Pickguard VS Direct Mounted Pickups - You wont believe the difference!!

This may be my favorite project to date, and I am so pumped about the results. Such a fun comparison to see the actual sonic effect a pickguard has on the guitar. Both sets of pickups where mounted with neck/middle at 3-4/32s and bridge at 2-3/32s. In hindsight, something else thats super interesting to me it how "louder" the pickups sound with clean tones, but much less "compressed" with the overdrive. My DAW registered the signals at equal dB.

I wanna know what you prefer, and why? Also if you notice anything unsaid, I really wanna hear it!

[bmwmcs]

I may be wrong, but it seems that you are "hearing" the chambering vs a more solid guitar body. A mircophone and a pickup are both transducers but one functions on air compression and the other in the disruption of a magnetic field.

[bramdriessens]

I think its the different pickups where hearing though. You should do the test wi5h the same exact pickups.

[Trashed]

Wow, the difference is huge, really interesting. I'm a metal musician so the direct mounted would be my choise for that tighter sound. The pickguard sounded amazing for clean and overdrive. The pickguard with distortion, had that Eddie Van Halen(RIP, legend) sound to it. Really cool video!

[kerodanalduin]

I didn't expect the difference to be so strong. Personally, I prefer the pickguard sound for the funky samples you play in the beginning, but the more distortion you add, the more I prefer the sound of the direct mount. Maybe that is just how I am used to hearing these kinds of music: Funk = Classic Stratocaster, Metal/Prog = Superstrat type of guitar

[joshuashelton]

Great video. For my style I prefer the pickguard but I would use both of these in the studio depending on what I was trying to achieve.

[donald-parker]

Very interesting but I find it hard to imagine that the difference in sound can be attributed to that one factor. It would be nice to see someone else try to replicate this. Perhaps with more control over the variables. Like exactly same PU in exactly same position and no other changes in the body, strings, picks used, etc. A test with a tele neck PU might be a good example. Most Teles come with the neck PU mounted directly on the body, but it is a pretty easy mod to drill a couple of holes in the pickguard and mount the PU suspended (and it sure makes it easier to adjust PU height). Same PU, in exactly the same position, set at exactly the same height, with the same tone, volume, switch, etc. No other changes at all except how the PU is mounted.

[wongyuwei]

Good info. I didn't even realize this after almost 20 years of playing.
I agree, it makes us more appreciate the guitar we have after understanding them from different angle.
Each guitar is unique to a player. Thanks bro for this research. I like it. :)

[TheQuadLaunchers]

Amazing video. Super easy to follow and helps me a lot with my current build!

[alanst.]

Great eye-opening comparison! I prefer the open and spacious sounding pickguard for cleans and light overdrive and the direct mount for extra articulated, crisp, mud-free distortion. Cheers!

[McChuggah]

I thought I noticed something like this when i got my Strandberg with a pickguard, but hearing it side by side like this makes it so much more apparent. nice video dude

[benjaminklipfel]

Loving the Pickguard Mount sounds over the direct mount...

[michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

a third variable which many guitars have would be on a ring which i imagine has a cross between direct-mount and pickguard tone

[jaypaduadesigns]

Wow stark difference, it sounds livelier with the pickguard. Here’s an idea, try a wooden pickguard, maybe there will be a difference in tone that could make for a good video :)

[keith.loves.lasagna]

Wonderful demonstration. However you should had ommitted the neck pickup since they're completely different

[nanaandbump.]

Hmmm I'm wondering how much of that difference was due to other variables, like the different pickups, pickup positions, and the changes you made to the body with the routing. I've found with audio equipment, even if you have the exact same model of something (in this case your pickups) you will find that they sound different. Even if they are built using the exact same components, in the same factory, on the same day, by the same dude. I'll admit I haven't done much testing on this with pickups, but I would imagine that even if you bought 2 of the same pickup and could somehow devise a perfect test with no other variables being changed, there would still be a noticeable difference between the two. Anywho, there definitely was quite a difference in your comparison, I'm just not sure I would chalk that difference up solely to the mounting. Thanks for sharing regardless

[kermheat]

I think you must use the same guitar and the same pickups to heard real/true difference

[stingylizard]

Thanks for doing all that work n effort! We were pondering this comparison, glad to find your video. Interesting, for sho'. We need the same exact pups to really figure it out, our un-sophisticated ears mostly hear the tonal difference in pickups. Nice playing skills, salute👍

[michalmikolajmaslowski]

Thanks, Keven. The timing of that video is great as I was about to decide about a direct- vs. body-mount pickup in a build that I've resumed, ha ha! Thanks, and yes, the difference is substantial; pickguard mount for me as it sounds fuller and has more body to it; have a great weekend!

[Stage__Entertainment]

Its cool to hear the difference try this with an aluminium pickguard

[marzbitenhaussen]

having the pickups in the pick guard makes the pickups vibrate more with any frequency or movement, I prefer a solid body mounted, for consistency, rigidity and sound, my preference