An electromagnetic pickup for a stringed musical instrument incorporating a magnetic structure placed between two elongated collinear coils of opposing polarity. The magnetic structure includes a number of ferromagnetic polepieces that extend through the collinear coils and two ferromagnetic moderator bars adjacent to and on opposite sides of the polepieces (within the area between the two coils) that are charged with one polarity by high coercive permanent magnets attached to the outer surface of the moderator bars.