Pickup Output

[Del]

How do you measure pickup output DC resistance?

[Jim Collins]

Measuring DC resistance is easy, but DC resistance has little to do with pickup output. The DC resistance you measure across both leads of the pickup is only a measurement of the resistance across the length of wire used to wrap the coil or coils. Many other factors affect a pickup's output -- wire gauge, magnet type, pickup construction (humbucker vs. single coil) -- yet none of these are measured by DC resistance.

Here are a couple of examples. The NOS Nocaster I used to have came with a bridge pickup that measured in excess of 10K ohms, yet it was no louder than any of several other Tele bridge pickups I've used. Most of them measured between 6K and 7K, give or take. The difference? The Nocaster pickup used different gauge wire (thinner) and alnico III magnets You'd be surprised how low a reading you'd get with a Barden Tele bridge, yet it is a loud, bright pickup (humbucker, with a ceramic magnet).