Ceramic 8 Magnets

[nickc35]

Does anyone know of a magnet supplier that has ceramic 8 magnets in rod form in Strat & Tele style pickup sizes? Do they even exist?

[big_teee]

Does anyone know of a magnet supplier that has ceramic 8 magnets in rod form in Strat & Tele style pickup sizes? Do they even exist?

I've never seen any.
to use Ceramic magnets in single coils, you use steel poles and ceramic bars on the bottom.
IMO the reason no Ceramic rods, you would break them when you seat them in the forbon flatwork.
ceramics are very easily broken.
Maybe others have more info.
Here's an old magnet list by Magnetic hold.
No ceramic rods on there.
Attachment 19450
T

[nickc35]

Well, if they existed, I'd have no problem drilling out the flatwork holes a little bigger and just super-gluing the rods to form the bobbin.


I spent a good couple of hours searching the internet and couldn't find any. I found one site that had ceramic 1 rods but not ceramic 8.

[big_teee]

Well, if they existed, I'd have no problem drilling out the flatwork holes a little bigger and just super-gluing the rods to form the bobbin.


I spent a good couple of hours searching the internet and couldn't find any. I found one site that had ceramic 1 rods but not ceramic 8.

What is the need for the ceramic?
A5 Rods are really bright, and you can get them in the .195 larger size.
Just want to try something different I guess?
T

[nickc35]

What is the need for the ceramic?
A5 Rods are really bright, and you can get them in the .195 larger size.
Just want to try something different I guess?
T

Yeah I'm wanting to experiment with it I guess. It seems lately that there are a lot of young guitarists for which I've been making pickups. They know just enough about pickup construction to think they know it all. (I guess that's typical of most young kids.....I have two teenage sons so I experience it on a weekly basis...LOL) But in general they really have no clue how the tone is affected by the different components of the pickup. They seem to read that hard rock and heavy metal guitarists out there have pickups with ceramic magnets in their guitars. So they want ceramic magnets in their pickups too. Got a request for a single coil vintage LOOKING pickup with ceramic magnets. I told him, that I couldn't do it, magnets are not available in rod form. But I thought I would search to see if they were out there. Now it's mostly just a matter of curiosity for me.

I agree with you too Tee about AlNiCo 5 rods being bright. I just made a couple of humbuckers with rod magnets and they are indeed very bright sounding humbuckers.

[big_teee]

Yeah I'm wanting to experiment with it I guess. It seems lately that there are a lot of young guitarists for which I've been making pickups. They know just enough about pickup construction to think they know it all. (I guess that's typical of most young kids.....I have two teenage sons so I experience it on a weekly basis...LOL) But in general they really have no clue how the tone is affected by the different components of the pickup. They seem to read that hard rock and heavy metal guitarists out there have pickups with ceramic magnets in their guitars. So they want ceramic magnets in their pickups too. Got a request for a single coil vintage LOOKING pickup with ceramic magnets. I told him, that I couldn't do it, magnets are not available in rod form. But I thought I would search to see if they were out there. Now it's mostly just a matter of curiosity for me.

I agree with you too Tee about AlNiCo 5 rods being bright. I just made a couple of humbuckers with rod magnets and they are indeed very bright sounding humbuckers.

I thought most kids played hot Ceramic Humbuckers, like Dimarzio's.
The mini blades have ceramic magnets.
You can make them pretty hot and they fit in the small pick guard hole.
Attachment 19452
In my strat I have a full sized humbucker with Ceramic 8 Magnet, but the one above is not it.
T

[big_teee]

What did you decide on and come up with?
T

[nickc35]

What did you decide on and come up with?
T

Nothing. I'm still hoping someone will comment and post a link to a magnet maker that sell ceramic 8 rods.

[rjb]

Nothing. I'm still hoping someone will comment and post a link to a magnet maker that sell ceramic 8 rods.

I don't know if these exist either- but could you use square bars magnetized across their length? IIR, Byrdland pickups were P-90 configuration with square (steel) poles. It might be a PITA cutting square holes in the forbon. Never mind, just speculating.

[nickc35]

I don't know if these exist either- but could you use square bars magnetized across their length? IIR, Byrdland pickups were P-90 configuration with square (steel) poles. It might be a PITA cutting square holes in the forbon. Never mind, just speculating.

I did kind of think of that and had the same thought about cutting square holes. I think it would be a PITA.

[Joe Gwinn]

I did kind of think of that and had the same thought about cutting square holes. I think it would be a PITA.

Easy if laser cutting.

Otherwise, requires a square punch. Available, but expensive because of the combination of precision and force required.

I'd guess that ceramic rods magnetized lengthwise will not be common, because it wastes magnet material. And round rods are more expensive to make than rectangular rods.

[nickc35]

Easy if laser cutting.

Otherwise, requires a square punch. Available, but expensive because of the combination of precision and force required.

I'd guess that ceramic rods magnetized lengthwise will not be common, because it wastes magnet material. And round rods are more expensive to make than rectangular rods.

Well, maybe I just have to forget about this idea. Oh well.

[David Schwab]

Nothing. I'm still hoping someone will comment and post a link to a magnet maker that sell ceramic 8 rods.

No one makes ceramic rod magnets.

[LtKojak]

Got a request for a single coil vintage LOOKING pickup with ceramic magnets. I told him, that I couldn't do it, magnets are not available in rod form.

Single coil p'ups with ceramic mags are found in all sub $ 50 instruments.

If this design using slugs glued to a ceramic bar in the bottom sounds bad enough, a design using ceramic rods would make matters worse.

If A5 rods are bad enough to cause strat-itis, imagine using ceramic rods, being about 60% more powerful. It'll take the "nails on a chalkboard" syndrom to a whole new level of bad turning physically painful, most probably causing permanent damage to the player's ear and you being liable to a lawsuit.

A bad idea to start with. Fortunately for you, no mag maker actually makes'em. Consider yourself lucky!

Actually, I'm joking. But I don't think I'd be so far off my statements. Not really!

[copperheadroads]

Single coil p'ups with ceramic mags are found in all sub $ 50 instruments.

If this design using slugs glued to a ceramic bar in the bottom sounds bad enough, a design using ceramic rods would make matters worse.

If A5 rods are bad enough to cause strat-itis, imagine using ceramic rods, being about 60% more powerful. It'll take the "nails on a chalkboard" syndrom to a whole new level of bad turning physically painful, most probably causing permanent damage to the player's ear and you being liable to a lawsuit.

A bad idea to start with. Fortunately for you, no mag maker actually makes'em. Consider yourself lucky!

Actually, I'm joking. But I don't think I'd be so far off my statements. Not really!

I can Imagine how much warmth there will be with absolutely no alloy in the mix .
You could stack some of these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buy-100-Cera...ht_2958wt_1163

[David Schwab]

Single coil p'ups with ceramic mags are found in all sub $ 50 instruments.

If this design using slugs glued to a ceramic bar in the bottom sounds bad enough, a design using ceramic rods would make matters worse.

There are some very nice sounding guitar pickups with steel poles and ceramic magnets, such as Bill Lawrence and Bartolini pickups. Even DiMarzio. Some of the Fender pickups with steel poles sound good too.

You have to design for the magnet you are using. Ceramics tend to have a brighter top and and thinner low end, so you just need to compensate for that. Ceramics tend to work better for bass pickups or over wound guitar pickups. But I have one in my lucite guitar that's wound to 8k. Looks like a DiMarzio Super Distortion, but is wound like a PAF. That's a gassy sounding guitar, so the pickup works wonderfully and gives a clean bright tone, which not being harsh.

Some of the EMG bass pickups like the J use ceramic magnets for the pole, with no steel. The J is nice but the DC sounds too edgy.

[LtKojak]

There are some very nice sounding guitar pickups with steel poles and ceramic magnets, such as Bill Lawrence and Bartolini pickups. Even DiMarzio. Some of the Fender pickups with steel poles sound good too.

IIRC, both the Bill Lawrence and Bartolini used steel BARS in the design, not exposed poles.

If you mean the Strat p'ups in the Mex instruments, I beg to differ. If you're talking about others than those ones, I wouldn't know.

You have to design for the magnet you are using. Ceramics tend to have a brighter top and and thinner low end, so you just need to compensate for that. Ceramics tend to work better for bass pickups or over wound guitar pickups. But I have one in my lucite guitar that's wound to 8k. Looks like a DiMarzio Super Distortion, but is wound like a PAF. That's a gassy sounding guitar, so the pickup works wonderfully and gives a clean bright tone, which not being harsh.

Some of the EMG bass pickups like the J use ceramic magnets for the pole, with no steel. The J is nice but the DC sounds too edgy.

I actually like ceramic p'ups in basses very much. Last year I was involved in a musical project that called for a 5-string bass, so I bought an used 5-string Peavey Cirrus BXP model, the one made in Indonesia.

It came with a couple of ceramic humbuckers and an active circuit. I've paid next to nothing flat for it, mostly because is a 35" scale and needs X-tra Long strings, and seemed that the former owner didn't know that, as he warned me about the strings not fitting the way they should.

After a good setup (it's a neckthrough design, the fretboard was straight as an arrow and it intonated perfectly, not dead spots whatsoever, which it came as a surprise for me) and D'Addarios XLs 45-105 with a .145 fifth string and a 18V mod, this instrument kicks so much butt is not even funny.

The bass player hired for the gig brought an American Fender Jazz bass Deluxe V and an Aguilar amp with two 4x10 cabs to the studio, but we ended up recording with the Cirrus straight to the board.

I've actually paid more for a case for it than for the instrument itself. Funny, isn't it?

Ok, fable time's over!

[nickc35]

If A5 rods are bad enough to cause strat-itis, imagine using ceramic rods, being about 60% more powerful. It'll take the "nails on a chalkboard" syndrom to a whole new level of bad turning physically painful, most probably causing permanent damage to the player's ear and you being liable to a lawsuit.

Now that's the best description of ROCK N ROLL I've read in a long time!!!!

[David Schwab]

IIRC, both the Bill Lawrence and Bartolini used steel BARS in the design, not exposed poles.

Some Lawrence pickups use round poles and ceramic magnets. Like this one for Gibson:



Likewise many Barts use square or parallelogram shaped poles. But what difference does it make? It's still a steel pole and a ceramic magnet.

Rickenbacker hi-gains also use ceramic (rubber) magnets and still poles. And lots of DiMarzio and some Duncans too.

If you mean the Strat p'ups in the Mex instruments, I beg to differ. If you're talking about others than those ones, I wouldn't know.

There's two kinds. One has a very weak flat ceramic magnet with it's pole facing the bottom of the pickup. The other has two small bars facing the poles like a P-90. The latter design sounds better. I hear nothing wrong with those pickups. They don't sound exactly like the alnico pickups, but who cares. I don't see why people think there's only one tone you get from a Strat and that all the other tones are wrong. But then I have no desire to sound like some player off some record. I just find tones I like.

I actually like ceramic p'ups in basses very much. Last year I was involved in a musical project that called for a 5-string bass, so I bought an used 5-string Peavey Cirrus BXP model, the one made in Indonesia.

Ceramic magnets sound good with bass. Alnicos sound good too, but you can get a punchier tone with ceramics. Ceramic can make guitar pickups too bright, which many guitarist don't like.

The bass player hired for the gig brought an American Fender Jazz bass Deluxe V and an Aguilar amp with two 4x10 cabs to the studio, but we ended up recording with the Cirrus straight to the board.

I wouldn't play through one of those amps if you paid me. They are really dark sounding. IMO bass should always be recorded direct, even if that's off the amp's DI.

[David Schwab]

It'll take the "nails on a chalkboard" syndrom to a whole new level of bad turning physically painful, most probably causing permanent damage to the player's ear and you being liable to a lawsuit.

Well you can get VERY close to that tone with one of these:



Or one of these



The trick is don't use ceramic magnets and wind a shrill sounding pickup.

[LtKojak]

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[David Schwab]

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That's weird. I fixed it.

[big_teee]

Does anyone know of a magnet supplier that has ceramic 8 magnets in rod form in Strat & Tele style pickup sizes? Do they even exist?

Thought of this thread when I saw these.
These are not C8 Rod magnets, but may make a good alternative.
Mojo Pickup Parts » 2115441 Mojotone Strat Flatwork Top and Bottom (for 2.180 long bar magnet)
Attachment 21161
C8 Magnet.
Attachment 21162
Blank Cover
Attachment 21163

[nickc35]

Build one Terry and let me know how it sounds.

[big_teee]

Build one Terry and let me know how it sounds.

I will.
Very cheap to build, and should be nothing to winding it.
I like the dual mini blades, but are a pain to make!
I might as well try the C8, and A5.
There may be a small Nominal fee, for the test results!
T

[big_teee]

There is no need to build and test them.
Mojo has made a video for us!
I guess no cover is used, or required.
Enjoy

[cenizasblancas]

hi, guy i have a question for david, what do you thing about dimarzio pro track? is for strat, is a ceramic pickup, 8k. i used it in parallel in my strat, in the bridge position and it sound more like a paf, in series sound to powerfull for my.