Calling Magnet Swap Experts - A2 to A4 and A5

smitty_p said:
So...umm...hey ya’ll...guess what I did?

One day after changing the magnets in my pickups, I changed the magnet in my bridge pickup...again!

When I ordered the A4 and A5 from Philadelphia Luthier, I also ordered Un-Oriented A5 (UOA5) magnets. I had read about these while researching this magnet swap but didn’t take the hype too seriously. But they were less than $6.00 for a pair, so I figured I’d order a pair just for kicks.

Well, I swapped a UOA5 into the bridge this afternoon (after replacing the radiator in my daughter’s car...another story).

These definitely do lend a different sound to the pickup. THIS is what I was after for my bridge sound!

It’s powerful, yet not as sharp on the highs as a normal A5. It lends a strong, full tone, without being wooly or indistinct. On cleans it also blends better with the A4 in the neck.

Now I feel better about this...!
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I’m thinking about swapping an A4 into the bridge pickup, to replace the UOA5 I put in there.
 
Each time I moved from A2 upward - to A4, A5 and ultimately Ceramic - I noticed more output volume, higher ohms readings and more gain.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Each time I moved from A2 upward - to A4, A5 and ultimately Ceramic - I noticed more output volume, higher ohms readings and more gain.
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Yup. But, after playing the Classic 57s in my 2014 SG with an A4 in the neck and a UOA5 in the bridge, I’m starting to think the A5 sounds a bit brash with the Classic 57 wind. I really liked it, at first. But, after playing awhile, I’m thinking I may want to scale back to an A4 in the bridge, too.
 
smitty_p said:
Yup. But, after playing the Classic 57s in my 2014 SG with an A4 in the neck and a UOA5 in the bridge, I’m starting to think the A5 sounds a bit brash with the Classic 57 wind. I really liked it, at first. But, after playing awhile, I’m thinking I may want to scale back to an A4 in the bridge, too.
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Yes.

I am finding that the more winds/higher resistance, the greater this seems to exacerbate the effect of the magnet, if that makes sense.

Now, as far as the Gibson 57 Classic and Classic Plus are concerned, they are just a low output PAF clone. They can barely drive a tube amp into decent over-drive.

Both are an awesome pickup if you are playing totally clean, or shooting for Angus Young, but for the level of gain that we play with, I was so hugely disappointed with the 9.25kΩ 57 Classic Plus that I never played my Gibson SG again after I put it in. It produces the perfect, 'Highway To Hell' tone, through a tube Marshall, but I'm just not into that hot, dry sound anymore.
 
smitty_p said:
Yup. But, after playing the Classic 57s in my 2014 SG with an A4 in the neck and a UOA5 in the bridge, I’m starting to think the A5 sounds a bit brash with the Classic 57 wind. I really liked it, at first. But, after playing awhile, I’m thinking I may want to scale back to an A4 in the bridge, too.
Click to expand...

I like the A4...
 
smitty_p said:
Yup. But, after playing the Classic 57s in my 2014 SG with an A4 in the neck and a UOA5 in the bridge, I’m starting to think the A5 sounds a bit brash with the Classic 57 wind. I really liked it, at first. But, after playing awhile, I’m thinking I may want to scale back to an A4 in the bridge, too.
Click to expand...
Robert Herndon said:
I like the A4...
Click to expand...

I may do the A4 swap into the bridge this weekend.

I have a fresh batch of strings coming in the mail.
 
Done.

I just finished the A4 swap. So, both my neck and bridge pickups are running with A4s.

This is definitely more balanced, both in terms of tone and output.

I'll run with this for awhile, but I feel pretty sure that I'll keep it this way.
 
learned there is more tone tweaking in the pup height adjustment

its so wild...i play all positions & always ride the V&T. love the middle & probably why i favor Gibson is the exact blending can be done..use the R as bass adjustment & T as treble & V for how hard to hit it & Tone knobs to color

A2 for me to let me drive the amp with finger pressure on attack
A5 to allow some pre attack gain

A2 def for texture & finesse & control..allows the fingers to really manipulate.....490's & 61's is my main tone for sure on the recordings this go round..edge of breakup with no fizz or distortion buzz...clear..way less gain than ever before...fender Super is sweet with these pups
 
Okay...THIS is the winning combination with ‘57 Classics: A4 magnets!

Played a full set. Loved it.

I don’t think A5 magnets...even unoriented A5 magnets, are the best choice for this pickup. I feel it makes the pickup a little too harsh. The pickups originally had A2 magnets; I tried A5 and UOA5 and had to back down. I didn’t like the results of that.

With an A4, the neck is warm, rounded, and smooth. Leads sound good on it. It has more power than the original A2, but it’s controllable.

The bridge has a snarl when driving my gain channel or a Tubescreamer, but it balances well with the neck.

Playing completely clean on both pickups, with a bit of delay, makes for useable strumming action.

I think this is as far as I’m gonna go with the 2014 SG.

But, I did contemplate doing a full copper shielding on it while I was working on it. I may do that next string change.
 
After nearly a year and a half, I’m back to where I started. I just put the original A2 magnets back in.

The magnet swapping thing was fun and educational, but in the end it seems those pickups sound best to me the way Gibson made them in the first place.

Who woulda thought?
 
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