History of Pickups
The History of Guitar Pickups and the Legacies of Pioneers
What is the difference between an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar?
If asked that question, most people would probably answer that the difference lies in whether or not the instrument uses an electrical circuit. And the component that plays a major role in the "electric" aspect of an electric guitar is the pickup. Simply put, a pickup is a part that converts the vibration of the strings into an electrical signal, which is then sent to an amplifier to produce a loud sound.
This is the structure of the magnetic pickup, which is currently the mainstream type used in electric guitars. These components, known as pickups, have a long history alongside the electric guitar, and there are various types and brands available. In this article, we’ll explore the history of pickups and the brands behind them.
The Birth and Basic Structure of Pickups
The history of the pickup dates back to the 1920s.
The spread of public radio in 1920 and the start of record sales in 1925 were major factors in the rising popularity of Hawaiian music across the United States.
At the time, many guitarists played acoustic guitars using slide techniques, but the instrument had disadvantages, such as a volume disparity with the vocals. Consequently, in 1926, National Instruments in Los Angeles developed the resonator guitar, which featured a nickel-silver plate attached to the top of the acoustic guitar body.
The resonator, with its metal plate acting as a speaker, successfully increased the volume.
George Beecham, who worked at National, founded a company called Low-Pat-In in 1931 with his colleagues Adolf Rickenbacker and Paul Barsh.
This company, Low-Pat-In, later became Rickenbacker.
Based on the premise of using steel strings, they developed the "House Shoes PU," which converts string vibrations into electrical signals to amplify the sound.
This is often referred to as the progenitor of the magnetic pickup!!
Later, around 1936, Gibson developed the so-called "Charlie Christian PU " using Alnico III, and in 1946, the P-90, developed by Walter Fuller, made its debut!
The 1950s: The Dawn of Magnetic Pickups
In 1946, the same year Gibson developed the P-90, Fender was founded. In 1950, the single-coil pickup was introduced on the Broadcaster, and in 1951, the Precision Bass pickup—which offered hum-canceling capabilities— made its debut.
In 1954, the Stratocaster was released, and single-coil pickups for the Strat were also developed.
Fender’s electric guitar pickups have a crisp, sharp sound characteristic; although they are single-coil like the P-90, they possess a completely different character.
Why were pickups with such characteristics developed?
This stems from the fact that Fender’s target audience was country and western guitarists.
Lap steel guitars are frequently used in country and western music.
Lap steel guitars often have a tight sound with a distinct core, and since the Telecaster’s sound is similar to that of a lap steel guitar, it gained popularity primarily among country and western guitarists.
Additionally, because Fender pickups use magnets as the pole pieces themselves, they have a simple construction.
This made them highly versatile, leading to the development of numerous pickup variations in the 1950s and 60s, such as the Jazzmaster pickups—which featured increased coil windings and shorter pole pieces—and the Jaguar pickups, which incorporated a yoke extending from the side to the back of the bobbin.
In contrast, Gibson guitars had a mild, warm sound character, which led to their popularity among jazz guitarists.
In 1954, Gibson released the Les Paul Custom for jazz guitarists, marketing it as a " Les Paul thatgoes well with a tuxedo."
The Les Paul Custom features a P-480 (Alnico V) pickup in the front position.
This pickup was modeled after the DeArmond Pickup and shares a similar structure, but its use of rectangular magnets gives it a very distinctive appearance.
Then, in 1957, the P-490 (humbucking pickup) was introduced by Gibson, designed bySeth Lover.
The P-490 offered hum-canceling capabilities and, because its two coils were connected in series, became a pickup that was resistant to noise and delivered powerful output.
This marked the beginning of the humbucker’s history, which continues to this day.
Gibson and Gretsch: Unraveling the History of Pickups
Tracing the roots of the P-480 (Alnico V) pickup developed by Gibson, we find that it was based on the Dual-Mondo Dynasonic pickup. This Dynasonic pickup was installed in Gretsch guitars around 1949, which helped spread its name.
Dualmond itself had been developing pickups that could be retrofitted to archtop guitars since around 1938. Notably, these pickups could be installed with almost no modification to the wood. Because of this innovative approach, Dualmond is often called the pioneer of replacement pickups.
Gretsch’s Icon Following the Dynasonic
The Filter'Tron Pickup
In the history of Dualmond and Gretsch pickups, there is another indispensable and important player.
That is the Filter'Tron pickup.
The Filter'Tron was a pickup designed by Ray Butts and began appearing on Gretsch guitars around 1957. Like the P-490, this pickup features a humbucker configuration.While its basic structure is similar to that of a Gibson humbucker, the Filter'Tron's key features are that each of its 12 pole pieces is adjustable and that it is smaller in size than the Gibson model.
The fact that it was patented in 1959—the same year as the Gibson humbucker—also speaks to its historical significance.
Late 1960s: Changes in the Music Scene and the Evolution of Pickups
From the late 1960s onward, as the rock scene expanded and Effector became more widespread, the sounds demanded of electric guitars began to change.
Fender brought in Seth Lover, who had developed the P-490, to create the Wide Range humbucker, a humbucker with 12 pole pieces.
Gibson, led by Bill Lawrence, developed the Super Humbucker, which featured three ferrite magnets and was filled with epoxy resin inside the cover. In 1976, they developed the single-coil pickup used in the S-1, and both Fender and Gibson began developing single-coil pickups as well.
The 1970s: Replacement Pickups and Active Systems
As the 1970s began, brands specializing in pickups began to emerge, and the concept of "replacement pickups" spread throughout the world.
In1975, DiMarzio Pickups released theDual Sound andSuper Distortion.
The Dual Sound allowed for a single-coil-like sound by using only one of the humbucker’s coils (so-called coil tap), enabling a single guitar to produce a variety of sound characters.
DiMarzio pickups, with their clear tone and low noise, gained immense popularity among many artists.
In 1978, Seymour Duncan entered the market, launching models aimed at creating pure copies of vintage guitars, as well as pickups that incorporated modern elements based on vintage sounds.
This marked the beginning of the history of Fender/Gibson-style replacement pickups, a trend that continues to this day. In addition to replacement pickups, another type of pickup became widespread in the 1970s.
That was the active pickup system.
Active pickup systems require batteries or an external power source; byconverting the guitar’s output to low impedance, they reduce noise and prevent sound quality degradation.
In addition to the pickups themselves, the adoption of active systems led to the widespread use of active controls, which allow for the boosting or cutting of specific frequency bands.
One of the reasons behind the widespread adoption of active pickups is the miniaturization of electronic components and circuits, as well as reduced power consumption.
As a result, EMG — the brand synonymous with active pickups—developed pickups with a distinctive design that integrates the pickup unit and preamp into a plastic case the size of the pickup itself.
Musicman, founded by Leo Fender after he left Fender in 1976, developed the Stingray Guitar/Bass, which uses a 9V battery for power and features a proprietary humbucker made from single-coil pickups wired in series.
This model also features low-impedance output, fully leveraging the benefits of active electronics.
Pioneers in the Pickup World Who Changed the History of Music
Pickups continue to evolve not only with the evolution of the guitar but also with the evolution of music and technology. Here, we’ll explore the people and brands that have had a major influence on the history of pickups, which continues to this day!!
Seth Lover
The Achievements of Seth Lover, the Father of the Humbucker
Seymour Duncan
The Journey of Seymour Duncan, Pioneer of Replacement Pickups
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DiMarzio
The Revolution in High-Output Sound: The World of DiMarzio
EMG
The Ultimate in Noise-Free Sound: The Evolution of the EMG Active System
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Bill Lawrence
The Philosophy of a Genius Designer: Bill Lawrence
Lace Sensor
The Secrets of the New-Era Single-Coil Lace Sensor
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Ray Butts
Written by: Nihei (TCGAKKI, Electric Guitar Specialist)
He discovered the guitar through the manga "BECK" while in middle school and was influenced by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, which sparked his passion for rock music.
Graduated from a vocational school specializing in guitar making. Worked as a staff member at TCGAKKI Acoustic Floor and TCGAKKI Premium Guitar Lounge. Currently, as the electric guitar specialist, he actively spreads his love for the instrument through writing columns and appearing on YouTube.
A Word from Me: By unraveling the history of pickups—which have continued to evolve alongside the electric guitar—I’ve come to realize once again that I must grapple with the challenge of keeping pace not only with the guitar itself but also with the evolution of music.
Additionally, by exploring the key figures behind each brand, I’ve gained insight into the connections between people and the ingenuity required to realize their ideals, which has deepened my understanding of each brand and individual.
Qualifications & Experience: 8 years as a musical instrument appraiser
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