I have a set of Bootstrap strat pickups that are A5, 42AWG enamel, and a DCR of 6.2k/6.2k/6.8k. (the 6.8k may have been different but i think it was 6.8) Anyways, i didn't care for them and decided to try something. A few years back i had a set of fender 57/62's which are also A5/42AWG/ but with a DCR of 5.6K for all 3. So same spec as the Bootstraps except for the DCR. Now i hated the 57/62s because they were so weak and thin. But i had an idea to try this anyways.....unwind the bootstraps to 5.6k for all 3 just like the 57/62s. I had a gut feeling they wouldn't sound so weak and thin due to longwinded reasons i won't bother to go into. I've done this many times, removing wire from pickups to change the tone and lower output. So i did it to the bootstrap set. All 3 now read 5.6k like the fenders.
The result was s i had suspected....they sound worlds different than the 57/62s even tho all specs are now the same. I fully understand that there are other possible differences that can influence tone like how tight the windings are, magnet gauss and quality etc. But these 2 sets are so different i don't feel like the could be that different. The 57/62s as i said were very weak and thin/anemic sounding with little low end. The bootstraps now at 5.6k each like the fenders are fat with big lows, full sounding, and punch hard. Totally different, as different as you could imagine. But they have that wonderful clarity and note seperation you get with low winds. I liked that about the fenders but not the thin weak sound. Boost the amp in the front end and the fenders would just sound plinky. The Bootstraps when boosted get even fatter and sustain like they should.
Question....why? What is the most likely reason these set sound so radically different with the same wire type, gauge, DCR, and alnico type? My thought is magnet gauss. Maybe fender uses a weaker charge on their A5? I also have a set of fat 50s fenders which are the same spec as the bootstraps were befor i unwound them and they are actually no fatter sounding as the newly unwound bootstraps and in fact sound weaker ! Why? Second question....can magnets become degaussed at all when stuck to other magnets that are the same, IE: NOT rare earth but all of them alnico of one type or the other?
Before you answer, there IS one difference in spec between both fender sets and the bootstraps....the boots are flat stagger while both fender sets are staggered. Maybe that could be it? I wouldn't think the stagger itself could cause that difference, but i'm wondering is because there are no shorter magnets and they are all longer than some if not all of the mags in the fender set that that could give them a stronger pull? Lastly, for the record i am not a winder, just a player who can't stop F'ing with things.
The result was s i had suspected....they sound worlds different than the 57/62s even tho all specs are now the same. I fully understand that there are other possible differences that can influence tone like how tight the windings are, magnet gauss and quality etc. But these 2 sets are so different i don't feel like the could be that different. The 57/62s as i said were very weak and thin/anemic sounding with little low end. The bootstraps now at 5.6k each like the fenders are fat with big lows, full sounding, and punch hard. Totally different, as different as you could imagine. But they have that wonderful clarity and note seperation you get with low winds. I liked that about the fenders but not the thin weak sound. Boost the amp in the front end and the fenders would just sound plinky. The Bootstraps when boosted get even fatter and sustain like they should.
Question....why? What is the most likely reason these set sound so radically different with the same wire type, gauge, DCR, and alnico type? My thought is magnet gauss. Maybe fender uses a weaker charge on their A5? I also have a set of fat 50s fenders which are the same spec as the bootstraps were befor i unwound them and they are actually no fatter sounding as the newly unwound bootstraps and in fact sound weaker ! Why? Second question....can magnets become degaussed at all when stuck to other magnets that are the same, IE: NOT rare earth but all of them alnico of one type or the other?
Before you answer, there IS one difference in spec between both fender sets and the bootstraps....the boots are flat stagger while both fender sets are staggered. Maybe that could be it? I wouldn't think the stagger itself could cause that difference, but i'm wondering is because there are no shorter magnets and they are all longer than some if not all of the mags in the fender set that that could give them a stronger pull? Lastly, for the record i am not a winder, just a player who can't stop F'ing with things.
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