Beveled Magnet Question

[spud1950]

Does beveling the magnetic pole pieces,as on a Strat pickup,actually change the focus of the magnetic field and give the pickup a different tonal character then non beveled? This was being discussed on another forum and while many people said it does,they didn't offer any more info or proof then "that's what I read somewhere". So,what do you experts say? Also,was the original purpose of the bevel to make it easier to get the pole pieces through the magnet holes in the flat work as some people claim?

[Peter Naglitsch]

Steven Kerstin (you will find him on this forum from time to time) have made some FEMM simulations of the magnetic fields for different pickups. Have a look here:
http://www.skguitar.com/SKGS/sk/Imag.../Magnetics.htm
and judge for your self.

And I *think* that they were originally bevelled to help getting them into the bobbin plates. Probably some one with better knowledge or that will chip in.

[spud1950]

Thanks for the link. I don't have enough technological knowledge about such things to interpret the information,as far as exactly how the tone is changed with the bevel,but now I can see the definite difference in the shape of the magnetic field. Here's something interesting that someone who has just started winding their own pickups did. Domed Alnico pole pieces. Don't what effect doing this has, but I think it at least looks cool.

[IMG][/IMG]

[ShannonH]

Thanks for the link. I don't have enough technological knowledge about such things to interpret the information,as far as exactly how the tone is changed with the bevel,but now I can see the definite difference in the shape of the magnetic field. Here's something interesting that someone who has just started winding their own pickups did. Domed Alnico pole pieces. Don't what effect doing this has, but I think it at least looks cool.

Those are pretty fun looking. I investigated this a while back and found that the consensus was the beveled magnets would scatter the magnetic field a bit. I imagine the domes would really change the focus. I don't bevel my magnets, partially as a matter of differentiating myself from everyone else, and partially because in the end the tonal difference with the amount of beveling is very minute. Build two, say neck and middle, one bevelled and one without, and see what you think. Peace

[RedHouse]

Those are pretty fun looking. I investigated this a while back and found that the consensus was the beveled magnets would scatter the magnetic field a bit. I imagine the domes would really change the focus. I don't bevel my magnets, partially as a matter of differentiating myself from everyone else, and partially because in the end the tonal difference with the amount of beveling is very minute. Build two, say neck and middle, one bevelled and one without, and see what you think. Peace

I like to bevel (IMHO) it also helps the player a bit as un-beveled magnets tend to catch a lot of skin, nail, and pick.

Besides easing bobbin assembly, a bevel helps the finger/plectrum roll over the pickup top with less resistance when a player really "digs in" they often reach past the string with their fingers/picking-device and come in contact with the pickup top and magnets, mostly the D and G poles.