How scoring works
A score is how close two pickups are on the specs we can compare, from 0 to 100.
1. Only pickups that fit the same slot
Same format (humbucker, Strat single-coil, P-90…), same position unless one fits either, same string count, and active only against active.
2. Compare the specs that shape the sound
| Spec | Share | What it captures |
|---|---|---|
| Inductance | 33% | Output, and where the treble peak lands. Measured with an LCR meter; the median when there are several readings. |
| DC resistance | 19% (fallback) | Used for output only when one pickup has no inductance reading. Less reliable: it also depends on wire gauge. |
| Magnet | 19% | From warm and smooth (Alnico 2) to punchy and aggressive (ceramic). |
| Coil | 15% | Single coil or hum-cancelling. |
| Brightness | 11% | Treble from the maker's tone chart, or their resonant peak when comparing within one brand. |
| Mids | 11% | Midrange from the maker's tone chart. |
| Bass | 11% | Low end from the maker's tone chart. |
3. Tone charts across brands
Every maker grades its own chart on its own scale. Within a brand we compare charts directly. Across brands we compare each pickup to its maker's average ("brighter than a typical DiMarzio") and count it at 75% weight, because a maker's lineup skews its own average.
4. Missing specs count against the match
A spec we can't compare counts as a typical difference (0.35on a 0–1 scale), never as a perfect match. That's what the confidence meter shows: the share of all the specs above that we could actually compare.
5. Checked against players
Our tests hold the scorer to comparisons players have made on forums: pairs they call close must outscore pairs they call different. Where specs can't explain what players hear, like two pickups with matching numbers that sound nothing alike, we record it as a known gap rather than bending the weights. See the quotes.