DC resistance

The electrical resistance of a pickup's coil measured with a direct current, usually quoted in kilo-ohms as a rough guide to its output.

It is popular because it is easy to measure with a multimeter, but it is an imperfect proxy: two pickups with the same reading can sound quite different if they use different wire gauges, magnets or winding patterns. A thinner wire raises resistance for the same number of turns, so a higher figure does not necessarily mean more turns. Used alongside inductance it becomes much more informative, since it is inductance, not resistance, that sets the resonant frequency.

Example: comparing two bridge pickups at 8k and 14k ohms tells you roughly that the second is hotter, but not whether it will sound brighter or darker.

DC resistance

See also