Neck vs Bridge Pickup: EASY Guide

[@ConorRocksYT]

Are you team NECK or BRIDGE? 🎸🤔⬇ Intro 00:00 Why they sound different 00:27 Neck pickup explained 00:49 Bridge pickup explained 01:44 Final thoughts 02:38

[@Jhost90]

Clean, clear, concise, how these videos should be made

[@ConorRocksYT]

Thanks!

[@PaleCentaur]

This is perfect. Everything I needed to know-how they're different, why that happens, and how the difference is useful with examples. 100/100, I'm definitely coming back to this channel for my future guitar questions.

[@ConorRocksYT]

Thanks - glad to have you around! 😊

[@kirktrue938]

Thanks for the explanation. I wouldn’t have thought that the subtle difference in vibration would have such a noticeable effect.

[@ConorRocksYT]

Happy to help! 😊

[@PonchoWylin]

Super clean & concise, thank you!

[@ConorRocksYT]

Thanks! 😊

[@petset77]

Well put. Another thing is that many bridge pickups have slightly wider pole spacing to match string spacing. Most electric guitars have a wider bridge than nut (head end of the neck for newbie viewers), and keeping magnetic poles under the strings as much as possible keeps thing efficient and balanced, just as staggered height poles come into play if the neck radius is smaller. Thanks for your video.

[@Raptor14v]

this is exactly what i needed thank you

[@FEDAfrotek]

Thanks, very quick and concise

[@nokieeeeee]

Neck Pickup - Frank Sinatra Bridge Pickup - Axl Rose

[@ConorRocksYT]

👆

[@ryanpatrick3567]

Super helpful vid thank you. I play highly distorted heavy metal and always wondered why I exclusively use the bridge. This explains it

[@ConorRocksYT]

Thanks Ryan, glad I could help! 😊

[@IAMSCIENTISTS]

Deliciously precise explaination. Thanks.

[@billymac6233]

Thank you for this info, Conor. It was helpful. One thing I didn't understand, however. You said for crunchier chords - like in metal, the bridge it good. But then you also said that with distortion the bridge pickup is good. I thought these conflicted a bit. Can you - or someone - better explain? Thanks!!

[@theo313_]

On my Tele, I almost exclusively use the bridge pickup for rhythmic chords and solos and mostly run it clean/overdriven. On my SG, I prefer the neck pickup for the fat lead sounds and for filler chords under distortion/fuzz. It's definitely a bit of a single coil vs. humbucker issue at play there too.

[@hilla42]

great vid!

[@jasonmorrissey9921]

Really helpfull,subbed

[@SawdustFilms]

what about using both?? any cons to that?

[@ConorRocksYT]

There's no problem with using both! Most guitars with two humbuckers (like a Les Paul) will let you use both at the same time and blend them together!

[@hermanodejesus7264]

Thanks man 🎸🎸🎸

[@Niwweleg]

what about the middle position? Both pickups like with humbuckers/coil split humbuckers

[@Niwweleg]

great vid btw. Liked and subscribed

[@ConorRocksYT]

Thanks! The middle position is fine to use, you get to blend both together! 😊

[@Niwweleg]

@@ConorRocksYT thx for the answer

[@LaughingboyMox]

Hi there. I have a Yamaha 311ms. I am an enthusiastic amateur. And only play at home. However although the pick ups with the 311ms are OK, even my Amateur discerning ear can tell I could get better sounds with better pick ups . I love a bright jangly chime like top. Influences: echo and the bunnymen, teardrop explodes, the doors, can, Floyd, garage 60s sound. So..any advice what

[@ConorRocksYT]

For a more jangly sound, I'd say the bridge pickup is the way to go! For an Echo and the Bunnymen/Pink Floyd sound - I think adding a bit of chorus and reverb would really work.

[@mr-nr4td]

The three pickups are all the same pickup and if wound to similar impedence, nterchangeable without changing the tone. The neck/middle/bridge sound comes from the node in the harmonic scale under which it is placed. Swap locations with the neck and bridge pickup.and they will each sound just like the other did before the swich...very little difference if any at all. A Strat pickup is a Strat pickup and will sound like it should regardless of where it is insatalled.. Underwound or overwound does not affect the character of voice in bridge , middle, or neck terms, only strength of signal. If one is wound hotter,, its location should be where you want the hotter output level,.

[@shadowminister4090]

I have a 2nd hand '98 Squier Affinity Strat. I find the Neck too dull and yuk. The Bridge is too bright. I just use the Bridge & Middle combination. Neither Tone knobs work, so that doesn't help. 😅 Yeah, I should replace them. I've played it at church a few times, but really prefer my acoustic. I've concluded that for a simple guy, 5 pickup options might be 4 too many 😂.

[@ConorRocksYT]

Oh no, sorry to hear that! If you're handy with a soldering iron, it's a pretty easy job to fix the knobs! Better yet, if you don't like the sound of your pickups - you could replace the lot with a loaded pickguard - which is an even easier job! But I agree, sometimes it's easier to have fewer options! 😊

[@darkmatter1929]

I have a Jackson Dinky with Humbucker pickups. I noticed that the bridge pickup is noticeably lower in volume compared to the Neck pickup. Is it normal? I tried adjusting the neck pickup height, but it did not make any difference. If I crank up my volume to compensate for the low output of the bridge pickup, the neck pick up becomes too loud when switching to it. I guess it's not a big problem, but it becomes an issue if you're playing a song that requires switching of pickups. I already scoured the internet and I can't find an explanation for this. I don't have another guitar to compare it with.

[@ConorRocksYT]

Normally they should balance out in volume if you adjust the heights. It could be faulty wiring? Do you have any other issues that cracks, pops, or complete cut outs in volume at times?

[@darkmatter1929]

@@ConorRocksYT No cut outs in volume, it works smoothly when selecting pickups. The only thing I noticed that could be related is the cracking sound when twisting the volume knob.

[@ConorRocksYT]

Can I check, when you lowered the neck pickup did you also raise the bridge? (it is normal for the neck to be louder) The cracking might be related, but it could just be a dusty volume pot. I'd say start with cleaning the volume pot (using some switch cleaner) - if it's still cracking *and* you still have a large difference in volume between the pickups, then *could* be a faulty pot - they're very easy to replace yourself. But, it might be a good idea to take it to your local guitar store to get them to diagnose what's causing the uneven volume (it could be a few things like the pickups themselves, wiring, grounding) before buying a new pot and switching it out.

[@maxsno]

Oh right , ok sir.