In addition to the
humbucker, the trusty single-coil pickup is one of the two pickup kings, and arrived on the scene as the first of the popular pickups.
Since their introduction in the 1930s, single-coil pickups have been a permanent fixture on a huge range of guitars, and utilized in all genres of music, although are more often found on traditional Telecaster and Stratocaster style guitars, in all positions (bridge, middle and neck).
Since their introduction in the 1930s, single-coil pickups have been a permanent fixture on a huge range of guitars, and utilized in all genres of music, although are more often found on traditional Telecaster and Stratocaster style guitars, in all positions (bridge, middle and neck).
Whether you’re upgrading stock pickups on an affordable guitar, or just fancy a bit more power and tone than your existing single-coils can offer, we’ve put together a brief chart highlighting seven popular single-coil pickups across a range of prices.
Then stick around for a short guide to single-coil pickups, giving you everything you need to know to make an informed decision.
Top 7 Single-Coil Pickups:
The Anatomy of a Single-Coil Pickup
The majority of guitarists will happily play for decades without questioning how their pickups make their
favorite guitars sing. But, to satisfy the more curious players among us, let’s take a very quick look at what makes a single-coil pickup.
The single-coil pickup is actually incredibly simple in its construction, although the exact build will change from pickup to pickup, brand to brand. For simplicity’s sake, let’s take a look at a classic Strat single-coil – a pickup that is highly respected for its sonic properties.
The Strat pickup consists of a set of magnetic poles/slugs, wrapped in a hair-thin wire, sandwiched between two ‘flats’ (a baseplate and a top plate). And that’s it. These are then usually protected with vinyl, brass or chrome covers, with designs differing depending on brand and type.
Not all single-coil pickups are identical in size – for example, a Telecaster bridge pickup is bigger than a Telecaster neck pickup and a Strat pickup. There’s no exact formula, but that’s what makes each one sound different.
What They Sound Like
While tonewoods, EQ controls, pedals, amps, and – ultimately – the player will all play their part in the guitar’s overall sound, a single-coil typically has a tone described as bright, sparkly, jangly, crisp, clear, and – when played with overdrive – beautifully gritty.
You can also get awesome twang from a single-coil, which is why they are favored by guitarists playing surf, pop, country and vintage tunes, although they have been utilized by hard and classic rock players for decades.
On that note, legendary players to make good use of single-coils include Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Ritchie Blackmore, Jerry Donahue, Keith Richards, and Yngwie Malmsteen – to name a few.
Any Disadvantages?
The main drawback of a single-coil pickup is that they are prone to hum, especially as volume and distortion increases. This is part and parcel of a single-coil and something you grow to accept – unless you look towards stacked humbuckers, which are a kind of hybrid humbucker/single-coil, offering single-coil clarity with humbucker silence.
The only other notable disadvantage of a single-coil is that they aren’t as high in output when compared to their humbucking counterparts. Once again though, stacked single-coils go a long way to blurring the line between single-coil and humbucker, and compete with the latter’s output.
Why Replace Your Pickups?
Many guitarists will accept their guitars as they are, but changing the pickups can breathe a whole new life into your axe. Guitar manufacturers will usually look to keep costs down in the pickup area – especially when it comes to budget models.
However, some affordable guitars look awesome and play wonderfully, and are excellent platforms to upgrade – which is why some players will rip out (not literally) the stock pickups and replace them with a quality brand-name single-coil pickup from the likes of DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, EMG and Fender.
The Final Word
Whatever your reason for buying an individual or set of single-coil pickups, we hope this short chart and guide has given you some inspiration. Of course, there are many, many more single-coils you can consider, but our chart at least offers a good taste of what’s popular at the moment.
If you are going to the expense and time of changing your pickups, make sure you choose the right ones for you and your playing – read reviews, watch videos, and listen to those pickups in action, before spending your hard-earned cash.
Good luck with your new single-coils!