Guitar pickups

Pickups sense different tones produced along different lengths of a string. Most guitars will have two pickups but some have three or more. In a two-pickup setup, one pickup sits close to the neck and the other sits close to the bridge.

• Single-coil pickup: Produces a bright sound, but may experience some interference in concert venues.
• Humbucker: Produces a darker sound than a single-coil pickup, cuts down on hum, and works well in concert venues.

Make sure the guitars you look at include a switch as well as a volume and tone control for each pickup. The switch allows you to choose between pickups or blend them.

source : pages.ebay.com