Originally posted by educatedfilm

I dont know why pickups range from like $14 to $150... Anyone explain this difference?

Ed.

Now i aint an expert, but .. the quality of material used in the bobbin- bit the wire goes round- {plastic,crappy plastic,formvar} the type and quality of magnet [Alnico II,Alnico V,cheap korean] the type of wire/ insulation of the wire, type of poll pieces [steel poles,screws,magnetic material] and the expertise in knowing how to put these together - quite apart from the winding [scatter,machine] and thickness of the wire used [giving the output]- are what you really pay for in buying a pickup.

This is apart from calculating resonant peaks,etc.

See Seymour Duncan for this.

The last link in my earlier post gives loads of detail, and i wish i'd found it months ago..

Makes you think that they are not so expensive in the end :)

Ok,this is a bit basic and i know you know some of this stuff, - but that's why i think they vary.

Basically due to what kind of sap is winding it, a good designer or a poor underpaid asian feller.