Something for your stacked humbucker

[Rob S]

The Halbach array is new to me - makes my head spin.

http://www.matchrockets.com/ether/halbach.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halbach_array

Well, I think it's that...

Rob.

[David Schwab]

The Halbach array is new to me - makes my head spin.

oh, that's cool!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... magnets are weird!

I don't think this would work for a pickup though, because it has N & S both facing up....

[David King]

This is funny, I had this same idea tonight and searched google only to find this thread again. A clear sign that Dave S is a master of the universe?

Now why not use some other composite magnet structure to divert the bottom field away from the lower coil. We know we don't want N and S pointing up through the center of the string-sensing coil but if we got one pole through the coil we should be able to divert the other pole in some other direction than down.

Alternatively why not use the series of NSNSNS poles and just have alternate strings out of phase. No one would hear that other than a slight cancelation when bending. Would there be any benefit over just a dummy coil stuck in a remote spot on the guitar?

[Mike Sulzer]

Now why not use some other composite magnet structure to divert the bottom field away from the lower coil.

Alternatively why not use the series of NSNSNS poles and just have alternate strings out of phase. No one would hear that other than a slight cancelation when bending. Would there be any benefit over just a dummy coil stuck in a remote spot on the guitar?

You do not need to divert the field of the magnets. It is the field of the string that has to be diverted.

Pickups with alternating polarity pole pieces work fine in the bridge position, but not the neck. The cancellation from string bending is severe. (This is for guitar.)

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

And while you're at it, bring me some cheese.

...

Sorry, not sure what brought that on...

[David Schwab]

This is funny, I had this same idea tonight and searched google only to find this thread again. A clear sign that Dave S is a master of the universe?

No, just a consultant. If I were master, I'd have better teeth.

[David King]

You do not need to divert the field of the magnets. It is the field of the string that has to be diverted.

Pickups with alternating polarity pole pieces work fine in the bridge position, but not the neck. The cancellation from string bending is severe. (This is for guitar.)

Mike, what's the standard method of diverting the string's field away from the dummy coil other than a little distance?

What you're saying makes sense, i.e. why move the piano towards the stool but these Halbach arrays are just too cool not to think up an application for them other than some silly maglev train gizmo...

Someone pass FunkyK the cheese. Cabin fever?
Cheese is good for teeth and for cabin fever.

[Mike Sulzer]

Mike, what's the standard method of diverting the string's field away from the dummy coil other than a little distance?

Magnetic material between the two coils is the only way I know of. But it does seem that there ought to be a better way!

[dor baruch]

hi love this and Of course I thought I was first thinking about it
Do you think you can use UN-oriented Alnico 5 rod magnets and load them into four different directions? Left, right, up and down