Abstract: A head or body coil assembly for picking up signals in an MRI system is provided. It includes a band of conductive material which surrounds the specimen to be tested but which forms a gap substantially parallel to the axis of the curved band. An overlapping conductive section overlaps the gap at the adjacent ends to form respective capacitors with these ends. A ground connection in taken off from the overlapping section and a signal output lead is attached to one of the ends. Auxiliary variable capacitors are provided for balancing the system and for tuning it into resonance.