Guitar Pickup: Measurement of its Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Function

Novak A, Lihoreau B, Brasseur E, Lotton P, Simon L. Guitar Pickup: Measurement of its Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Function. J Audio Eng Soc. 2020;68(3):184-192. doi:10.17743/jaes.2020.0002

@article{Novak2020_20728,
  author = {Novak, Antonin and Lihoreau, Bertrand and Brasseur, Emmanuel and Lotton, Pierrick and Simon, Laurent},
  title = {{Guitar Pickup: Measurement of its Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Function}},
  journal = {Journal of the Audio Engineering Society},
  volume = {68},
  number = {3},
  pages = {184--192},
  year = {2020},
  month = mar,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  doi = {10.17743/jaes.2020.0002},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2020.0002}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Guitar Pickup: Measurement of its Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Function
AU  - Novak, Antonin
AU  - Lihoreau, Bertrand
AU  - Brasseur, Emmanuel
AU  - Lotton, Pierrick
AU  - Simon, Laurent
T2  - Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
J2  - J. Audio Eng. Soc.
VL  - 68
IS  - 3
SP  - 184
EP  - 192
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/03/06
DO  - 10.17743/jaes.2020.0002
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2020.0002
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - This paper addresses the question of why some guitar pickups distort more than others. The electromagnetic pickup of an electric guitar is a nonlinear device that can provide a pleasant distortion. Although the pickup is a simple device consisting of a coil and a few magnets or pole pieces, the measurement of its nonlinear function is a difficult task. This research shows a measurement technique that can estimate the nonlinear function of a pickup in both y and z directions of the vibrating string. The experimental results are provided for three different types of pickups: a single-coil pickup with six staggered pole-pieces, a humbucker pickup with six equal-height pole-pieces, and a humbucker rail pickup. The measured nonlinear functions of the three pick-ups are very different from each other, leading to different distortions. These experimental results confirm that the pickup geometry plays an important role in distortion.
ER  -