The main factor for the difference in sound between the bridge and neck positions is the movement of the strings above the guitar pickups in those positions.
This is something you can easily observe when you use the bridge pickup and hear the treble content increase and the volume decrease. You can feel the strings stiffen and become less mobile the closer to the bridge that you play.
As the string moves away from the anchor point in the bridge and increases in elasticity, there is an increase in volume and bass, because the string has potential for greater movement.
What Is The Difference Between A Bridge And A Neck Pickup On An Electric Guitar? Does It Matter Which One Is Used In Which Position?
For this reason, each pickup needs to be manufactured for its correct position. Using bridge pickups in the neck position can result in a much louder output than desired.
Fans of single pickup guitar sounds sometimes argue that they can sound better than electric guitars with two or more pickups and share various opinions on why this might be the case.
One theory is that having one less magnet affecting the strings allows the strings to vibrate more freely. Another is that the lack of the cavity/wiring space for the second pickup allows the body to resonate better.
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Both of these ideas are very hard to test, but interesting to consider. The tone of an instrument can also be affected by the presence of, and the type of volume/tone controls (not just by turning the volume down, obviously!).
An electric guitar pickup consists of a series of magnets wrapped by fine copper wire. The strings moving in this magnetic field generates a small signal that is then sent via the guitar controls and cable to the amplifier.
Each pickup is calibrated relative to their position of placement in the guitar. The bridge pickup is wound “hotter” (increased windings) to compensate for the lack of movement of strings near the bridge, in an attempt to even out perceived volume differences.
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The neck pickup’s lower resistance and output tend to compensate for its dullness. making it a little brighter. This helps to balance the output of your pickups and make it easier to create the exact guitar tone that you are after.
The construction of the neck and fingerboard will add and alter the harmonics of your guitar. Rosewood slab fingerboards have warmer overtones than maple fingerboards.
The body wood will obviously also make a key difference. Mahogany being warm and ash having higher treble content for example. Pickups will be designed and calibrated to match the tonal design of the instrument.
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If the calibration of each pickup was identical, as was the case in the very first Stratocasters, then there would be a clear difference in volume as you moved from one pickup to the next.
With the bridge pickup being especially quiet. The highest note in a guitar is the high E on the thinnest string at the 24th fret (if you have one!) is 1318Hz.
Pickups are made to be most sensitive about 4 to 8 times higher than this, this is primarily to capture the strong harmonic content which is fundamental to the guitar sound we all know and love.
Seymour Duncan Neck Vs Bridge Pickups
There is also a tonal difference between ceramic and alnico magnets, with some people saying that ceramic pickups have a ‘hotter” sound.
Using a high output ceramic pickup in the bridge and an alnico in neck pickups can give you a guitar that can have a great distorted tone when you use the bridge pickup and a clear clean tone in the neck pickup, but an instrument that can have issues with volume differences.
Why would you use the bridge pickup? If you want that extra bite and twang, then a Telecaster bridge pickup is key.
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Playing on the bridge pickup on any electric guitar will give you a brighter, snappier sound than the neck position, which is typically characterized by higher bass content and warmth.
If you want crunchy clarity for your high gain riffs then the scooped active tone of an EMG 81 is your answer.
Many rock and metal players would play their riffs at the bridge for the added clarity and then use the EQ on the amplifier side.
Bridge Pickup Vs Neck Pickup: What's The Difference? (2023)
If you want a classic jazz tone then a using the neck pickup on a Gibson ES style hollow body is a great start for a classic warm and musical sound.
Many players use the neck pickup for playing solos as the tone can be less shrill than the bridge pickup when playing past the 12th fret.
Using both pickups together can have functional uses as well as musical ones. Both pickups together on a Jazzmaster cancels out the hum you would get using either the single coil neck or bridge position individually.
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Using both pickups on a Telecaster gives you a well balanced and full frequency guitar sound. There are many wiring and combination options when it comes to using two pickups or more.
Pickups can be wired in series or in parallel, in phase or out of phase and even in multiple combinations of neck, middle and bridge depending on the guitar model.
Whatever electric guitar that you own, your selection of pickup is key to expressing the particular musical statement that you want to make.As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.
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When playing an electric guitar there are a lot of components that effect sound. The location of your pickups is near the top of that list! So, neck vs bridge pickups? Which is better?
The answer, like so many things with guitar, is that it depends on what you’re looking for. Both bridge and neck pickups have their benefits and drawbacks, and knowing what you’re looking for in each will help you choose between the two!
The main difference between neck vs bridge pickups is the sound and tone they produce. Neck pickups produce a sound that is warm and smooth that is commonly used for solos and melodies. Bridge pickups sound brighter and sharper and lead to some piercing riffs, lead lines and rhythm.
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While many electric guitars come stock with two or three pickups, there are plenty that still use a single. Single pickup enthusiasts argue that a single pickup is enough to get a range of different sounds that other configurations just don’t have.
The neck pickup is often used for more mellow and softer tones, while the bridge pickup has the tendency to be a bit livelier and brighter.
It is also common to hear that only having one magnet allows the strings to vibrate freely, producing a sound that is more natural and organic. For those who just like the natural tone of a single pickup guitar, there is definitely an argument for it over the more complicated multiple pickup configuration.
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The last benefit to either a neck or bridge pickup in a single pickup guitar is the choice in tone and sound. Each has their own distinct sound, so finding one that you like best will greatly improve your experience with that guitar.
Luckily, the locations of these two pickups is described by their name. If you know a little about your guitar parts, you’ll know where to find them: first, on the body of your guitar; second, near the neck or the headstock.
The location of the neck pickups are right next to the fretboard. On most guitars the neck pickup will be very close to the end of the neck. If the pickup is more than an inch from the base of the neck, you are likely looking at an instrument with a middle pickup.
Neck Vs Bridge Pickup
Bridge pickups on the other hand are installed nearest to the bridge, where there is a magnetic string that tracks the guitar string’s vibration as it moves up and down.
The fact the pickup is so close to the bridge makes the sound it produces much different from the neck, even though they are just a few inches apart.
The bridge pickup generally has a sharp, clear tone that cuts through noise because it is so clear. The pickup is close to the anchor point, so the strings have less time to vibrate. The sound is higher in pitch, too, which makes the sound brighter than that of the neck.
Bridge Vs Neck Pickup (+helpful Tips On When To Use Each)
The bridge pickup is usually used to create rhythms and often in conjunction with the middle pickup to create a rich chord sound. If you goal is simply tonal quality, the bridge pickup is the perfect choice.
Neck pickups tend to produce a much more mellow and well rounded sound than a bridge thanks the the extra vibration and movement of the strings. The sound is warmer which makes the neck pickup perfect for lead lines, melodies and solos.
The sound from a neck pickup is thicker than a bridge pickup, too, due to its placement at the base of the guitar neck. The added thickness of warmth makes up for the lack of pitch as well keeping the notes ringing longer and smoother.
Neck Vs Bridge Pickups
There is no better example of the sound of a neck pickup in action than the opening chords of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns
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