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Gold Pickup?

Supermaverick
July 25th, 2011, 08:58 PM
I don't believe that gold is more conductive than copper. But if one was to wind a pickup with gold or silver (silver, I believe is more conductive than both) would that do anything other than break the bank. I do have access to silver wire, wanted to see you guys tear my theory apart :) I can always count on you guys to give great and honest advice. So... Is this something that would make a great sounding pickup or just be like a tin can and a piece of string?

Bolide
July 25th, 2011, 09:08 PM
As long as we're talking non-ferous metals, the electons do not "know" what the conductor is, and the difference in resistivity is meaningless at the high impedence (voltage/current ratio) of guitar pickups: the voltages are microscopic meaning the currents are going to be 1/250,000th of microscopic or less. Copper is reasonably priced, reasonably slow to corrode, and easy to solder, making it the stuff of choice.