Pickup Combinations

This section is an exercise in picturing all the possible combinations of pickups.  The column on the left is the pickup combinations (neck, middle, and bridge positions) and on the right is an example, where one exists, of a guitar with that combination.


Key
N = Neck    X = Nothing
M = Middle    S = Single coil*
B = Bride    H = Humbucker*
*Note: This refers to the appearance of the pickup, not necessarily the electronics.  Many single-coil sized humbuckers are available.  Conversely, some cheaper guitars house single-coils inside metal humbucker cases.

NMB    Example(s)
XXX    electro-acoustics (piezo bridges), Variaxe
XXS    Fender Esquire, some travel guitars, etc.
XXH    Van Halen's Kramer 5150 model, Strikers, etc.
XSX    Silvertone's Danelectro-style model
XSS     ---
XSH    Alvarez Scoop, some other models with >24 frets
XHX     ---
XHS     ---
XHH     ---
SXX    Archtop jazz guitars
SXS    Telecaster (standard), Danelectro
SXH    Custom Tele, some Jackson models, Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat
SSX     ---
SSS    Stratocaster (standard)
SSH    "Fat" Strat, Steinberger GM
SHX     ---
SHS     ---
SHH    Alembic Tribute
HXX    Archtop jazz guitars (see my D'Angelico New Yorker, for example)
HXS     ---
HXH    Les Pauls and many, many other models (e.g., Godin, Gretsch guitars, etc.)
HSX     ---
HSS     ---
HSH    most Ibanez models, modern Steinberger GM-style models
HHX     ---
HHS     ---
HHH    Les Paul Black Beauty


Copyright Alexplorer.
Home