Calling Magnet Swap Experts - A2 to A4 and A5

smitty_p

smitty_p

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I’m considering swapping the A2 magnets in the 57 Classics in my SG. I’m considering an A4 in the neck and a rough cast A5 in the bridge.

Does anyone have any experience with these magnets in these pickups?

(No,@Robert Herndon , I’m NOT going to flip the magnets out of phase!)
 
eSGEe said:
you can change the magnets in these things?

Seems like a lot of work
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Not too much work. Only a couple dabs of solder hold the covers onto the baseplate. The worst part will be softening the wax to allow the cover to come off. A heat gun or hair dryer will help with that.

The magnets, themselves, are really cheap. A pair of A4 magnets is under $5.00 and a pair of A5 magnets is under $6.00 at Philadelphia Luthier.
 
Today's Duncan Demo features the Saturday Night Special pickups. These pups use Alnico IV magnets and are voiced a little hotter and fatter in the bridge position, and a little clearer and less “wooly” in the neck. They’re more aggressive than 50s-style models, but without the compression of most high gain pickups. These bridge the output level gap between vintage 50s and modern humbuckers.

Our In-House demo guru Kevin Harvey plays through a variety sounds. Hear how the bridge and neck pickups sound clean and distorted.


 
Here's a short summary to help you choose which alnico grade is right for you


Strength of magnets (weakest to strongest): alnico 3, alnico 2, alnico 4, alnico 5, alnico 8, ceramic 8


The stronger the magnet, the more output it will contribute to your pickup. Roughcast and unorientated magnets will be subtlety less powerful than their standard counterparts and will have a slightly softened treble response. The large ceramic magnet will provide even more of all the attributes of the standard sized version.


Alnico 2: The vintage magnet. Popular in low output winds because of the full, sweet tone it gives. This contributes a large amount of mid range. It has a soft and musical treble response, and a bouncy, loose bass response. Perfect for anything clean or low gain. (Billy Gibbons, Slash)


Alnico 3: The lowest level of output, pretty balanced and a bit sharper than Alnico 2. Tonally similar.


Alnico 4: The PAF magnet. The magnet found more frequently in the fabled PAF era humbuckers. This magnet sits tonally between alnico 2 and 5.


Alnico 5: The most popular magnet. This magnet is found in most non-budget humbuckers. It has a very tight bass response and sharp treble. It is at home in high output winds as it can contribute more treble lost in the overwinding of the coils. The precision and articulation this magnet brings to a humbucker allows it to excel in high gain applications. Also popular in low output winds where a scooped mid is desired. (Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry)


Alnico 8: Alnico 2 on steroids. The highest output alnico grade. Maintains the alnico sweetness, but combines it with the power of ceramic. EQ wise this is just like alnico 2, with a very present mid range. However, unlike alnico 2, alnico 8 has a tight bass and treble response. Frankly it has lots of everything.


Ceramic: The most powerful magnet. This magnet is used almost exclusively in high gain applications because of it's razor sharp treble. It has superb articulation and responsivity, making it perfect when lots of gain is used. The overwinding of high output pickups causes lots of treble loss, so the high level of treble of ceramic magnets puts back what is lost. The treble is often overbearing and too sharp in clean or low gain applications. (Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammet, Dimebag)
 
Hey, thanks for getting me to think. That's no easy task these days. I have a Dimarzio Super Distortion that's been floating between guitars. I bought it originally for a Strat, but it doesn't seem to fit. I'd like to try an A4. It seems to have worked well for others.
 
smitty_p said:
I’m considering swapping the A2 magnets in the 57 Classics in my SG. I’m considering an A4 in the neck and a rough cast A5 in the bridge.

Does anyone have any experience with these magnets in these pickups?

(No,@Robert Herndon , I’m NOT going to flip the magnets out of phase!)
Click to expand...

'Tis a sad day in Toneville...
 
I've never used A4 magnets (although I would like to try!), but I have swapped the A2 magnets for A5s in a couple of pairs of '57 Classics. I like the top end and somewhat tighter bass in the A5s. But I have to say the differences are not enormous.
 
♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 'When a magnet comes along -YOU Must Flip It!!!! Before You Play Another Song - YOU Must Flip It!!! You're Doin' It All Wrong - Unless You Flip It!!! So Flip It!!! Outta Phase!!! Pull The Cover!!! It's Not Too Late - To Flip It - FLIP IT GOOD!!! ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫
 
Robert Herndon said:
♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 'When a magnet comes along -YOU Must Flip It!!!! Before You Play Another Song - YOU Must Flip It!!! You're Doin' It All Wrong - Unless You Flip It!!! So Flip It!!! Outta Phase!!! Pull The Cover!!! It's Not Too Late - To Flip It - FLIP IT GOOD!!! ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫
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Maybe @eSGEe has misunderstood this? Instead of just flipping the magnet, he keeps flipping the whole guitar whenever he buys one.
 
Gahr said:
Maybe @eSGEe has misunderstood this? Instead of just flipping the magnet, he keeps flipping the whole guitar whenever he buys one.
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tenor.gif
 
"If I turn the pickup 180°, it's still not out of phase, because I would have to alter the position of the magnet's poles in order to create an opposing magnetic field...What The F =qv x B...???

scratching-head-1.jpg
 
Robert Herndon said:
♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 'When a magnet comes along -YOU Must Flip It!!!! Before You Play Another Song - YOU Must Flip It!!! You're Doin' It All Wrong - Unless You Flip It!!! So Flip It!!! Outta Phase!!! Pull The Cover!!! It's Not Too Late - To Flip It - FLIP IT GOOD!!! ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫
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Funny!!! I do like that.

Still not gonna flip it!
 
smitty_p said:
Funny!!! I do like that.

Still not gonna flip it!
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My Les Paul is the only guitar I have that isn't flipped....we just wrapped up a marathon session and I played only on the bridge!!!! Oh The Humanity!!!

It doesn't really affect how I use my guitars, as I have never played the middle position in an "un-flipped" humbucker guitar, I use either neck or bridge, but never the middle - unless it's flipped... :-)
 
Robert Herndon said:
"If I turn the pickup 180°, it's still not out of phase, because I would have to alter the position of the magnet's poles in order to create an opposing magnetic field...What The F =qv x B...???
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That is correct. Simply turning the whole pickup around does not put it out of phase with the other pickup.
 
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