pic up? humbucker

jimmyzowens · #1 November 21st, 2007

can someone explain the tech diff between a humbucker and a standard pic up such as the ones on my strat? i know the sound different , but what is the technical reason for the diff?

coldethyl · #2 November 21st, 2007

A Single Coil pickup (like the one's on your Strat) consists of a single coil of wire wrapped around six magnetic poles. While doing their job that they were designed for quite well, they also tend to act a little like an antenna, picking up different kinds of electro magnetic interference. Because of this, the Single Coil pickup has a tendency to hum.

The Humbucker has two coils linked in series out of phase. This design causes the two coils to cancel each other out, eliminating or reducing the hum, but at the same time providing an even higher voltage signal from the string vibrations. The end result is a much quieter pickup with greater output.

Tonally speaking the Humbucker pickup is known for having a fatter, warmer sound as compared to a single coil. A single coil is traditionally considered to have a brighter and cleaner tone quality.

Hope that helps Jimmy!

Birddog · #3 December 28th, 2007

Recently Gibson's website had an article about your very question - it was the 50th anniversary ( I think) of the humbucker pickup. Actually the proper name is Hum-Cancelling pickup for the previously explained properties of the p'up. Some guys in the mid 80's even experimented with a triple stacked p'up which apparently didn't make any improvement in sound.

eXperiment63 · #4 December 28th, 2007

I saw a triple-stacked pup at my local guitar store yesterday. They had it sitting in the case.

Birddog · #5 December 28th, 2007

hmm, neat - wonder if its an old one or a new one.

eXperiment63 · #6 December 28th, 2007

Dunno. I'll see if they still have it next time I'm up there. If they do, I'll ask em about it.

fly135 · #7 December 29th, 2007

The humbucker has two sets of coils. The coils are wound reverse from each other. This means that energy from radiating fields like florescent lights, motors, and other electrical devices is canceled when picked up by the coils. But the magnets have the poles reversed so that energy generated by the vibrating strings in the magnetic field is back in phase and not canceled.

jimmyzowens · #8 December 29th, 2007

hey.great info, i learned more as i scrolled down thanks for the help

Birddog · #9 December 29th, 2007

I was just stating what I read, don't quote me. Gibson (or whoever the actual inventor was)called it Hum-cancelling when it first came out .