Pole pieces, materials?

[Peteus]

I have seen quite a bit about the shape/size of your pole piece making a effect on the tonality of the pickups. I was wondering what material/s are used for pole pieces and do they have affect on the tone? Also can I just buy mild steel bar and cut them down to size for pole pieces?

[Mike Sulzer]

I have seen quite a bit about the shape/size of your pole piece making a effect on the tonality of the pickups. I was wondering what material/s are used for pole pieces and do they have affect on the tone? Also can I just buy mild steel bar and cut them down to size for pole pieces?

The two most important properties of ferromagnetic materials used for pole pieces are permeability and conductivity. However, since pole pieces are short and used in an open magnetic circuit, increasing the relative permeability beyond a factor of a few has little additional effect. Different conductivities are important because that is an important factor in the effect of eddy currents.

[rhgwynn]

You can use AlNiCo poles but you will have to magnetize them by passing them through a magnetic field. You can also use steel poles but, you will have to magnetize them by attaching a bar magnet to the base of the pickup with epoxy. All info you need from here on out to make decisions based on your preferred tonality is out there and available already, you just have to look for it. I hope this helps.

-Rob

[big_teee]

You can use AlNiCo poles but you will have to magnetize them by passing them through a magnetic field. You can also use steel poles but, you will have to magnetize them by attaching a bar magnet to the base of the pickup with epoxy. All info you need from here on out to make decisions based on your preferred tonality is out there and available already, you just have to look for it. I hope this helps.

-Rob

I agree with Rob, on all the available Info.
Be sure and check out all the info on the Beginners Corner.
Here's a thread devoted to parts, books, and Resources.
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t30228/
T

[Peteus]

It looks to me like there's alot of info on here and I have check out the beginners section alot. Cheers for all the help.
I've mainly had the issue of trying to make some pickups for my 8 string fan fretted guitar and I have been trying to work out exactly what I can use and what matters when they are on a slant and what I can buy on a budget.

[big_teee]

It looks to me like there's alot of info on here and I have check out the beginners section alot. Cheers for all the help.
I've mainly had the issue of trying to make some pickups for my 8 string fan fretted guitar and I have been trying to work out exactly what I can use and what matters when they are on a slant and what I can buy on a budget.

Maybe some emg type bass pickups.
You can buy the long bar magnets for them.
They look fairly cheap to make.
two bobbins, two bar mags, and a pickup cover.
They are available from short to 6 string bass long.
Bass Pickup Covers
T