Thanks for the explanation Simon. I was a bit lazy and didn't bother to explore the details of their output number.

I guess I find it frustrating that pickup companies try to quantify the near un-quantifiable (IMO) when it comes to "tone".
I understand how difficult it is to describe sound though, and from a marketing perspective, I suppose they have to come up with something. Which takes me back to the whole DCR thing, and how many people have come to misinterpret it. I was guilty of it too before I knew better.

I like your idea (hypothesis?) of thin metal rods in lieu of strings. I never thought about that. It conjures up all kinds of things in my imagination!