Ceramic 8 Magnets

[David Schwab]

Single coil p'ups with ceramic mags are found in all sub $ 50 instruments.

If this design using slugs glued to a ceramic bar in the bottom sounds bad enough, a design using ceramic rods would make matters worse.

There are some very nice sounding guitar pickups with steel poles and ceramic magnets, such as Bill Lawrence and Bartolini pickups. Even DiMarzio. Some of the Fender pickups with steel poles sound good too.

You have to design for the magnet you are using. Ceramics tend to have a brighter top and and thinner low end, so you just need to compensate for that. Ceramics tend to work better for bass pickups or over wound guitar pickups. But I have one in my lucite guitar that's wound to 8k. Looks like a DiMarzio Super Distortion, but is wound like a PAF. That's a gassy sounding guitar, so the pickup works wonderfully and gives a clean bright tone, which not being harsh.

Some of the EMG bass pickups like the J use ceramic magnets for the pole, with no steel. The J is nice but the DC sounds too edgy.

[LtKojak]

There are some very nice sounding guitar pickups with steel poles and ceramic magnets, such as Bill Lawrence and Bartolini pickups. Even DiMarzio. Some of the Fender pickups with steel poles sound good too.

IIRC, both the Bill Lawrence and Bartolini used steel BARS in the design, not exposed poles.

If you mean the Strat p'ups in the Mex instruments, I beg to differ. If you're talking about others than those ones, I wouldn't know.

You have to design for the magnet you are using. Ceramics tend to have a brighter top and and thinner low end, so you just need to compensate for that. Ceramics tend to work better for bass pickups or over wound guitar pickups. But I have one in my lucite guitar that's wound to 8k. Looks like a DiMarzio Super Distortion, but is wound like a PAF. That's a gassy sounding guitar, so the pickup works wonderfully and gives a clean bright tone, which not being harsh.

Some of the EMG bass pickups like the J use ceramic magnets for the pole, with no steel. The J is nice but the DC sounds too edgy.

I actually like ceramic p'ups in basses very much. Last year I was involved in a musical project that called for a 5-string bass, so I bought an used 5-string Peavey Cirrus BXP model, the one made in Indonesia.

It came with a couple of ceramic humbuckers and an active circuit. I've paid next to nothing flat for it, mostly because is a 35" scale and needs X-tra Long strings, and seemed that the former owner didn't know that, as he warned me about the strings not fitting the way they should.

After a good setup (it's a neckthrough design, the fretboard was straight as an arrow and it intonated perfectly, not dead spots whatsoever, which it came as a surprise for me) and D'Addarios XLs 45-105 with a .145 fifth string and a 18V mod, this instrument kicks so much butt is not even funny.

The bass player hired for the gig brought an American Fender Jazz bass Deluxe V and an Aguilar amp with two 4x10 cabs to the studio, but we ended up recording with the Cirrus straight to the board.

I've actually paid more for a case for it than for the instrument itself. Funny, isn't it?

Ok, fable time's over!

[nickc35]

If A5 rods are bad enough to cause strat-itis, imagine using ceramic rods, being about 60% more powerful. It'll take the "nails on a chalkboard" syndrom to a whole new level of bad turning physically painful, most probably causing permanent damage to the player's ear and you being liable to a lawsuit.

Now that's the best description of ROCK N ROLL I've read in a long time!!!!

[David Schwab]

IIRC, both the Bill Lawrence and Bartolini used steel BARS in the design, not exposed poles.

Some Lawrence pickups use round poles and ceramic magnets. Like this one for Gibson:



Likewise many Barts use square or parallelogram shaped poles. But what difference does it make? It's still a steel pole and a ceramic magnet.

Rickenbacker hi-gains also use ceramic (rubber) magnets and still poles. And lots of DiMarzio and some Duncans too.

If you mean the Strat p'ups in the Mex instruments, I beg to differ. If you're talking about others than those ones, I wouldn't know.

There's two kinds. One has a very weak flat ceramic magnet with it's pole facing the bottom of the pickup. The other has two small bars facing the poles like a P-90. The latter design sounds better. I hear nothing wrong with those pickups. They don't sound exactly like the alnico pickups, but who cares. I don't see why people think there's only one tone you get from a Strat and that all the other tones are wrong. But then I have no desire to sound like some player off some record. I just find tones I like.

I actually like ceramic p'ups in basses very much. Last year I was involved in a musical project that called for a 5-string bass, so I bought an used 5-string Peavey Cirrus BXP model, the one made in Indonesia.

Ceramic magnets sound good with bass. Alnicos sound good too, but you can get a punchier tone with ceramics. Ceramic can make guitar pickups too bright, which many guitarist don't like.

The bass player hired for the gig brought an American Fender Jazz bass Deluxe V and an Aguilar amp with two 4x10 cabs to the studio, but we ended up recording with the Cirrus straight to the board.

I wouldn't play through one of those amps if you paid me. They are really dark sounding. IMO bass should always be recorded direct, even if that's off the amp's DI.

[David Schwab]

It'll take the "nails on a chalkboard" syndrom to a whole new level of bad turning physically painful, most probably causing permanent damage to the player's ear and you being liable to a lawsuit.

Well you can get VERY close to that tone with one of these:



Or one of these



The trick is don't use ceramic magnets and wind a shrill sounding pickup.

[LtKojak]

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[David Schwab]

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That's weird. I fixed it.

[big_teee]

Does anyone know of a magnet supplier that has ceramic 8 magnets in rod form in Strat & Tele style pickup sizes? Do they even exist?

Thought of this thread when I saw these.
These are not C8 Rod magnets, but may make a good alternative.
Mojo Pickup Parts » 2115441 Mojotone Strat Flatwork Top and Bottom (for 2.180 long bar magnet)

C8 Magnet.

Blank Cover

[nickc35]

Build one Terry and let me know how it sounds.

[big_teee]

Build one Terry and let me know how it sounds.

I will.
Very cheap to build, and should be nothing to winding it.
I like the dual mini blades, but are a pain to make!
I might as well try the C8, and A5.
There may be a small Nominal fee, for the test results!
T

[big_teee]

There is no need to build and test them.
Mojo has made a video for us!
I guess no cover is used, or required.
Enjoy

[cenizasblancas]

hi, guy i have a question for david, what do you thing about dimarzio pro track? is for strat, is a ceramic pickup, 8k. i used it in parallel in my strat, in the bridge position and it sound more like a paf, in series sound to powerfull for my.