Sonic
NOTE: This info is copyright and must not be used for commercial purposes by any other party. Chris Kinman (c) 2000.
Pickup makers Dictionary - Sonic terms.
Referring to specific old Strat pickups wound with Formvar wire:> The tonal characteristics developed with the passing of time and the aging and subsequebt degradation of the Formvar insulation. Usually softened attack, loss of the characteristic Strat low mid scoop, lowered Ice-pick-in-your-Ear brittleness and lowered dynamic range which results in earlier breaking into distortion yielding a creamy distortion when overdriven and a sweeter treble when played clean. The aging I'm referring to is not the result of magnets aging. New single coils cannot be aged artificially in the same way since this can only happen in the fullness of time. However, certain things can be arranged in a single coil to approximate Aged tone BUT usually this results in some unwanted side effects (less harmonic richness). My Hx pickups have certain design elements that I have manipulated to replicate genuine aged tone. Ironic ain't it? That a high-tech noiseless design can generate authentic aged tone whereas a single coil has to wait 20 years to age naturally. For story of discovery of Aged Sound click here >* Aged Sound fully explained * See also Degaussing in Technical and Non-aged sound immediately below.
NOTE: Kinman pickups are age stable: that is they will not age noticeably, even over a long period of time.
The tight sound of a high quality new Strat pickup that is very snappy with rapid and explosive attack response, low mid scoop and piano mid-tones. For low to medium level playing (clean) the generous attack is a desirable characteristic since it provides presence, projection and a stimulating response along with very nice piano mid-tones on the wound strings (precursor of twang). Highs are pristine clear and rich in harmonics. The sound resists crunching too easily under heavy pick attack. All of this happens when the strings are picked in a certain way and can be de-intenfied with appropriate picking technique and choice of plectrum.
Click here to learn how to remove covers safetly from Kinman Strat* pickups
You can order your pickups with covers pretinted from my factory for an additional cost. These are moulded with the colour and so are permanent and non-bleachable colours.
DIY tinting of covers: Kinman's current Strat pickup covers are moulded in a special plastic that can be semi-permanently tinted with water based dies such as Tea, Coffee, Curry, Henna hair dye etc. Some colours that can be made this way are .......
You simply degrease the covers first with kitchen detergent or lighter fluid and then soak the White covers in the above (boiling temperature) food solutions for anything from 10 seconds up to several minutes. There is no need to keep the solution on the boil. If stronger colour is desired simply allow more time, up to several minutes. If the colour is still not strong enough than add more coffee/tea/stain. If you make a mistake then reverse the process by soaking the cover in Laundry bleach and start over. The resulting colours may change with time and exposure to light.
Do not attempt this with old Kinman covers as they will simply melt. The old covers can be identified by the notch taken out of the bottom of the cover, in other words the bottoms of those covers are split into two planes.
Caution: we can not guarantee all covers that have Logo will stain satisfactorily as the stain might not work due to the application of a conditioner intended to allow the logo to stick. In this case the covers can be reverted to original color by bleaching as above. Covers without Logo will stain without difficulty.
Covers are Standard with Burgandy printed Ink logo. Covers are also available without Kinman logo by special request (same price). Logos sometimes wear off the covers and will leave a white witness mark if the covers are tinted.
The new covers also do not have sharp edges at the top (but it's not rounded over noticeably), covers the lower coil completely and is more flexible than the previous cover. These new covers conform to early Fender specs in every way so it's no longer necessary to fit old covers to my Strat pickups for that authentic old look.
NOTE: Covers from other manufacturers can not necessarily be tinted this way, and neither can pickguard materials or knobs.
The term applied to a pickup that describes how the response of the pickup feels and sounds to the player. More air means more expression, more lively, more satisfying to play with. See also Attack , Dynamic Range .
The short-lived instantaneous peak voltage response from a pickup at the precise moment the string is plucked. A direct equivalent of dynamic range and Q. More attack means the note will explode from the speaker with more energy. Excessive attack contributes to hearing loss because of the spike of power delivered by the loudspeakers. See Dynamic range , Air and Presence .
Combination of midrange dominance and hard attack. Often associated with hot pickups and P-90's. A kind of Twang without bite. Like the bark of a medium sized dog.
Audio Frequencies below 200Hz.
Ever really thought what a big church bell really sounds like? Huge, lots of shimmer, ring and presence but not really a lot of treble or bass. Big Bells are midrange dominant.
The ability of a tone to be noticed by virtue of it's treble/midrange pleasingly gritty edge. One that bites or cuts through with a cutting edge of presence derived from Alnico magnets. Like the bite of a small sized dog. See also Presence , Attack .
The pleasing result of a specific presence factor of a pickup in expressing a group of concordant notes particularly in the upper register on the non-wound strings where the notes 'chime' together to capture that quality of a large bell. Often associated with a high quality single coil Fender style pickup using Alnico magnets. Noiseless alternate magnets deisgns such as Ferrite and Samarium Cobalt have less chime than regular single coils or Kinman noiseless.
A kind of presence imparted by the presence of twangy midrange. Eg Our Humbucker-Tron has excellent chirp on all strings whereas Filtertrons lack it on the low wound strings.
A kind of presence imparted by the presence of twangy midrange. Eg Our Humbucker-Tron has excellent chirp on all strings whereas Filtertrons lack it on the low wound strings.
Sometimes applied to sound that is unprocessed, undistorted OR devoid of noise. See also Noise .
Tone that has no distortion content or without excessive midrange and subsequently a high transparency factor. See also Transparency .
Usually applied to the presence (or abundance) of midrange frequencies which tend to muddy the tone. See also Transparency . Alnico magnets do provide midrange complexity but remarkable this is no muddy.
The intentional limiting of dynamic range by electronic methods to control large transients of audio power so as not to exceed the limits of devices such as recording equipment; also a characteristic of a guitar pickup when the peak frequency envelope is wide with the result it drives the amp into slight overload. In the extreme can also refer to the undesirable strangled feel or excessive lack of response and dynamic range from a pickup which is the result of poorly designed hum canceling techniques in single coil design, but not with Kinman's.
Smooth unvarying (steady) distortion. Not warbling or rasping whish is typical of Stratitis .
The quality of sound in relation to treble response and attack. If the sound is scratchy and thin or overly dynamic it is not creamy.
The enemy of Strat sound since it shares a lot of the same frequency bandwidth making it difficult to distinguish what notes are coming from the Strat/Tele player with Un-aged sound. See Definition .
Having the qualities of a P-90 in sound. Big, fat, loud, good attack with resonance below the higher region, lower than a traditional Strat pickup.
Tone that is low in apparent bass and brightness (or attack) but rich in midrange. Genuine Aged pickups have a darker tone. See Thick tone .
The property of a guitar's sound that enables it to be distinguished from the competing sound of the cymbals. Also the characteristic that separates and distinguishes notes played arpegio style. Balanced presence and dynamic range are key factors in achieving this difficult performance. Not always easy to evaluate unless in the context of a band in full tilt. 1970's Strats had a very thin sound that was low in off-stage definition simply because the sound was so thin and piercing. Sometimes hearing loss figures in player-perceived low definition. Also see Presence and Punch .
When a signal is intentionally or unintentionally driven beyond the transient limits of the amplifier and results in a square wave-form as distinct to a sine wave-form. See Overdrive .
The difference in output of a pickup from the softest to the loudest upon the instant of attack, without distortion. See Attack and Presence .
Opposite to a thin weedy sound, a fat sound is more like a wall of sound without the excessive volume. A sound with a big girth. One with a broad range of midrange frequencies.
The way a pickup responds (or doesn't respond) to various stimulus of the strings. A direct function of dynamic range or attack that imparts desired expression to the players performance.
A function of abundant dynamic range and attack that allows the player to string a sequence of notes in a seamless progression. Jimi used it to good effect in several more restrained, undistorted pieces. Other notables use distortion to achieve it. Kinman Woodstock's are designed to do this effortlessly.
The overall dimension to a sound. Often used to imply a BIG, fat sound.
Another term for excessive brightness of single coil pickups especially the Fender genre. The characteristic of Fender sound that imparts a brittle or an Ice-pick quality. The enemy of high sound pressure level definition. See Ice-pick .
see Technical Dictionary . The gradual increasing of the power of a pickup typically intended to refer to the bridge pickup which needs to have output compensation because of it's handicapped position next to the bridge. Resulting in more or less balanced output levels from all pickups.
When the amp is turned up and the low (wound) strings are picked close to the bridge twang gives way to growl, especially on the bridge pickup.
The multiplying of the fundamental frequency of a sine wave. Example; Assuming a 100Hz fundamental then 200, 400, 800, 1.6KHz, 3.2KHz etc etc would all be harmonics. Guitarists often refer to string harmonics. These are node points along the length of the string (Eg above the 12 fret) where harmonics of the fundamental coincide and the string will divide into multiple sections with each section vibrating at it's own harmonic frequency but the total string section is completely devoid of the fundamental. You will notice the absence of movement on strings because the fundamental is not vibrating. Playing a harmonic does not require the string to be fretted, the mere touch of a finger tip at the right node point is enough to prevent the fundamental from sounding but set the harmonic ringing.
After exposure to high pressure sound for extended periods the ears suffer irreparable damage. Ringing in the ears after a concert is a sure sign of partial hearing loss. High frequencies are affected first and progresses to the lower frequencies with repeated exposure. Loss of speech intelligibility is a symptom of it. Speech sounds like it's muffled.
The term referring to the warbling of notes in the upper register of guitars with non-noiseless single coils (Strat and P-90), particularily on the plain strings G and B but can also be present on the D. The result is an unpleasant, offensive brittle sound. Often confused with Strat-itis it is not caused by excessively strong magets but rather by the pickup's bandwidth focusing on a narrow band of frequencies that are naturally present in the strings vibrations and which are inheritently unstable (shifting up and down in pitch). Ice pick is proportional to the degree of midrange transparency (scoop) that is pickups with more scoop have more ice-pick.
The ability of a sound to be discerned and understood by the audiences ears. Excess treble brittleness can reduce it in electric guitars. Cymbals sometimes have the same effect by masking the guitar sound in acoustically difficult venues. Alnico magnets help by encouraging complex midrange detail that helps distinguish the guitar sound from the clatter of cymbals, snares etc. See Definition , Hearing loss and Presence .
Mark Knopflers trademark signature sound used on the album Sultans of Swing. A stock Strat with non-aged vintage spec pickups in position 2 (bridge + middle) and position 4 (middle + neck). This is the sound of pickup connected in parallel and in-phase, not out-of-phase as some mistakenly believe.
A very similar effect is achieved when any 2 similar pickups are connected in parallel but the most striking and exaggerated Knopfler-esque sound is achieved with two similar P-90 Hx pickups. Regular Humbuckers exhibit the same tendency but the effect is weak. The effect is more pronounced when operating certain humbuckers in split coil mode, even when mixed with certain Strat pickups.
Hum can be cancelled when using single coil non-noiseless pickups by using a reverse wound, reverse magnetic polarity second pickup (middle of a Strat) which acts like the second coil of a humbucking pickup. When hum-cancelling pickups are used this is not necessary or appropriate.
Any frequency in the audio spectrum between 300Hz and 3kHz. Below 300Hz is considered to be Bass and above 3Khz is treble. Midrange is the most important element of sound since this is where the human ear is most sensitive because human speech is almost all midrange. Over emphasis of these frequencies results in Muddy sound. Alnico magnets provide a very high quality detailed midrange that is not muddy, but which adds girth and body to the sound.
see Technical Dictionary . When 2 pickups or coils are connected in such a way that the current flows are in opposite directions and tend to cancel one another they are said to be out of phase. Position 2 and 4 of a Strat switch is not out of phase, in fact quite the opposite…they are in-phase. Out of phase sounds consist of very little bass, dominate mids and highs with a characteristic 'nasal, honky' sound and have a much lower level. Also see Parallel and In-phase .
When the input of the amplifier is driven beyond it's clean capability into distortion. Happens when a sine wave from a pickup slams into the transient limits of the amplifier and takes on a square wave-form. Pickups do not distort, only an active circuit can do that. The rated power output of an amplifier multiplies under heavy overload (distortion) hence the need for excessive speaker power-rating. See Distortion .
see Technical Dictionary . When position 2 or 4 is selected on a Strat selector switch two pickups are switched on and said to be connected in parallel and in-phase. The sound becomes hollow and delicate, devoid of quack and with a drop in level. Mark Knopfler made this his trademark sound. Kinman fitting instructions for Strats detail a wiring option that allows gradual mixing of the neck with bridge or middle pickups to get an increases palette of parallel tones. Also see In-phase .
see Technical Dictionary . Assuming you understand the concept of wave forms (as in sine wave)…it's the relationship between two (or more) such waves. In guitars they either oppose one another (being out of phase) or are in phase (in synchronous). To put it another way it's when the polarity of two pickups (or coils) either match or oppose one another. Eg, in phase or 180 degrees out of phase (180 degrees being opposite to 360 or Zero degrees). In-phase wave forms add their energy together for increased level while out-of-phase wave-forms subtract from one another to decrease level. See also Parallel .
One who indulges in the skilled musical artform of playing a Telecaster.
Leo Fender identified a particular type of brightness that is not strictly a function of resonant frequency alone (trebles) but rather derived from the combination of this plus sharp attack and the essential complex detail provided by the Alnico magnets of a Fender guitars pickup. Even low notes can have presence when they possess the right type of harmonic makeup and attack. Up to a point more attack seems to pronounce this presence. However when the attack/resonance envelope is such that the sound becomes very thin and brittle then presence actually diminishes. Presence helps carry the note through the shimmer and clatter of Cymbals and other instruments without having to play overly loud. Balanced presence is a valuable commodity. Classic Fender guitar sound is all about presence. Thanks to Leo for applying the word 'presence' to guitar vocabulary and for designing his pickup around Alnico magnets.
I find it difficult to apply the term to other kinds of pickups, especially the non-Alnico noiseless Fender type.
Read Bill Machrone's take on presence in early Fender amplifiers.
Like it sounds, the ability to punch through the rest of the band. It implies more midrange response coupled with abundant dynamic attack. A P-90 is certainly a punchy pickup but a bright Strat pickup has less punch but more bite and presence so it gets noticed in a different way.
Excellent single coil pickup in the Gibson family. Great tone but terribly noisy. Easily recognized by it's centralized 6 adjustable steel screw pole pieces and rectangle plastic or dog ear cover, often cream in color. Has 2 opposing Alnico bar magnets lying flat underneath the coil. Extremely difficult to cancel hum from and retain an authentic punchy tone; so far this endeavor has not been successfully accomplished (but I'm working on it).
Or to be more precise Th-wack. It happens when 2 similar pickups are switched on together thereby Eq-ing the sound to reduce midgrange colouration but emphasing a particularily narrow band of upper midrange frequencies which then become more obvious. Projected by sharp attack this band of frequencies makes a characteristic QUAK or Th-wack sound. Some players refer to it as positions 2 and 4 on a Strat switch. (see Scooped ) The 2 similar pickups need to be combined in parallel and in-phase .
The reaction of a pickups electrical and sonic performance to pick attack.
Rz. The frequency at which there is the least resistance (Impedance actually) to the flow of electric currents in a pickup coil. The frequency at which string signal has the most output. Rz is defined in Hz. Typically 3.5KHz (3,500 Hz). It's the quintessential definition of guitar tone. Is meaningful when stated as a specification of a pickup that is loaded with the full compliment of Volume and Tone pots and a typical cable. Is completely meaningless when stated as free air Rz (typically 9KHz).
The term applied to switch positions 2 and 4 of a Stratocaster or the middle position on a Telecaster. Also sometimes applied to a single pickup sound. More precisely, used to define scooped or de-accentuated midrange frequencies -or- sound that is somewhat hollow with less substance.... not-withstanding the detailed midrange complexity provided by Alnico magnets.
The vibrant characteristic related to the presence factor of an electric guitar pickup especially the Fender single coil family. Usually concerning the the upper midrange. Has the effect of a perceived or imagined 'aural corona' attending the notes something like that of a large Gong or Cymbal. This quality is imparted by the way Alnico magnets cause the induction characteristics of the coil to behave.
Some makers of noiseless single pole pickups resort to higher value volume pots to bring their pickups to life. These makers hope that the extra brightness will be mistakenly interpreted by the player as desired attack and dynamic range. The artificial brightness of such practice is said to be shrill. Not a prized characteristic by any stretch of the imagination. See Pot values on the TONE WORKSHOP page.
Bit hard to define this one, different meaning to different players. My take is it's related to Dynamic Range and Punch. Teles are said to have spank and Teles have a bridge pickup that is fat, loud and punchy with a big fat Twang.
The term to describe the upper midrange *presence* factor of an electric guitars pickup, especially the Fender genre of single coils due to the use of Alnico rod magnets. See Presence .
Also diplayed in the Technical Glossary . (Strat-itis is simultaneous multiple discordant frequency syndrome). Dirty or rusty strings can also cause this but many players know this horrible phenomena is caused by excessively strong magnets in the pickups, here's how it works. What happens is the magnets of the pickups pull a section of the string (the part that's over the pickups) into a U shaped vibration path. Normally the strings vibrate in what is essentially a single-plane path or pattern. Lets say that the time taken for a string (not subjected to excessive magnet pull) to complete one cycle or oscillation is X milliseconds. Traveling in a U shaped path it actually takes longer to complete one cycle or oscillation since the distance is greater via a U shaped path, so the time is X + U milliseconds. Now it's getting clear that what you have is a string that has a section of it's length vibrating in a U shaped path and part of the remaining section traveling in a direct single-plane path and yet another section traveling at all frequencies between these two extremes. This means that the three sections are actually vibrating at many different frequencies when the string should be vibrating uniformly at a single frequency. What happens when you mix all these different frequencies together? Uggghhh, dissonant Stratitis that's what! It's bad enough hearing 2 non-harmonious notes coming from a single string, but when you get multiple dissonant frequencies (or notes) being produce simultaneously from a single string the results are absolutely horrendous. A string that's out of tune with itself no less, big time. Kinman pickups have speical proprietry Alnico magnets that have 40% reduced string pull. This means Strat-itis is eliminated.
Sound that is characterized by lack of overly brittle or ear piercing treble frequencies but which nevertheless sounds bright, crisp and alive with sweet harmonics and lack of Ice pick.
Sound that is high in midrange content and low in bass and brightness. If this is the result of the presence of Alnico magnets then it's a good thickness, but if it's the result of overwound coils then thait is not nearly so desirable.
Just like the sound of the word. High impact projection of a group of upper midrange frequencies at the moment of attack. Like a back hand slap accross the face but with tone. A particularily desirable characteristic found in only the best of single coil pickups.
The ratio of voltage produced to a given energy of pick attack. Another way of expressing Dynamic range or attack. Lack of transient response equates to a choked or compressed feel to practically all noiseless single coils with one notable exception, can you guess which one? See also Attack .
The low concentration of 600-2.5KHz midrange frequencies (coloration) resulting in a clean/clear tone that is said to be transparent. Guitar pickups demand some colour in the midrange for satisfactory definition and projection. The best colour comes from Alnico magnets because it provided interesting detail in the sound that I call TONE. Colour that is derived from overwinding the coil(s) is muddy and I call that TONE-less. Many side-by-side humbuckers are overly muddy. Alternate magnet design noiseless single coils are sometimes overwound to add colour as well, the result is the same, low grade mud. Excessive transparency is not a desired characteristic of Fender style pickups.
Tremelo is often used incorrectly to describe Strat bridges which are actually Vibrato bridges. Vibrato is the rapid raising and lowering of the pitch, and is thus fundamentally different from tremolo which is a rapid variation in only the loudness of the sound. Guitar bridges should be correctly described as Vibrato bridges, not tremelo which is the amplifier effect Bo Diddley used to create his Diddley beat sound back in the 50's Bo Diddley Mona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luMQUzJzZLQ
The sound made by the combination of attack and upper midrange response of a pickup with moderate transparency when picked closer to the bridge. Twang becomes outstanding with vibrato or pitch shifting. Usually associated with the mid frequencies of the wound strings, and to a lesser degree sometimes non-wound strings. Fender type single coils with Alnico rod magnets have a distinct advantage because the Alnico imparts a midrange complexity that's necessary for making twang. Instrumental guitar players like Duane Eddy and Hank Marvin have used this effect to great advantage over the years. Used skillfully it imparts an element of dignified excitement to the piece.
The tone of a contemporary pickup before the aging process has any discernible effects. Characterized by abundant attack, dynamic range and brightness. Refer to top of this column.
For the purpose of this definition Vintage sound will mean the sound of a 50' or 60's Strat pickup when it was new.
I have come to define vintage sound with a mix of technical and sonic terms because sonic terms alone can be interpreted in so many different ways. No doubt others have their own opinions. Basically I define this as the sound that comes from 6 Alnico-5 rod magnets with a coil of approx. 8,300 turns of 42 gauge Formvar coated wire and complying to the template of a Stratocaster pickup design. My personal extended definition calls generally for snappy attack, twangy midrange with biting but tinkly highs, a complex midrange that is both scooped (clean) and gritty (complexity) at the same time (see Alnico magnets). It has good dynamic range that culminates in very satisfying expression for the guitar player since these pickups respond so well to the light and shade of different picking variations. I also think of vintage sound as having a range of tonalities depending on the number of turns of wire (approx. 8150 to 8,350) and the age of the pickup. Thus you can have new vintage (what an old pickup sounded like when it was new) and aged vintage or what a genuine old pickup sounds like in present day (Aged sound and unaged sound).
The greatest and most creative of players. Inspiring and exciting to listen to. Jimi Hendrix and SRV for examples.
See Stratitis Often associated with Strat-itis however there is another kind of warble (sounds like flying razor blades or a chain-saw cutting thin steel sheet that is not properly supported) that occurs mainly a plain G string and sometimes on other plain strings. The severity of this warble seems connected to the degree of midrange scoop the pickup has, more scoop means more warble. It's cause remains a mystrey but I hypotethize there are naturally occuring warbling tones in every string but midrange complexity masks it over. That's why the warbling appears worse when the midrange is very scooped. It is very difficult to get rid of since it is not related to proximity of magnets to strings.
Predominately middle frequencies (about 500-700 KHz) with a controlled amount of attack and not overly endowed with brightness. Sort of Twang gone south. Vintage Fender style pickups have "wood" thanks to the presence of Alnico rod magnets. Mainly noticed on the bridge pickup or on other pickups by picking the string near the bridge. A favored characteristic of Mike Lewis, Sales manager for Fender USA.
Technical
NOTE: This info is copyright and must not be used for commercial purposes by any other party. Chris Kinman (c) 2000.
Pickup makers Dictionary - Technical terms.
AC
Alternating current. An electric current that changes it's direction of flow typically 50 or 60 times a second (60Hz or 60cps) as in the case of mains supply but also at any frequency above 0Hz (the sky's the limit). Audio frequencies are defined as between 20Hz and 20KHz but it takes a really good ear to hear to 20KHz, most human ears have difficulty hearing past 14KHz. All passive guitar circuitry operates within this bandwidth.
Action
The gap between the underside of the strings and the crown of the fret on a guitar. Can be influenced by the truss rod setting, the nut grooves or the bridge settings. See TONE WORKSHOP > PERFECT GUITAR page and Setup.
Active pickup
A pickup that has active electronics built into the casing and powered by an external battery. Often these have a crude noise cancelling design (common stack) consequently the tone looses that organic feel and the sound is often somewhat sterile. The active electronics attempt to recover the tone that has been lost because of the primitive noise cancelling arrangement. Position 2 and 4 Strat sounds are not authentic as the active electronics buffer the coils from being connected directly in parallel which is necessary to achieve that sound. Battery failure means guitar no work.
Alnico
A very special old technology magnet material that possesses remarkable properties when applied to guitar pickups. It is the only magnet material that can actually influence the induction behaviour of a string sensing coil, when used in the core of the coil.
A well designed pickup with Alnico possesses complex detailed midrange frequencies that are the prime factors in achieving Fender genre sound. Without Alnico this detail is missing and there is no known way to compensate when using alternate magnets such as Ferrite or Samarium Cobalt. For more information and an in-depth discussion visit my Perfect Guitar page > Magnets .
The higher harmonics of 60Hz noise from a pickup or guitar's wiring that is typically emitted from lighting, dimmers and other mains powered electrical appliances. Buzz can not be cancelled by a pickup, it must be minimized with shielding in the wiring cavities of the guitar. So called noiseless pickups are not immune to Buzz. Kinman's are advertised correctly as Zero-Hum pickups. See Noise-RFI.
Can also mean gossip or newsworthy information.
Calibrate
To check the accuracy of quantum graduations. What this has to do with guitar pickups baffles me but some manufacturers think it has something to do with graduating between latitudes of performance. See Graduate .
Capacitance
The ability of a system of electrically isolated components to store an electric charge between them. However, coil layers in a pickup also have it and has a profound effect on the sound. It's also what kills the treble when you turn the Tone control down or use long cables. Micro-farad (µF) is the usual measurement unit but nano-Farad and pico-Farad are also common.
Cyrogenics
Like conventional Heat Treatment, the molecular modification within a metal upon subjecting to extreme cold. Desirably results in hardening or toughening. Callaham bridge parts have optional cryogenic treatment but I have no experience with respect to pickups however I suspect an audible difference. DC Direct current. Often associated with Resistance measuring using DC as distinct to impedance measuring with AC. Unit is volts. There is no DC in a passive guitar's circuitry.
Definition
The property of a guitar's sound that enables it to be distinguished from the competing sound of the cymbals etc. Balanced presence and dynamic range are key factors in achieving this difficult performance. Not always easy to evaluate unless in the context of a band in full tilt. 1970's Strats had a very thin sound that was low in definition. Sometimes hearing loss results in player-perceived lower definition. Also see Presence and Punch in Sonic section.
Degaussing
Gauss is a measurement unit of magnetic attraction so when the strength of a magnet is intentionally or unintentionally downrated it is said to be degaussed. Old pickups are commonly [but erroneously] believed to be degaussed. See Aged Tone in Sonic section.
Dope Slap
Smacking your hand against your forehead when you do something REALLY stupid.
Dopelar Effect
The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when you approach them quickly enough.
When a signal is intentionally or unintentionally driven beyond the transient limits of the amplifier and results in a square wave-form as distinct to a sine wave-form. See Overdrive .
Dynamic range
The amount of sine wave output voltage generated by a pickup upon the instant of attack. See Attack and Presence in Sonic section.
EMF
Electro Motive Force or more simply an electric current. Measured in volts. Eg mains are 110 or 240 volts and pickups are typically 100 millivolts.
Frequency response
Not really applicable to guitar pickups because their graphical response is basically a lump or one big resonant peak. Many might argue the point though. The seeming varying content of bass and treble of various pickups has more to do with the effect that midrange response has on the human hearing system.
Gauss
The measurement of a magnets strength. Typically Alnico-5 is 1,200 gauss, Alnico-2 is 850 gauss.
The gradual increasing of the output of a set of pickups typically from bridge pickup to neck pickup. The bridge pickup needs to have increased output compensation because of it's handicapped position next to the bridge. Graduated sets have more or less balanced output levels from all pickups.
Harmonic
The multiplying of the fundamental frequency of a sine wave. Example; Assuming a 100Hz fundamental then 200, 400, 800, 1.6KHz, 3.2KHz etc etc would all be harmonics. Guitarists often refer to string harmonics. These are node points along the length of the string (Eg right above the 12 fret) where the first harmonic of the fundamental coincide and the string will divide into multiple sections with each section vibrating at it's own resonant frequency but the total string section is completely devoid of the fundamental. Playing a harmonic does not require the string to be fretted, the mere touch of a finger tip at the right node point is enough to prevent the fundamental from sounding but allow the harmonic to sound.
Hot Pickup
The more output that is derived from a pickup the hotter it is said to be. Usually gained at the expense of clarity and transparency.
Hum
The 60Hz noise reproduced by pickups that originates in mains wiring and appliances powered from mains supply. Unlike Buzz, Hum can be very effectively cancelled by a hum-cancelling pickup. Buzz can only be minimized with shielding in the wiring cavities of the guitar. See also Buzz & Noise .
The clever arrangement of 2 coils of a pickup to cancel hum whereby both coils produce an equal hum voltage in opposite phase (or directions) thus leading to complete cancellation. When there is residual hum the noise voltage of the coils is not equal (most regular side-by-side humbuckers). Many people are confused by the term 'humbucker' and use the term losely. Verticle humbuckers (or noiseless single pole pickups) are vastly different to side-by-side humbuckers of the Gibson genre which have 2 sets of poles sensing the strings. Noiseless Single pole pickups have only 1 set, thus their descriptive name. When I applied the verticle technique to single pole pickups I made the noise sensing coil very different to the string sensing coil with less than half the coil winds and with larger wire, while maintaining equal noise levels in each coil. This assymetrical departure from previous symetrical humbucking coil technique results in sound much less effected by the second coil. If one shorts out (or bridges or disconnects) the noise sensing coil of a Kinman pickup the sound stays the same. This demonstrates the huge difference between this type and regular side-by-side humbuckers.
To be more precise perhaps Kinman's should be known as 'Asymetric Verticle Humbuckers'.
Hum cancelling
same as for Humbucker but can also refer to active circuitry designed to eliminate hum by deploying a dummy coil but with the considerable disadvantages of active circuits and onboard battery.
Hx
Hx an acronym for Hum Cancelling. H is for the hum and the X means deleted or cancelled. Hx is printed on Kinman pickups as part of the Logo since all Kinman pickups are hum cancelling.
Impedance
The impediment placed on the flow of alternating current in a circuit such as a coil and varies with the frequency of the current. Measured in Ohms. Being frequency dependent it is often stated like 'XOhms at 1KHz'.
When 2 coils or pickups are connected in such a way that their outputs have the same polarity. ie the forward pulse of the EMF is in the same direction. Contrary to what many understand switch positions 2 and 4 of a Strat and the Middle position of a Tele are 'in phase' sounds. See Out of phase .
Inductance
or Inductivity. The measure of efficiency of a coil to generate an electric current at a given frequency. Measurement unit is Henrys. The magic number for non-noiseless Strat pickups is 2.4 Henrys.
Insulation
The ability of a film such as varnish or plastic to prevent the conduction of an electric current to adjacent conductors in close proximity. Quality is usually defined by voltage level before arcing occurs. See Dielectric coating
The term applied to the amount of electrical or sonic energy outputted from a pickup or amplifier. See Output Level .
Magnet aging An erroneous belief that old pickups sound aged due to degaussing of their magnets. Contrarily, old pickups often exhibit as much magnetism as a new pickup. See Aged Tone and Degaussing .
The gap or distance between the top of the magnet or (pole piece) and the underside of the string associated with it. Adjustable by means of the pickup mounting screw. Closer for brighter, louder sound. Further away for duller, lower output sound. See also Stratitis .
Magnet strength The attractive force of a magnet, often measured in Gauss.
Magnetic field
The invisible force or field radiating from a magnet that attracts material objects with iron or nickel content, or an electro magnetic field generated by a coil with a DC or AC current applied.
or Permanent Magnets. There are three basic types [or groups] of magnets according to their composition. (1) The metal based variety such as Alnico that, by their very nature, influence the behaviour of induction in any string sensing coil, and which I correctly call TONE magnets. Alnico tone is the original Fender and Gibson sound.(2) The non-metallic variety such as Ferrite that, because they are non-metallic, have absolutely no influence over the induction behaviour of a string sensing coil. And quite correctly I call these TONELESS magnets for that reason.(3) Rare Earth type: such as Samarium Cobalt. These are metal but have very different properties to Alnico because they can not be used as stand alone magnets like Alnico can. Samarium Cobalt magnets are extremely powerful and by necessity must be limited in physically size to reduce the attractive force. That means using a steel collector to lessen the magnetic intensity. As soon a steel is introduced in the core of the coil the pickup behaves very much like one with ferrite magnets.Alnico magnets are necessarily made of a mix of various metals (an alloy) in various ratios that determine the resulting magnetic properties such as magnetic strength. Generally in the lower range of magnetic strength when compared to rare-earth and ferrite magnets. Alnico-2 : (Anisotropic; means not particularly directional in field pattern) An older magnetic material composed of Aluminum, nickel and cobalt and of course Iron. Relatively low in attraction strength compared to modern day magnets. An oldie but goodie in guitar pickup technology. Alnico-3 : I believe similar to Alnico 2 but a bit more magnetic peformance. Alnico-5 : (Isotropic; means very directional in field pattern) A more modern, higher strength magnetic alloy that is an industry standard in guitar pickups. In single coil pickups it gives rise to Stratitis and shorter sustain but does have some desirable sonic characteristics.
Bar magnet : Often used in Gibson type side-by-side humbuckers but occasionally in single coils as well (eg Fralin steel pole pickups) Rod magnet : A magnet in the form of a solid cylinder (or Rod) such as used in Fender single coils.
Samarium Cobalt : A very modern high-tech *rare earth* magnet of impressive strength. These were originally designed to increase the efficiency of electric motors and such. Because these magnets must be buffered by a steel collector they do not influence the induction properties of a string sensing coil, but the steel does much to the detriment to the sound. In my opinion there is no useful place for Samarium Cobalt magnets in musical instrument pickups. Alnico does a better job in every valued example.
Ceramic, Ferrite or Barrium Ferrite : Another rare earth magnet, but not as powerful as Samarium Cobalt. Part of the group of TONELESS magnets because there is no metal to conduct electrical currents within the molecular structure of the material.....as there is in Alnico.
The cover of a pickup when formed from metal such as Brass or Nickel-Silver. Allows Eddy Current to flow that reduces level, attack, brightness, transient response, dynamic range with consequent dull tone. Side-by-side Humbuckers and Tele neck pickups sound louder and brighter with the metal covers removed. Also see Plastic Cover .
When a microphone feeds back the regenerative sound is very high pitched and gets very loud thus the term microphonic. Guitar pickups do the same thing if the coil is not wax potted or any part is not mounted securely. See Wax potting .
Midrange
Any frequency in the audio spectrum between 500Hz and 2kHz. Below 500Hz is considered to be Bass and above 2Khz is treble.
Noise (EMI) < Electro magnetic Interference. The magnetically propagated hum reproduced by pickups that originates in mains wiring or appliances. Typically 60Hz. See Humbucking and Noiseless .
Noise (RFI) Radio Frequency Interference. Noise that is propagated by means of radio frequency transmission. May be of many and varying frequencies such as interference from international-combustion-engine ignition systems, radio transmitters, electric power tools and static produced by arcing of switch contacts etc. See shielding . Noise cancelling See Noiseless, below.
Often referring to a single coil (or single pole, to be more precise) type pickup that has a 98% capability to cancel externally generated hum. Some people will loosely call these noiseless pickups but Kinman prefers to describe them correctly as Zero-Hum pickups. That's because there are 2 types of noise, Hum which is cancelled in the pickup and Buzz which can only be minimized by shielding the wiring cavities.
Non-wound string Usually the 3 strings on the treble side of the fretboard on a guitar are of the non-wound type. That is they are a single filament of steel that is smooth to the touch, not rough as a wound string is. See also Wound string .
Ohms The measurement unit of resistance to the flow of an electric current through a conductor. Measured in Ohms (O)
When 2 pickups or coils are connected in such a way that the current flows are in opposite directions and tend to cancel one another they are said to be out of phase. Position 2 and 4 of a Strat switch is not out of phase, in fact quite the opposite…they are in-phase. Out of phase sounds consist of very little bass, dominate mids and highs with a characteristic 'nasal, honky' sound and have a much lower level. Also see In-phase .
Output level The amount of voltage outputted from an electrical transducer or pickup. Typically example is 100 mv (milli-volts). Can be varied by adjustment of pickups. See Magnet/string gap and Level .
Output socket
the best ones are made by Switchcraft (USA). Cheap nasty ones let the plug drop out and make terrible static noises as the guitar player moves about. Should be replaced at least every 2 years. Often mistakenly referred to as "Inputs".
When the input of the amplifier is driven beyond it's clean capability into distortion. Happens when a sine wave from a pickup slams into the transient limits of the amplifier and takes on a square wave-form. Pickups do not distort, only an active circuit can. The rated power output of an amplifier (usually measured just before distortion occurs) multiplies with heavy distortion hence the need for excessive speaker power-rating. See Distortion .
Paperweight
A guitar salesperson's term for an unpopular model that is nearly impossible to sell.
Parallel When position 2 or 4 is selected on a Strat selector switch two pickups are switched on and said to be connected in parallel and in-phase. The sound becomes hollow and delicate, devoid of quack and with a drop in level. Mark Knopfler made this his trademark sound. Also see In-phase .
Passive pickup
One that consists solely of magnet/s and coil/s with no included battery powered active electronics. All the great old pickups are passive. Has the disadvantage that cable capacitance can modify the sound somewhat but the organic sound and feel far outweigh this.
Assuming you understand the concept of wave forms (as in sine wave)…it's the relationship between two (or more) such waves. In guitars they either oppose one another (being out of phase) or are in phase (in synchronous). To put it another way it's when the polarity of two pickups (or coils) either match or oppose one another. Eg, in phase or 180 degrees out of phase (180 degrees being opposite to 360 or Zero degrees). When in-phase series connection the wave forms add their energy together for increased level while out-of-phase wave-forms subtract from one another to decrease level.
Pickup
An electrical device, in it's simplest form, consisting of a coil of wire wrapped around a set of permanent magnets so designed to induce an analogue electrical signal corresponding to the string vibrations in the coil by vibrating the magnetic field with the strings. See also Humbucker and Noiseless .
Because plastic is magnetically transparent and electrically non-conductive it is an ideal material for the cover of pickups. Covers not only contribute to the look of a guitar but also protect the delicate pickup coils from sweat and mechanical damage. Also see Aged covers and Metal Cover
Pot
Potentiometer; a variable resistance device for controlling electrical currents that works by increasing or decreasing the resistance in the path of the current, and shunting unwanted currents to ground. Also see Tone pot .
"A" curve means Audio curve. A special taper because the human hearing system responds to sound pressure level on a log curve, not in a linear fashion. "A" curve Tone and Volume pots are necessary for guitars to get the right increase (or swell) of level change per given rotation of the knob. Same is true in reverse for the Tone pot.
P-90
Excellent single coil pickup in the Gibson family. Great tone due to the presence of 2 Alnico bar magnets but terribly noisy. Easily recognized by it's centralized 6 adjustable steel screw pole pieces and rectangle plastic cover, often cream in color in the soapbar variety or Black in the dog-ear veriety. Has 2 opposing Alnico bar magnets lying flat underneath the coil that impart a double dose of Alnico tone into the coil. Resonates at a lower frequency that Strat pickups therefore has a chunky tone. Extremely difficult to cancel hum from and retain an authentic (punchy/bright) tone.
Q factor
Q is an electrical parameter that indicates how un-damped a resonator is and characterizes a coil’s (resonator) frequency bandwidth relative to its resonant frequency. Has a direct impact on dynamic range, attack and output level. Of paramount importance in producing Trademark sound. EG Fender Strat sound is mostly defined with the magic number of 2.5. See also Dynamic Range and Attack & Air in the Sonic section.
Radius setting
The configuration of magnet lengths arranged to approximately coincide with the arc of the strings that is reflecting the radius of the fretboard for the purpose of achieving balanced outputs from the various strings. See RADIUS page. Severely mismatching Radii of fretboard and magnets can result in offensive string output imbalance.
Resistance
The force opposing the flow of a (DC) electric current through a conductor. Unit is Ohms. Eg where 'K' is a thousand 250KOhms = 250,000 ohms.
RMS
An acronym for 'Root Mean Square'. The accurate and unexaggerated power rating of an amplifier or speaker. Other units such as 'peak power' are used by some unscrupulous manufacturers to embellish their products beyond their actual capability.
RW/RP
Reverse Wound coil and Reverse magnetic Polarity. Not to be confused with the quack sounds of position 2 and 4 which do not require it, RW/RP is used as a hum cancelling arrangement between 2 pickups and works like a humbucking pickup. The coils are in-phase sonically but because they are out of phase with respect to externally generated noise (hum) the hum is cancelled/neutralized inside the coils. Applied to a Strat it works only in switch positions 2 and 4. Kinman AVn pickups are hum cancelling in their own right so this is not an option that has to be considered for noise free performance over the entire pickup selection.
Seattle Tuxedo
A clean flannel shirt; because the residents of Seattle are so comfortably casual.
Sensitivity
Another word for dynamic range. This term refers to the amount of electrical output for a given energy input. The more sensitive a pickup is the more output it will deliver for a given pick stroke. Q is another synonym.
When two coils or pickups are connected together end to end much like the batteries in an electrical appliance where the voltage is the addition of the individual cells (ie 1.5 + 1.5 = 3).
The geometric and distance relationship between neck relief, string height, pickup adjustment and bridge settings of a guitar. Every guitar should have one yearly performed by a good quality guitar tek.
A grounded conductive coating of copper foil OR graphite (or Nickel or Silver) paint that is applied to the walls and floor of the cavities of an electric guitar that house electrical components to prevent RFI (noise) from entering the wiring and electrical parts. Shielding does not reduce hum from pickups, only static type noise. See also Noise (RFI).
Shielded cable
Connecting a noiseless pickup to the controls with unshielded single conductor wires can contribute noise to the sound. I use shielded cable to prevent unwanted noise entering the system. See also Noise (RFI).
Sidewinder
A type of hum cancelling pickup Invented by Seth Lover circa 1955 and used in Fralin's noiseless P-90 and Lace's Holy Grail (Strat and P-90). Unfortunately this design is dysfunctional, it has a fatal technical flaw and cancels string signal almost as much as hum signal in the same way as common Stacks do. This can be easily proved by reversing the connections of one coil which improves sound and volume dramatically but this re-arrangement does not cancel hum. People who make these things simply do not understand basic Electrical Engineering principles, so just what are they doing making pickups? PS Bill Lawrence claimed to have invented the Sidewinder during his mid 60’s tenure at Gibson. But US Patent 2896491 by Seth Lover dated 1955 discloses the truth.
Shorted turns
When the insulation coating of copper winding wire breaks down and allows current to jump across from one turn to another (or to the pole piece) to avoid taking the correct path around the bobbin. Can have a drastic consequence in sound quality and output.
Single coil
The simplest of all pickups. Leo Fenders examples have a great sound but have the annoying problem that they act as an antenna for (EMI) hum often driving musicians to insanity whilst recording and playing loud. Some have even been known to smash their guitars with frustration. Can also refer to Noiseless single coils even though these invariably have 2 coils but have the outward appearance of true single coils. To be precise these should be known as noiseless single pole pickups... see next entry.
Single pole
Another term for single coil but can also describe a particular type of hum cancelling pickup of the verticle type.
Sorcerer's Apprentice syndrome
When every problem you solve causes two or more more problems to appear.
Staggered poles
The array of different length magnets arranged to approximately follow the camber of the strings as dictated by the arch of the fretboard.
(Strat-itis is simultaneous multiple discordant frequency syndrome). Dirty or rusty strings can also cause this but many players know this horrible phenomena is caused by excessively strong magnets in the pickups; here's how it works. What happens is the magnets of the pickups pull a section of the string (the part that's over the pickups) into a U shaped vibration path. Normally the strings vibrate in what is essentially a single-plane path or horizontal pattern. Lets say that the time taken for a string (not subjected to excessive magnet pull) to complete one cycle or oscillation is X milliseconds. Traveling in a U shaped path it actually takes longer to complete one cycle or oscillation since the distance is greater via a U shaped path, so the time is X + Y milliseconds. Now it's getting clear that what you have is a string that has a section of it's length vibrating in a U shaped path and part of the remaining section traveling in a direct single-plane path and yet other sections traveling at all frequencies between these two extremes. This means that the three sections are actually vibrating at many different frequencies when the string should be vibrating uniformly at a single frequency. What happens when you mix all these different frequencies together? Uggghhh, dissonant Stratitis that's what! It's bad enough hearing 2 non-harmonious notes coming from a single string, but when you get multiple dissonant frequencies (or notes) being produce simultaneously from a single string the results are absolutely horrendous. A string that's out of tune with itself no less, big time. That is what regular Strat pickups do; the excessively strong magnets also cause the strings to crash into the frets resulting in buzzes and rattles and loss of sustain. See also Magnets -Alnico-5.
String rattle
If the string heights (action) are set too low they will crash into the frets causing a very unpleasant sound, but if used skillfully can add certain desirable effects to ones playing. Also see Set-up .
The control (Variable Resistor or VR) that uses a capacitor to simultaneously alter the resonance and attack of a pickup resulting in a dull lifeless tone if used excessively. "A" curve pots are mandatory for these controls. See Pot curve also Tone Workshop > Perfect Guitar page.
Transient response
Same as Dynamic range.
Turns count
The number of turns of copper wire wrapped around a pickups bobbin (former). Typically 8,300 for an early 1960's Strat pickup.
Virtuoso
The greatest, most creative and most admired of players. Inspiring and exciting to listen to. Jimi Hendrix, SRV and Eric Johnson for examples.
Wire gauge
The diameter or thickness of the copper wire used in the winding of pickup coils (and other electrical appliances).
The coating applied over copper wire to prevent shorted turns or short circuits in pickup coils.
Enamel : A dark coating used to coat and insulate the copper conducting wire used in various guitar pickups (not my favorite). Very difficult to remove from the wire for soldering.
Formvar : A gold colored insulating coating for copper wire used in Fender Strat pickups of the 1950's and 1960's (amongst others). This is the coating responsible for the favored sound of the legendary Stratocaster. Seems to have magic properties. If it's not wound with Formvar then it's not a authentic reissue. However Formvar is a low grade coating, really quite shitty compared to Polyurethane. It degrades over time causing the Aged effect.
Polyurethane : A modern and convenient coating for copper wire. Handy since it is easily removed from the wire by the heat of a soldering iron. Results in excellent sonic properties.
Warble
Often associated with Stratitis however there is another kind of warble (sounds like flying razor blades or a chain-saw) that occurs mainly a plain G string and sometimes on othert plain strings. The severity of this warble seems is connecteds to the degree amount of midrange scoop the pickup has, more scoop means more warble. It's cause remains a mystrey but I hypotethize there are naturally occuring warbling tones in every string but midrange complexity masks it over. That's why the warbling appears worse when the midrange is very scooped transparent. It is very difficult to get rid of since it is not related to proximity of magnets to strings.
Removing the tiny pockets of air trapped within the coil of a guitar pickup and replacing them with wax. Necessary for good coil performance and for preventing microphonic whistle at high levels. All Kinman pickups are wax potted under heat and extreme vacuum to 98% of complete impregnation. Also see Microphonic .
Wirogram
The diagrammatic representation (drawing) of the circuit of a collection of electrical components and connecting wires. For example the wiring of three pickups, volume and tone pots, selector switch and output socket of a typical Stratocaster or Telecaster shown on the PDF files on my Install Guide page.
Wolfe Tones
See Stratitis.
Usually the 3 strings on the bass side of the fretboard on a guitar are of the wound type. That is they have a coil of small gauge wire wrapped around the core of the string. They are a bit rough to the touch and can cause a 'zing' sound when fingers slide up or down a string. Bo Diddley used this sound to great effect on the opening line of his song called 'Roadrunner'. See also non-wound string .
Xylaphone
Not one of the guitar family so won't be discussed here but just had to have an X in here somewhere.
Scatter wound
Scatter winding is a highly organized form of coil winding with cotton covered wire originally designed for Radio Frequency coils used in vintage Vacuum Tube Radio’s. See picture below. It was developed in the early 1900’s to minimize capacitance in the Pico farad region which adversely affect Radio frequencies in the 1000+ KHz band. The impact on audio frequencies is non existent or not audible. The so called scatter winding in guitar pickups is really nothing more than random, haphazard traversing of the wire as it is fed onto the rotating bobbin. The term is used by unscrupulous pickup makers solely for marketing purposes to make their products more alluring. See >Blogs >Myth’s Busted.