SensMag Prices

[Possum]

SensMag today is NOT the same company it was in 2012. They've upgraded everything, got ISO9000 compliant and now they're one of the best foundries in the world for consistency of their grades, even on custom ones. They can perfectly repro vintage mags without even destructive analisys of the sample!

For the record, you can still have 2012 prices if you're willing to buy bigger quantities. (500 pieces and up of each type/grade)

They are still making the vintage rough cast magnets when I worked with them through Allstar and Magnetic Hold. Previously to that no one was making rough cast magnets. Sensmag still makes the ones I spec'd, but Magnet Hold were unable to reproduce the first rough cast ones I did with them when I ran out. This was in 2007. Now days everybody makes rough cast. I still half belief that doing individual bars like we did has some kind of effect, because in replacement tests in real PAF's with my Allstar remaining magnets, I couldn't tell any difference between the vintage and the new rough cast mags. I still have quite a few of those left and some of the Maghold ones. The second batch from Maghold came out way too thick to use, so I had them grind them flat to my specs. Was a sad day because theirs looked like originals.

[cermag]

Dear Cermag,

I've used your magnets for a while now, since you're the only company on my side of the pond to manufacture guitar-oriented magnets. Kudos for posting here, you've obviously kept an eye on the needs & demands of pickup makers! Your range seems to have expanded in the last year or so, and I thought I'd chime in with a few comments.

I haven't found using your magnets to result in particularly dark sounding pickups, I guess part of it is winding styles & the type of wires used.

I did notice a change in quality in your products in the last few months, the first magnets I ordered from you guys had quite a few bubbles in them, but the issue seems to have disappeared in the last couple of orders I received, which is a nice thing. Did you up your QC/manufacturing processes?

Now, the one thing that still has me ordering from your American competitors is the lack of a bevel option for your rod magnets, both for the practicality of inserting the magnets into the flatworks (I like a tight fit in my pickups, and not having a bevel means a small part of the forbon is gouged out by the sharp edges of the magnets) and for customers who want a vintage-correct bevel on their pickups.

I'll give you guys an email, I'm going full-time into pickup making this years and I'll be needing more of those tiny, shiny bits of metal...

Thanks for the chance to answer..

With regards to the issue of porosity in magnets, this is something that is inherant with cast magnets. We have a set standard for pass/fail when it comes to despatch. im sorry you received a batch with inclusions in them, they should have been scrapped off if they were very bad at our end. Normally i think the standard we send is quite high.

For the bevel, we can put bevel on any magnets. We do offer this on the "1/4 dia rods as this is what we have only ever been asked to put them on. would people like to see this on the 5mm dia and 0.187" versions?

i dont always check here everyday so best way to get hold of me is email, which is on our website. i can send samples if it helps?

[Alberto]

Oh, I see. Well, that explains why they ended up in the ER with blood all over their instruments...?

[LtKojak]

I should have added that those weren't standard p-bass pickups, actually I made them to fit non standard routes, wood mount, and without covers, so the magnets were protruding a bit on the top side

Oh, I see. Well, that explains why they ended up in the ER with blood all over their instruments...?

[Alberto]

Really?

That's an incredibly specific thing to complain about... specially considering that real vintage Fender p'ups didn't have bevels, nor do most of the repros offered by high-priced boutique winders.

But, then again, I don't wind bass p'ups, so what do I know, uh?

I should have added that those weren't standard p-bass pickups, actually I made them to fit non standard routes, wood mount, and without covers, so the magnets were protruding a bit on the top side

[LtKojak]

Also, bass players don't like sharp edges. I've made a few P bass pickups using Cermag's rod magnets, my customers love the sound (more than other magnets I've tried) but sometimes they complain about the lack of bevel.

Really?

That's an incredibly specific thing to complain about... specially considering that real vintage Fender p'ups didn't have bevels, nor do most of the repros offered by high-priced boutique winders.

But, then again, I don't wind bass p'ups, so what do I know, uh?

[Alberto]

and not having a bevel means a small part of the forbon is gouged out by the sharp edges of the magnets) and for customers who want a vintage-correct bevel on their pickups.

I'll give you guys an email, I'm going full-time into pickup making this years and I'll be needing more of those tiny, shiny bits of metal...

Also, bass players don't like sharp edges. I've made a few P bass pickups using Cermag's rod magnets, my customers love the sound (more than other magnets I've tried) but sometimes they complain about the lack of bevel.

[epizootics]

yes, cobalt prices went through the roof as you all know. They seem to have stabilised somewhat at the moment.

Sorry LtKojak our mags dont meet your needs, id love to hear what we could do to give you a better sound.

Just for info, we offer trade discounts on request as well as standard discounts if a minimum order qty is achieved.

Dear Cermag,

I've used your magnets for a while now, since you're the only company on my side of the pond to manufacture guitar-oriented magnets. Kudos for posting here, you've obviously kept an eye on the needs & demands of pickup makers! Your range seems to have expanded in the last year or so, and I thought I'd chime in with a few comments.

I haven't found using your magnets to result in particularly dark sounding pickups, I guess part of it is winding styles & the type of wires used.

I did notice a change in quality in your products in the last few months, the first magnets I ordered from you guys had quite a few bubbles in them, but the issue seems to have disappeared in the last couple of orders I received, which is a nice thing. Did you up your QC/manufacturing processes?

Now, the one thing that still has me ordering from your American competitors is the lack of a bevel option for your rod magnets, both for the practicality of inserting the magnets into the flatworks (I like a tight fit in my pickups, and not having a bevel means a small part of the forbon is gouged out by the sharp edges of the magnets) and for customers who want a vintage-correct bevel on their pickups.

I'll give you guys an email, I'm going full-time into pickup making this years and I'll be needing more of those tiny, shiny bits of metal...

[Possum]

You can thank Mr. Pig, the pretend president and his idiotic "trade wars" crap he saw on Fox. Your vote has consequences, and you are paying for it now.

[cermag]

Mike, is that you posting here?

yes, its Mike thanks for your comments. Well received.

We've done some work on HB bars that are half A2 and half A3 or A4 (basically half bonded together). had some positive responses but im sure we didnt get full feedback from guys that have done this.

[LtKojak]

Sorry LtKojak our mags dont meet your needs, id love to hear what we could do to give you a better sound.

Mike, is that you posting here?

I honestly don't know what you could do, short of changing your whole production and annealing process to match the BH curve analisys results of american-made mags from the 50s and 60s, plus "worsen" (for the lack of a better word) your pouring molds so your "roughcast" offerings look more like the vintage ones.

I completely understand that's quite a tall order and that's never going to happen for just one guy that's not even a boutique winder... specially considering that basically THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with your mags to start with.

For the record, as I sold all my Sensmag A3 bars, now I'm currently using one of your A3s in the neck p'up of my own guitar, and being basically satisfied with it, although I had to set the p'up a little bit lower to match and balance the output of the bridge when the toggle switch is in the middle position, and consider too that the bridge p'up has an A2 in it.

Hope this helps!

Yours very truly,

[cermag]

yes, cobalt prices went through the roof as you all know. They seem to have stabilised somewhat at the moment.

Sorry LtKojak our mags dont meet your needs, id love to hear what we could do to give you a better sound.

Just for info, we offer trade discounts on request as well as standard discounts if a minimum order qty is achieved.

[Alberto]

Yeah, that too... if they work for you, that's all you need, Alberto, isn't it?

And for my customers as well, I hope

[David King]

I'm guessing that WAL might have got their ceramics from Cermag then too...

[LtKojak]

I've used them in low wind humbuckers (7,5k-8,5k) and they didn't sound dark at all to me, but I suppose it depends on the design of the pickup as well.

Yeah, that too... if they work for you, that's all you need, Alberto, isn't it?