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Re: What effects inductance

9/11/2002 6:53 PM
Doc	Re: What effects inductance Inductance is related to the diameter of the coil, and number of turns in series. If there is a permeable magnetic material at the center of the coil, it increases inductance greatly over that of an air core coil. The basic effect you will notice with guitar pickups, with regard to inductance, is that as the coil's inductance is increased, the peak resonant frequency decreases. More turns on the coil will increase the voltage output, but will at the same time reduce the peak resonant frequency. The pickup will be stronger, but not as bright as a similarly constructed pickup with fewer turns. Chris Kinman seems to be the one who has the best handle on inductance versus overall frequency response & tonality of pickups. The mass of the magnetic core substance (size of the polepiece magnets or iron) greatly affects the pickup's inductance. There seems to be a delicate balance between coil turns, coil geometry, and magnet mass. It's a complex system. A single coil pickup that is fairly narrow & tall (vintage Stratocaster) has a lower inductance and higher resonant frequency, brighter overall tone, than a wider & flatter coil (P90) which has been wound with the same number of turns. Other parameters matter, but this should give you a general feeling for the inductance portion.

9/11/2002 6:53 PM

Doc

Re: What effects inductance

Inductance is related to the diameter of the coil, and number of turns in series. If there is a permeable magnetic material at the center of the coil, it increases inductance greatly over that of an air core coil.

The basic effect you will notice with guitar pickups, with regard to inductance, is that as the coil's inductance is increased, the peak resonant frequency decreases. More turns on the coil will increase the voltage output, but will at the same time reduce the peak resonant frequency. The pickup will be stronger, but not as bright as a similarly constructed pickup with fewer turns. Chris Kinman seems to be the one who has the best handle on inductance versus overall frequency response & tonality of pickups. The mass of the magnetic core substance (size of the polepiece magnets or iron) greatly affects the pickup's inductance. There seems to be a delicate balance between coil turns, coil geometry, and magnet mass. It's a complex system.

A single coil pickup that is fairly narrow & tall (vintage Stratocaster) has a lower inductance and higher resonant frequency, brighter overall tone, than a wider & flatter coil (P90) which has been wound with the same number of turns.

Other parameters matter, but this should give you a general feeling for the inductance portion.

Replies:

Frank DeSalvo Guesstimating the inductance of a l... -- 9/11/2002 10:17 PM