Pickup Ratings

[javert]

ah, I see what you're saying. Just for the record, I didn't mean it as a direct response to anything you wrote - I was merely curious myself. In your case we're not just talking about the properties of the pickups as it'll depend on a number of factors that have nothing to do with the pickup (e.g., string gauge, distance, picking), i.e., there's no way the producers of pickups can give you anything beyond a range of expected voltages (e.g., by assuming standard values), which is problematic as Jazz already pointed out.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Javert, thats an interesting link, MAJNH, youre still missing my point, Im not looking to compare pickups across brands for the purposes of playing, I NEED output voltages to determine an average output voltage to design the front end of an amp. I CANNOT use ohms for this, it doesnt fit the equation. Anyhow, Ive come up with the solution, just need to get on it. Javert, the SD site also shows inductance on their tone chart as well.

OK, I see what you are doing.

If that is what you need, then you'll want to test an actual guitar anyway, not relying on whatever method EMG or any other manufacturer used to create the current. Try chords, single notes, one/both pickups, etc. Also, you want the typical electronics hooked up, like a 500K volume and tone pot, and maybe a reasonable length of guitar cord.

[DonP]

I NEED output voltages to determine an average output voltage to design the front end of an amp.

Twich,

Go grab a DDM and switch it to AC voltage, or get an oscilloscope to see the real voltage. If that's too much, guestimate about a 1/2 volt RMS for a distortion class pickup.

[Twitch]

Don, Ive got a DMM, my dad did this a long time ago, he built my first amp, but he only tested a couple of guitars, one of which was a cheapy Danelectro with lipstick pickups. Im gonna get data from various typical SD, DiMarzios and EMGs, and see if I cant come up with something to better match the stuff I use. I read one of my amps has an input sensitivity of 1mv for the lead channel, which will make any pickup hit the lead channel hard, but I cant remember which amp that was, I think it was one of the Crate G1200H's. I dont think I want something that low because my guess is youll lose dynamics with that much compression, but on some of my amps, theres just too much articulation on the lead channels for my taste, I like a little liquid sustain and compression. Im just playing around here, I wonder just how much R&D the amp companies do with this and how much they leave room for a wiiide range of pickup configurations that may be used. I want to either build or modify my amps to pair best with my guitars, setups(string height, gauge, which is pretty standard across any guitar I get) and any guitars I may acquire in the future as I dont stray too far from what I already have.

Lets face it, any amp you buy is built with EVERYONE in mind, one product to please all, thats why I modify, make that one product please me and maybe a couple other people.

...And if anyone is curious, Im not looking at modding the 6505, its pretty close as it is, Im looking to beef up the lead channel on my Titan. The tone I get from it, I like, but cant get from the 6505, but the lead channel is a little tame.

[Grandturk]

I purchase pickups based on name, look and sound.

A pickup that has a cool name like "Super Distortion" or "Screamin' Demon" is about 5x more likely to be purchased by me than something with an abortion of a serial number like SH-5B (whatever the fuck that means).

Second - I like pickups what have cream color and cool looking polepieces. So if I can get the color I want, I'll put up with a boring name like "Duncan Custom."

Third - I always judge a pickup by how it sounds - so even if I had a cream "JB" - which is an OK name - "JB" sounds like he might be a big ol' 2x4 swingin' back woods red neck pickup truck with one blue fender drivin' - anyway - but the sound is shit, so I don't want it.

There you go.

[javert]

Optimizing an amp for a specific setup is of course doable, but you're going to have to measure the output of whatever guitar you want it optimized for... Normally people would pick a pickup to suit their amp, no? Isn't that why high output pickups were invented in the first place?

[Twitch]

Optimizing an amp for a specific setup is of course doable, but you're going to have to measure the output of whatever guitar you want it optimized for... Normally people would pick a pickup to suit their amp, no? Isn't that why high output pickups were invented in the first place?

Yeah, but I like to tinker, so why not do both if you can?

[javert]

Yeah, but I like to tinker, so why not do both if you can?

Sure! Don't get me the wrong way, I like tweaking and modding things too... Could be interesting to hear how it works out