Abstract: An electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments has at least one bobbin mountable to the instrument beneath the instrument's strings, each of the bobbins having a body and a coil wrapped around the body, the body having one or more holes therethrough positioned below the strings. A magnetic device for generating a magnetic field around the bobbins and one or more pole pieces extended through the holes is also included. Ferromagnetic material is positioned within the body of one or more of the bobbins or between the bobbin(s) and the musical instrument to increase the device's inductance.

Abstract: An electromagnetic pickup for a stringed musical instrument has an upper bobbin having an upper bobbin body and an upper bobbin coil of wire wrapped around the upper bobbin body; a lower bobbin positioned below and coaxial to the upper bobbin, the lower bobbin having a lower bobbin body and a lower bobbin coil of wire wrapped around the lower bobbin body, the bodies mountable on the instrument proximate and below the strings, the coils having axes perpendicular to the strings; an integral plate of ferromagnetic material including a base disposed between the upper bobbin and lower bobbin perpendicular to the coil axis and two side walls extending upwardly and perpendicularly from the base; and a magnetic system extending through at least the upper bobbin body and in contact with the base of the integral plate for generating a magnetic field around the bobbins, wherein the side walls include a cut-away area positioned below one or more of the ferromagnetic strings.

Abstract: An electromagnetic pickup for stringed musical instruments has a primary bobbin having an elongated body with holes for receiving at least one pole piece or magnet and a coil of wire wrapped around the elongated body. At least one magnet is positioned in close proximity to the primary bobbin to create a magnetic field around the primary bobbin. In addition, the pickup includes a secondary bobbin having a body significantly smaller than that of the primary bobbin; a coil of wire is wrapped around the smaller body. The secondary, or hum-cancelling, bobbin is positioned in close proximity to the primary bobbin solely to cancel an audible hum caused by a power supply used in the amplification equipment and/or other environmental sources.

Abstract: An electromagnetic pickup for a stringed musical instrument has an elongated permanent magnet associated with a plurality of pole pieces to establish a magnetic field in which the strings vibrate. The strength of the magnetic field is reduced a desired amount to achieve pleasing tonal quality, by providing a gap in the magnetic circuit between the magnet and the pole pieces. The gap is established by supporting the pole pieces in a retainer bar of non-magnetizable material at predetermined distances from its edge and assembling the elements such that the edge of the retainer bar abuts the adjacent pole face of the magnet. Alternatively, a pole piece with a reduced diameter end may be retained relative to its respective magnet pole face so as to provide an air gap therebetween. Both dual and single bobbin embodiments are described.

Abstract: An electromagnetic pickup device for use in an electrical string musical instrument comprises a first coil portion having an upper surface and carrying a plurality of spaced apart magnetic pole pieces, a second coil portion having an upper surface and carrying a like plurality of spaced apart magnetic pole pieces, each of the strings being operatively associated with a pair of pole pieces, one of the pair on each of the coil portions, each of the strings having a resting position and the central vertical axes of the pair of magnetic pole pieces associated with at least one string lying in a plane which intersects the string. An electrical string musical instrument comprising the electromagnetic pickup device of this invention produces a timbre or tonal quality which is more natural and pleasing to the ear than that produced by an electrical string musical instrument employing a conventional dual coil pickup device.

Abstract: A transducer for a stringed musical instrument includes a pair of coils mounted adjacent each string of the instrument. The coils have substantially the same number of turns of electrically conducting wire wound thereon, and the wires constituting the coils are of different gauges.

Abstract: An electrical pickup device for a stringed musical instrument having ferromagnetic strings comprises a pair of superposed coaxial bobbins, each axially wound with a coil having its axis perpendicular to the instrument strings. An integral plate of magnetic material is provided comprising a base disposed between the two bobbins perpendicular to the coil axis and two side walls extending upwardly and perpendicularly from the base to at least immediately below the top face of the upper bobbin. A plurality of rod-like permanent magnets extend through at least the upper coil parallel to the axis thereof and contact the base of the integral plate and the magnets have like polarities at the tops thereof.