Silver percentage

[NightWinder]

What is the correct percentage of Silver in the baseplates and covers? Obviously this can have an effect on things. Is it just enough to eliminate magnetism?

[WolfeMacleod]

ZERO

[NightWinder]

Really? What are the composites?

[David Schwab]

Wikipedia states:

There are many different formulations of alloys which fall within the general term of "Nickel Silver". All contain copper, nickel and zinc, while some formulations may additionally include antimony, tin, lead or cadmium. A representative industrial formulation (Alloy No.752) is 65% copper, 18% nickel, 17% zinc. In metallurgical science, such alloys would be more properly termed nickel bronze.
Some nickel silver alloys, especially those containing high proportions of zinc, are stainless.
Nickel-silver alloys are commonly named by listing their percentages of copper and nickel, thus "Nickel Silver 55-18" would contain 55% copper, 18% nickel, and 27% other elements, most probably entirely zinc. A two-element alloy may be named for its nickel content alone, thus NS-12 is 88% copper and 12% nickel.

None of the alloys used are magnetic. The cover would have to be of a ferrous metal, such as iron or steel.

[NightWinder]

So, which of the alloy percentages would one want for baseplates. You also mentioned that the cover would have to have ferrous metal,,,,why,,, because of the stretch frrom the punch? Im sooo close to getting things final for these parts (baseplates and covers). I want to make sure i am getting the right metal?

[David Schwab]

So, which of the alloy percentages would one want for baseplates.

I don't know which alloy is used for pickups...

You also mentioned that the cover would have to have ferrous metal,,,,why,,,

No, I was responding to:

Is it just enough to eliminate magnetism?

Nickel Silver is not magnetic, and neither is brass, which is also used for covers.

A steel cover wouldn't work very well.

One quality that you would want is a cover that is less conductive electrically. I think that's why brass covers don't sound as good as nickel silver.

[soundmasterg]

I hate the sound of brass pickup covers and baseplates! YUCK! They suck all the good stuff out and leave all the bad stuff.

[NightWinder]

Can be a Godsend for tele bridges...... Brass has its place, just not in some places

[David Schwab]

Can be a Godsend for tele bridges...... Brass has its place, just not in some places

I like the tone of the brass bridge I have on my tele, but I hated the tone of a brass bridge on my Les Paul. Didn't have enough highs.

I think I want to try Aluminum for bridges at some point.

[NightWinder]

Yeah the teles are a nice touch, but for humbucker base plates, I would vouch that Brass is a BIG no-no. So..... I guess no-one knows the composite balance that most of us are using with N/s baseplates and covers? Schwab, you gotta know something!!

[David Schwab]

I have no idea. I think the problem is many of the covers now are not nickel silver, but might be something else, and nickel plated... or not even nickel plated. Maybe they are some zinc alloy?

I tried to find some info online, but all I see is they were nickel plated nickel silver for the covers. I doubt the base plates were plated.

I have a patent number baseplate around somewhere...

Interestingly, Carvin uses brass for the baseplates, and they are pretty nice sounding pickups.

[NightWinder]

YEah, that polysol and solderon have spikey midhighs and highs, so i would think the brass would soak up some of that for them. Everything has its place!