Beauchamp Single coil guitar pickup

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in mid-1920s george beauchamp, los angeles, california guitarist, began experimentation electric amplification of guitar. using phonograph pickup assembly, beauchamp began testing many different combinations of coils , magnets hoping create first electromagnetic guitar pickup. wound earliest coils using motor out of washing machine, later on switching sewing machine motor, , using single coiled magnets.

beauchamp backed in efforts adolph rickenbacker, engineer , wealthy owner of successful tool , die business. beauchamp produced first successful single coil pickup. pickup consisted of 2 massive u shaped magnets , 1 coil , known horseshoe pickup . 2 horseshoe-shaped magnets surrounded strings passed on single core plate (or blade) in center of coil.