Exploring the Different Types of Guitar Pickups ─ From P-90s to Active Pickups

Music is an integral part of our everyday life of each of us. It is the thing that gives us energy and allows us to enjoy every day, but above all, it gives us the chance to enjoy beautiful sounds.

The music would not be complete without any instrument, and especially it would not be complete without the guitar, which plays an important role in the musical pieces. To have great musicianship, you need to have a well-prepared guitar, which also means having guitar pickups. Guitar pickups come in many shapes and sizes, and it can be hard to decide which one is right for you.

There are types that are fairly easy to play and are preferred by beginners, while some require more skill and the necessary know-how to master. Moreover, they vary in price, so if you do not plan to commit to learning to play and have a more casual approach, you might as well get something cheaper. We did research and came up with musical instruments that will suit different budgets and needs and would like to present you with the list. So, without further delay, let us get into it.

In this article, we will explore the different types of guitar pickups and we will bring you much more information that would mean something to you.

When you buy a guitar, the first thing that you need to do is choose a pickup type, something that plays a role in making music. Several main types of guitar pickups are most often the choice for some of the greatest composers, but also generally for musicians who play and create music on this instrument.

Source: friendly-frets.com

If we had to say something briefly about each of these types of guitar pickups that you can find here and in the guitar shops, then it is good to mention that single-coil pickups are the most common and maybe every second guitar has them on it, and they produce a less pronounced sound than the other two types.

Humbucker pickups use two coils to produce a stronger signal for those who are focused on music with such signals, while active pickups require an external power source to work, that is, they are compact for electric guitars. Interesting isn’t it? But these are just the basics and starters when it comes to these guitar accessories.

Each type of pickup has its unique benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to research each one before purchasing so that you can find the perfect fit for your needs. That is why today we will talk a little more about pickups, that is, today we will talk about different types of guitar pickups, bringing you more interesting information from P-90s to active pickups. So follow us till the end and find out much more. Let’s get started!

What Do You Need to Know About Each Type of Pickup?

Today we bring information that would mean a lot to every musician, especially to those who play the guitar and make music that is primarily created with the help of the guitar. What do you need to know about each type of pickup? More on that in the sequel.

1. Single-coil pickups

Source: guitar.com

First on the list of types of pickups are single coil pickups. What type of guitar addon is this? It is one of the first types of pickups that were used mostly in the past, but some of the musicians who love the sound that they give are still using them today.

These are a simple type of guitar accessory that uses a magnetic coil wrapped around a set of pole pieces that detect vibrations from the guitar. This type of pickup gives a different sound that is a favorite of composers who want to experiment, but also of those who want something different.

Maybe somewhere you can still find this type of pickup, so if you find them you can choose them.

2. Humbucker pickups

Source: ibanez.fandom.com

Now we go with something from the middle of the last century that also produces a unique sound that would give many music lovers goosebumps. It was about Humbucker pickups that were sold in the 50s of the last century.

It is a guitar accessory that could reduce the noise and hum associated with single-coil pickups. What is special about these pickups is that they are composed of two coils wound in opposite directions, which cancel out the noise and interference. This makes them special and ideal for playing music.

The warmth of the sound that the guitar itself gives is also special, so if you are a fan of something like that, maybe they are the right choice for you.

3. P-90 pickups

Source: guitar.com

When we talk about uniqueness, perhaps the best term for it is pizza cups, which are different. Above we have already singled out two types that bring certain differences in themselves, and now we bring you the P-90 pickups that also have something different.

It is a single-coil pickup that has a wider coil than traditional single-coil pickups, which is in itself something different and different that would give a different experience to every musician.

This gives them a thicker, fatter sound that is somewhere between a single-coil and a humbucker, and this is exactly why the P-90 pickups are unique and can be used for almost any type of music that a musician would like to play. Looking for uniqueness guitar? You just learned more about it, and you can find it under the name P-90.

4. Active pickups

Now we’re going with something a bit newer that gives a different, yet unique approach to guitar-playing musicians. It is about Active Pickups, a new technology that brings positive experiences.

This model uses a battery-powered preamp to boost the signal from the pickups, resulting in higher output and a cleaner, more defined sound. With that alone, we can conclude that music of a stronger and more aggressive type would sound much better if you chose Active pickups.

5. Piezo pickups

Source: guitaristnextdoor.com

Finally, we leave the Piezo pickups, which would be of interest to all those who would like to make music on a guitar that produces an acoustic sound.

Right now we talk about a model of pickups that use piezoelectric crystals to recognize and conduct the vibrations of the guitar’s soundboard, resulting in a very nice sound that is at the same time clean and differs from all those that we mentioned above.

So if you want to produce sound and music that will delight listeners, Piezo pickups are the perfect thing you need.

Conclusion

The innovation of people, but also the advanced technological processes enable the production of various instrument accessories such as pickups that are intended for guitars.

According to the innovations in the industry, we also have these accessories for guitars that give a great sound according to the direction in which you are moving musically, but also according to the needs you have.

That’s why today we introduced you to each of the models so that you would have a clear picture of what you need to make extraordinary and original music.