Guitar pickups are a critical component in determining the tone and sound of your instrument. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned musician, it’s essential to understand the different types of pickups available to you. In this article, we will dive into the world of pickups and compare two of the most popular options, Humbucker and P90 pickups.
Humbucker Pickups
Humbucker pickups were invented in the 1950s and are designed to reduce noise and hum compared to the traditional single-coil pickups. Humbuckers consist of two coils that are wound in opposite directions, which cancels out the 60-cycle hum that is associated with single-coil pickups. They produce a warm and smooth tone with a significant output, making them suitable for genres like blues, rock, and heavy metal.
P90 Pickups
P90 pickups, on the other hand, were introduced in the late 1940s and were designed to be a combination of the single-coil and humbucker pickups. P90 pickups have a single-coil design but with thicker wire and a taller bobbin, resulting in a higher output compared to traditional single-coil pickups. They produce a fat and punchy tone with a good amount of bite, making them suitable for genres like rock, blues, and jazz.
Tone and Sound
When comparing the tone and sound of Humbucker and P90 pickups, it’s essential to keep in mind that both types of pickups have their unique characteristics. Humbuckers tend to produce a warm and smooth tone, with a significant output, making them suitable for genres like blues, rock, and heavy metal. On the other hand, P90 pickups produce a fat and punchy tone, with a good amount of bite, making them suitable for genres like rock, blues, and jazz.
Output
When it comes to output, Humbuckers tend to have a higher output compared to P90 pickups. This makes Humbuckers suitable for genres like heavy metal, where a high output is required. However, this does not mean that P90 pickups are not suitable for heavy metal; it just means that you may need to adjust the settings on your amplifier to compensate for the lower output.
Installation and Wiring
Both Humbuckers and P90 pickups can be easily installed in your guitar, but it’s essential to keep in mind that Humbuckers require more space compared to P90 pickups. Humbuckers are larger and tend to take up more space in the guitar’s body, making them more challenging to install in certain guitars. P90 pickups, on the other hand, are smaller and easier to install.