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'hot-ness' Of Pickups


hessodreamy

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What is the relationship between the impedance of pickups and their output level??

Pickups with high impedance are described as 'hot', but does this mean a higher signal level or just a beefier frequency range?

Here's the setup: I've put a pickup of 17ohms in bridge position and one in neck position of about 8ohms. I'm finding that the neck pickup is overpowering the bridge.

Sure you're going to tell me to experiement but are there any measurements I can do to guide me?

Cheers

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there is a argument going on if resistance is an accurate measurement of output. i have read that different gauge of wires wired to the the same resistance yields different output. i may be wrong though.

since strings vibrate more in the neck than bridge, its almost always louder in the neck even if a paf-type (7 to 8k) output pup is used. due to the frequency response of the neck position - more lows than the bridge - you will also perceive an increase in output. you will have to trust your ears on this.

may i know what pickups are you using?

dani

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The more turns you have on a coil the higher the output you will get as more of the magnetic flux cutting the coil. Two coils with the same wire gauge but one having more windings will have higher output and higher impedance (and resistance) changing the wire gauge will also have an effect. Thinner will up the resistance and impedance but you will have more space for turns and vice versa.

Keith

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I have always used dimarzio pickups and they post the pickups output in milivolts. I have found this to be a fairly accurate representaion of the pickup's output.

I have owned about 15 different dimarzio models to compare this imformation against.

If you haven't already thought of it, lower your neck pickup to level out the volume.

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Yeah. Tried lowering the neck p'up but didnt do much good. The bridge is just a epi p'up and I know they're not great. Don't even know what the bridge is.

Have swapped them over now and sounds a bit more even. Still not clear on whether there is any relationship between impedance and output level, though, but never mind...

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i am not sure if you meant impedance or resistance. but its a general consensus that the higher the resistance, the higher the output.

If the pickups all have the same wire guage and roughly the same coil length it is a pretty good rule of thumb. The better way is to rate the output in millivolts. There is a direct relationship between turns and voltage generated.

Keith

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