Single coil pickup

Operation single coil guitar pickup

In practice, the action of an element for the guitar is actually a coil of thin insulated copper wire wrapped around one or more magnets. Vibrating metal (the strings) disturbs the magnetic field, causing a current to be generated. The stream contains information (the same pitch as the vibrations of the strings) that we output as sound from the speakers via an amplifier. So both the magnets and the coil play a role in generating the sound from the guitar. Even without controls and switches on the guitar this would just work. In addition, these provide the ability to reduce the volume, change the pitch, or turn elements on / off. A functioning electric guitar without any buttons or switches is therefore easily possible.

Concept

Example of the construction of an element as you can regularly find it.

Only the screws, the top part of the cap and the top of the magnets are visible when the element is mounted in the pickguard.

The screws go along the top plate and the coil and are screwed into the bottom plate.
Their function is not only to be able to fix the element in the pickguard, but also to be able to adjust the height per side.

The springs press against the pickguard with the top inside. The bottom presses against the wide edge of the plastic cap.
For example, the element is adjustable in height with the help of the screws, whereby the springs ensure that the element remains tightly in place.

The magnets pass through the holes on both the top and bottom plates.
At the top they even protrude and therefore partly go through the plastic cap.
The magnetic bars do not have the same length for some elements, so they have a different height at the top.

The copper wire coil is located tightly between the top and bottom plate and around the magnets.
To get a little idea of the number of windings, you can think of something from about 7600 to 9600.

2 metal rings are clamped in the small holes in the bottom plate, to which the ends of the coil are soldered. The wiring is soldered to this, which then goes in the guitar to the switch gears and potentiometers.

In addition, a disassembled element with a single coil.
Six magnets, all pointing upwards with the same pole. With this element, all magnetic bars have the same length.

A coil is wound around it, which unfortunately has a break with this copy.
At the top right of the photo "with a sharp eye" you can see the loose thread from the coil.

The element also comes from a 1960s Fender.
After years there is a spontaneous break in the thin copper winding.
You can then try to take the windings off in the hope that the break is somewhere on the outside.
This can then be repaired in some cases, but the total number of windings will then be less.
Usually such a break is the end of the element.
Rewinding completely is an option

Humbucker

The humbucker was developed in the 1950s, which basically consists of a combination of 2 single coil elements. More about this in a the humbucker appendix.