out a depth of tone.
Fantastic explanation of pickups, why they work and the different parametric levers available to adjust how they sound
This is my favourite video you’ve done. I love this shit.
Can't believe these videos are free to watch, the amount of knowledge you put into these is amazing, great work as usual Colin.
This is flat out the single best high-level overview of the electromagnetic mechanics of pickup coils on YT (at the time of this writing). Attaboy, Colin. Slàinte à Ameireaga
This the best video on pickups on the entire world wide web. ❤
GREAT FRIGGIN VIDEO!!! That cleared up so much confusion I had about pick ups, thanks! I’ve watched so many videos about exactly this end and none of them have been this helpful, appreciate it man!!🤘🤘🤘
By far the best gear youtube channel: great animations, great (and scientific!!) explanation and great fun!
Nice vid. Yeah, there’s something wrong with spending $260 on a Gibson custombucker only to get microphonic feedback after turning a pole piece screw. Lol
Thanks for mentioning the composition of the different AlNiCo magnets. So many people think it's just about the strength.
This was so interesting from beginning to end, thank you Colin! During this video I had flashbacks to my college years 30 years ago for NDT(non destructive testing) of metallurgy class, eddy current/magnetic particle/math classes! Thanks for that trip too! Rock on Bro! :D
I'm consistently amazed at just *how much* the sound of guitar gear is reliant on imperfections, or on recreating said imperfections from older versions of the gear, and coils are no different it seems.
Lotta correct info here, but some speculation as well.
Stong magnetic pull affects the string harmonics in a way that can make the note timbre sound harsh or nasal.
A thinner wire coil has more consistent impedance. The Q is lower, but it also extends into higher frequencies. Some players might interpret that as being less dynamic, but such a coil actually has increased sensitivity and dynamic response depending on how much of it is within the stronger flux lines from the strings.
Different core alloys also affect the Q. Even different types of AlNiCo have some effect on the Q, and the permeability of the core alloy affects output as much as the field strength. Finally, the electrical conductivity of the core affects inductance and the high freq roll off from eddy currents.
A Nickle cover does slightly roll off the highs, but has no significant effect as a baseplate. A Brass baseplate doesn't have nearly as much effect on tone as a Brass cover. A Steel baseplate slightly increases inductance, and the high permeability draws flux lines down through the coil, as well as reduce the field strength at the top of the poles.
There's some confusion about the effect of hand-winding. A more scattered coil is fatter and less efficient, and there's also increased capacitance and semi-shorts to consider as insulation is stretched thin or even cracked. That tends to roll off the highs, and a brighter sounding pickup can be interpreted as sounding "sterile". Pickups hand-wound with the old HF insulation wire tend to have lower capacitance and less semi-short issues than those wound with the old PE wire, and the less dense coil results in weaker lower note harmonics. The way that hits gain stages increases higher freq content-- sometimes interpreted as more dynamic, yet those same players would complain that a coil without any high freq loss may sound sterile?
In short, any guitar player might prefer a densely wound coil over a scattered one with random eddy-current losses depending on the inductance and core properties, the guitar it is in, the phase of the moon, etc. Guitar players can be a fickle and naïve bunch. It takes one to know one.
On a whim the ever changing TH-cam algorithm decided to push this video, and on a whim I decided to push play, and now I've decided this is the best bang for buck, truthbomb per minute video on TH-cam about pickups,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I know you don't make guitars anymore. And I think that if you made pickups that would be really awesome. I know I'd buy some.
I think it would be fun to watch you and ElectroBOOM build a low-wattage valve guitar amplifier together 🤘
Tanks for the up. Decent video. I'd like to point out that for some players, especially given the low stage volumes common these days, there might possibly be a case made for mildly microphonic pickups. If you've ever played above 110db onstage something kind of magical happens - a feedback loop develops as the high SPL sound from the speakers begins to vibrate the strings. Many non-tech types say "my guitar came alive!". Microphonic pickups can reduce the levels at which this occurs. Unfortunately, I don't know of any means to design for specificity and most players who enjoy that loop just feel lucky their favorite or even possibly "the one for that one song" was found. Make no mistake, most, and especially at higher SPLs, are a PITA but some bring it, even if only for one song or style .
Learned a lot here. Things I'd never thought about, would never have asked about, now I know... Cheers.
That's the best video I've ever seen talking about pick ups, you did a tremendous job, on the explanation (the Eddy currents one is 👌) and on the aesthetic. You've become one if not the best guitar technologie popularizer on youtube.
Could you upload a one hour video of just the coil winder? That is so pleasing and relaxing to watch.
The information density in this video is so high, I had to watch it twice.
Question: What happens if the pickup cover is made of brass? or even in the case of the humbucker ring. Just curious how would that affect the sound. I mean, I would guess its supressed to a small degree but does that actually translate to a "finer" sound.
DISCHORD SQUAAAD
Fact-based, clear and concise. that's what makes this an excellent video
Very detailed and comprehensive, but still easy to understand
17:39 Sidenote: I see you drink Laphroaig as well? You sir, have very good taste in whiskey.
I’m only 4 minutes in and this video is bomb. 😎
This was absolutely the best, most informative presentation on pickups that I’ve ever seen. Sadly, there are some people in the industry selling pickups for upwards of $600.00 US that don’t know a fraction of what you covered here in a little over twenty minutes. I may never get around to winding my own pickups but the info here is really useful since I build electric guitars and do some modding on factory guitars as well. Thanks for a well prepared and informative presentation!
I was ignorant before, have more questions and thoughts now that I have a small idea. Thank you your video was very valuable
I wonder if anyone could tell the difference between machine-wound and hand-wound pickups in a blind test
No. It’s a wallet thing!
..Wondered the same as well..
You said about different magnets having different properties, do pickups that have both have a mix of properties, or is it different as there is a much stronger magnetic field?
I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. Can you detail your question a bit further for me?
@@ScienceofLoud yeah, I've seen some pickups that have alnico pole pieces with a ceramic bar below, and others marketed as hybrid pickups with both magnets in?
I wasn't surprised to find this video to be good...I was surprised to find this video to be brilliant! Bloody brilliant, actually!! Cheers
Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!! Most intellectual explanation I have ever heard about how pickups react and how the subtleties effect the sound!!! BRAVO. Thank you for making this video!!!
I’ve started changing the inlays in the fretboard on all my upgraded guitars. From perfect abalone to simple cream or white clay it makes ALL the difference
This video is really winding me up. I think you gave it a nice spin though. There is a magnetic voice that keeps me watching. Not sure what to think yet, it's down to the wire.
I gave this comment a dislike
U pun'ce of shit
That's a lot of information. Thanks for sharing. 17 more listens and I'll begin to understand this.
"Train your ears to actually listen, and forget about numbers and measurements... What matters is how it sounds."
YES, THANK YOU! I do my own adjustments to the action, intonation, and necks of my guitars, and it's so weird to me that a lot of people just adjust to measurements they find online.
I find the best playability and sound that my instruments will produce. I don't care what the measurements are. 🤘
Great explanation of how pickups work and why they sound the way they do; as a budget/no BS minded individual, I appreciate your “knowledge over magic” approach that shines some light (reality) into the dark, unseen corners of the vintage sound universe (“You will not find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”)
Good luck on that Squier; it’s a beautiful thing, especially the precise rout for that single coil pickup. I appreciate that you celebrate the brand as well; I had an Affinity Tele, it felt amazing and sounded great. Squiers, just like their name brand counterparts, can be great guitars in their own right, looking forward to hearing yours. Thanks for posting.
I was a total tonefreak until bout 8 years ago. Boutique this, custom that.. Nowadays I pick up a Squier, or even a Harley Benton under $180, and they sound ok.
Fascinating and informative. Well done, Colin.
thank you, great info!
Great stuff, very informative! Thanks!
Great vid! This answered so many questions I had
Thank you, Great primer!
Oh yws I did in the previous posted comment say that this is in fact my very first ever guitar build/modification.. as I an a retired automotive service technician with both automotive electronics diagnostics and repair experience and woodworking experience even before that as I was trained in home renovations and remodeling including wood framing. plumbing, brick and block work as well as electrical wirind and drywall installation and finishing,and as a 10 yr old I built bicycles from recycled parts rebuilding and refinishing them for personal use as well and forsale.... I think i may have al the required skills to pull this one off with little trouble and with a passable result for my first try anyway.... ya think...lol at 62 yes old and retired I'll take my sweet time and make sure everything gets done the way I want it to be..and have a good time playing with my "Hew Toy" the "Stellarcaster: have fun with all your builds as I'm sure you will...I am having a good ti,e doing the work on it the waiting for parts and materials for it was a major pain in the rear though with the "Global Pandemic" going onand all the rain we're having here nearly every afternoon in Florida in the USA the humidity plays hell with the finish curing times it takes 3 to 4 times as long in this humidity of nearly 95% relative humidity and an average of 92 deg F everyday throughout the summer here so thank god i got the wood sealed well before the rain began in earnest.. if the rain lets up for 3 days in a row then the humidity will lower enough for my finishing the body and head stock to cure after I've applied it.. ans flat sanded it for a second coat and finish sanding then buffing to the shine i desire..,,sorry I tend to go on a bit I just happen to be ADHD even as an adult I've never grown out of it coffee Is my only salvation there is that the caffeine calms me somewhat ever since i was about 5 yrs old .. I quit smoking a few yrs ado after my first and i hope only heart attack just a partially blocked coronary artery which they inserted a stent into and I'm fine now ...but with being laid off due to the virus goung around for about 4 months and the work schedule being severely changed to an untenable one for me...early retirement was my best option and i was used to laxing around watching you tube on the large 100' Movie screen I've hung on the wall for for the HD projector with my lap top , XBox 1X the direct Tv terminal and the DVD/VCR all plugged into it for my viewing pleasure and so by now anyway,,,,Im to used to sitting on my rear.drinking coffee and eating snacks and of course taking care of my diabetic wife who is on disability anyway so I'm settling into rertirement quite nicely thank you so it's a guitar projest and lonnging around in between runs to the store for different needs along the way...an yes I am the motor head motor mouth from hell too if you han:nt niticed by now so sorry for the novel here i ten to go on and on for too long sometimes,,,,,,,,well most of the time really,,so sorry again but it's a bad habit i really can't seem to break since as long as i can remember,,,,,I have to be doing something almost constantly if awake and i even toss and turn in my sleep too...mumbling from time to time even then too....nothing for it but find a hobby I enjoy.....
Excellent information! Thank you!
20:40 That guitar with a built in metalzone pedal is awesome!
Awesome video! I've learned so much! Thanks
Thank you for the fantastic information. Cheers!
Great video. Thank you for making it.
Brilliant video. Well done. Thanks for doing this.
Incredible info. Thanks for this.
Super interesting. Thanks for posting.
Thank you. Great information flawlessly delivered.
Great video. I’ve learned a lot! Thank you!
As always, super well explained. Keep it loud!
Excellent video, thanks man!
OMG, this is possibly the BEST electric guitar-related video that has ever been made. SO MANY questions answered.
This was a fantastic video, Colin. Thanks!
Great video! Nice touch with the Laphroaig next to the brass.
Great work. I learned a lot. Thanks.
Loved your video. One small step to include would make the video a super informative class or a whole category of several videos?
When you're talking about every single pickup composition play a few common chords or a quick riff so we can hear what the difference in magnet strength sounds like with thick & thin wire.
What each pickup sounds like wound more in the middle or the sides.
It would be very interesting.
Very informative. Thanks for sharing.
A truly great and informative video. Much appreciated!
One of the best vids I've ever seen in my life! Thank you!
Just like your accent, I guess the differences in pickups are what make them interesting an worth listening to. Nice video. Thank you for distilling down a complicated subject - there are other TH-cam channels that devote way longer than this episode on one particular aspect of a single kind of pickup and still don't explain it as well as you did.
Excellent video, friend! Thank you so much.
Nicely done. Very well informed. Now I know which way I want to go when changing my pickups.
I had to wind 3 pickups for an old guitar of mine recently. I used 0.063mm Cu for the middle and neck pickups and 0.045mm Cu for the neck to give more output. It balanced pretty well. BTW, a third factor affecting such long lengths of thin wire is temperature - to a significant degree. If the pickup is not heavily loaded, the output level should not be affected much at all. Love your philosophy on sound - spot on! BTW, the winding cross-section geometry and whether it is layer or bundle wound also affects a factor other than inductance: distributed capacitance. This will have a significantly greater affect on the frequency response/impedance. Also note that induced Eddy currents in solid magnetic material (vs. sintered/ferrite etc.) will have an impact on high frequencies as well.
Finally, I would not pot coils in wax. I have rewound old transformers which failed because wax potting trapped moisture in the windings causing the copper to rot over time. The wax does not seem to form a really good moisture barrier.
Another video that is perfectly done. Great content, presented really, really well!
Wow that is a flipping awesome video Scotsman. I will be watching that several times and learning something every time I watch it. Just subscribed in the last week and I will be busy catching up! Thank you very much keep up the good work. God bless
Excellent video, learned tons.
Amazed by quality of your video. Thank you❤