Choosing between a one pickup, two pickup, or three pickup guitar can be an extremely difficult decision. If you’ve been playing guitar for a long time, you’ll definitely already have a personal favorite, but you might be looking to buy a new guitar. But, do one pickup guitars sound better?
One pickup guitars don’t sound better, just different. The tone of a one pickup guitar might be clearer as there will be no magnetic pull on the strings from a second pickup. One pickup guitars are, however, much less versatile as you can’t switch between pickups to change their tone.
In this article, I’ll examine whether a one pickup guitar sounds better than a two or three pickup guitar. I’ll also explain the 9 things that you have to know before deciding which guitar is best for you. Let’s go!
Related: our complete guide to guitar anatomy covers the basics in one place.
Understanding How a Pickup Works
Before you decide on which pickup to get for your guitar, it’s crucial to understand how pickup works.
If you’ve ever tried to play an electric guitar without plugging it into an amplifier, you would have noticed how soft the sound is. For an electric guitar to be heard, it has to be plugged into an amplifier, and the pickup is the most important part.
Without a pickup on your guitar, the sound from the strings cannot be transformed into an electrical signal for the amplifier to put out.
To make it super easy to understand, as not all of us enjoy the technical aspects of guitars and amplifiers, I’ll explain it like this:
- A pickup is made from six magnets, one for each string, wrapped in fine copper wire. Sometimes, one solid magnet is used instead of six individual ones.
- The pickup is attached to the body of your guitar, below the strings. It’s usually placed at the bridge or the neck. If you have a three pickup guitar, a middle pickup will be placed in between them.
- The magnet and copper strings create a magnetic field. When you strum your guitar, it picks up the vibrations from the strings.
- The pickup then transforms the vibrations from the strings into an electrical signal. This is sent to the amplifier where it’s transformed into the sound you hear.
So now that you know the basic concept of how a pickup works, it’s easy to understand why a one pickup guitar will sound different than a two pickup or three pickup guitar.
1. One Pickup Guitars Are Simple and Easy To Use
One pickup guitars are usually used by novice guitar players, students, and die-hard fans. Two pickup guitars are much more popular, but you get guitar players, even famous musicians, who believe one pickup guitars sound better. Some musicians even go as far as only playing with one pickup guitars.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use guitar without too much electronics, then a one pickup guitar might be right for you. One pickup guitars have much more wood on their bodies and much fewer gadgets, as you don’t need a pickup selector.
Having more than one pickup on your guitar can make it feel cluttered. If you only have one pickup at the bridge, it’ll never get in the way, and you won’t hit your pick on it while strumming.
One pickup guitars are great for beginners as you don’t have the extra pressure of learning how to switch between pickups to change the tone of your guitar. You can concentrate on learning how to play the guitar without focussing too much on the electronics and settings.
Many rock musicians prefer the sound of a one pickup guitar, so although they were originally created as more affordable guitars for students, they’re excellent guitars for shredding.
2. One Pickup Guitars Aren’t As Versatile
A one pickup guitar doesn’t have the option of switching between two or three different pickups, meaning it’s not as versatile in tone. You can alter your tone with a two pickup guitar by switching between the pickups.
When it comes to a one pickup guitar, you have to pay special attention to how you pluck the strings, as the position of your finger or pick is crucial in creating the tone you want.
With a two or three pickup guitar, you don’t have to be as specific with your plucking technique, as you can rely on the extra pickups for the tone you’re going for.
3. The Tone of a One Pickup Guitar Is Unique
To the untrained ear, the difference in tone between a one pickup, two pickup, and three pickup guitar might not be that obvious. Professional artists or long-time players will notice it much easier, but the truth is that there is a difference.
Single pickup guitars have less magnetic pull on their strings, creating a unique sound compared to two pickup guitars.
Most commonly, the pickup on a one pickup guitar will be placed at the bridge; however, it can also be placed at the neck. A pickup at the bridge will create a clearer, brighter sound, while a pickup at the neck will create a softer sound.
Another factor that gives a one pickup guitar its unique sound is that the body contains more wood, meaning the guitar will be heavier, and a heavier guitar will have longer sustain on the strings.