Are pickups wound with a magnet in mind

[shef86]

This is related to my question on using multiple magnets in one pick up...

I was under the impression that pick ups were wired a specific way for a specific type of magnet, although I've seen pick up makers list a number of pick up magnets for the same pick up and same output. (http://www.smitsparts.com/index.htm)

I know some bareknuckle pick ups also give you the option of an A5 or ceramic.

So, how well would the results be if you just swapped magnets in the same pick up. I'm interested in taking the ceramic magnet out of my gibson 496R which is currently in the neck position of my explorer. I'm still curious why someone would want a ceramic pick up in a neck position...

I would like to swap it out for an A2, or perhaps an A8 which would be closer to the ceramic. Would this work?

[dazzlindino]

Yes

[David Schwab]

Ceramic magnets are usually used in pickups with a lot of windings because they will give you a brighter tone, and an alnico magnet might sound too dark. They call that the 496R a "Hot Ceramic Humbucker" so that's the tone they were going for. I like the neck pickup to be cleaner, but to each their own I guess.

The resistance in the coil increases with frequency, so the highs have a harder time getting out of the coil (they are impeded... hence the term impedance), and the higher energy of the ceramic magnet helps to retain the highs with lots of turns of thinner high resistance wire.

I love alnico II magnets for guitar humbuckers. But they don't work well with overwound pickups. I use only ceramic and neodymium magnets in my bass pickups (so far) because alnico V doesn't give me a bright enough tone.

So it all depends on the pickup. But swapping out a magnet is a cheap and easy way to get a new tone from a pickup.

[kevinT]

The resistance in the coil increases with frequency, so the highs have a harder time getting out of the coil (they are impeded... hence the term impedance), and the higher energy of the ceramic magnet helps to retain the highs with lots of turns of thinner high resistance wire..

I love this explanation. you have a knack for explaining complex info and breaking it down so the lay person can understand it. Kudos Dave!

I love alnico II magnets for guitar humbuckers. But they don't work well with overwound pickups.

I think A2s sound pretty good in high output pickups (around 14k Ohm) In larger winds the A2 produces some big time lows and mids but still maintains a sweet top end. Duncan's Custom Custom is based on this. Oh...and this pickup is excellent to use in bright-sounding guitars. Warms it up and provides a lot of power.

So it all depends on the pickup. But swapping out a magnet is a cheap and easy way to get a new tone from a pickup.

This is the big thing that everyone does and talks about over at the Duncan forum.

[soundmasterg]

David, you should try some A8 and/or Samarium Cobalt magnets in your bass pickups. My RIC HB2 humbuckers have the samarium cobalt magnets and they have lots of highs but still stay very clear. They were used on the 2030 bass and 230 guitar among others and sound great. Give it a try and let us know how it sounds!

greg

[David Schwab]

David, you should try some A8 and/or Samarium Cobalt magnets in your bass pickups. My RIC HB2 humbuckers have the samarium cobalt magnets and they have lots of highs but still stay very clear. They were used on the 2030 bass and 230 guitar among others and sound great. Give it a try and let us know how it sounds!

greg

Those Ric pickups sound nice. I remember hearing some clips over at the Ricresource forum.

I've been using some N42 neodymium magnets in some of my bass pickups, and so far I like what they do. I still like the ceramics too... different tone.

I haven't tried any samarium magnets yet.

[David Schwab]

I love this explanation. you have a knack for explaining complex info and breaking it down so the lay person can understand it. Kudos Dave!

Thanks! I'm just a lay person, so that's how I understand it!

The electronics background I had many years ago helps a bit, what I remember of it anyway, but not about coils and magnets. Magnets are just weird. All electromagnetic waves are light waves, complete with photons, but most of it is out of the visible light spectrum.

[Stan H]

All electromagnetic waves are light waves, complete with photons, but most of it is out of the visible light spectrum.

Wow...you learn sumtin' new every day!

[David Schwab]

Wow...you learn sumtin' new every day!

Yeah, I thought it was a very strange fact... magnets work on photons.

I've been reading a lot of quantum physics stuff lately.

[Stealth]

This is proof David is one of the few people on Earth who know how magnets work.

[Ronsonic]

This is proof David is one of the few people on Earth who know how magnets work.

He can explain it to this guy.

[frankfalbo]

[Mark Hammer]

I had some bits of that (gravity) stuck in my teeth once. Of course, as soon as I was able to pick it out you couldn't shut me up.

[belwar]

A6, A8, or A9 would liven that 496R up. I love A6 in the neck of a bucker.

[verhoevenc]

Heck. Then why are they even bothering with this frickin' Large Hadron Collider?! That's proof of the higg's boson if I've ever seen it!
Chris