magnet swap in a 59

[Travis]

So, an AN2 will give it a smoother more mid spiked character, correct? What would a ceramic magnet do it? Has anyone tried this?

[dr.barlo]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Yes. I dunno. Yes.

B

[Benjy_26]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Do the Alnico II. Very tasty.

[korinastratkyle]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Putting a ceramic magnet in it will increase the mids and treble of the pickup and have less noise. This might be undesirable for some people...

[Travis]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Yes. I dunno. Yes.

B

Thank you Mr. Helper.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Putting a ceramic magnet in it will increase the mids and treble of the pickup and have less noise. This might be undesirable for some people...

how does a ceramic magnet have less noise that any other magnet???

[dr.barlo]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Thank you Mr. Helper.

But of course!

OK OK, you are right. Here is more:

I tried ceramics, but unless the pickup to start with is a dark one, the result becomes brittle (at least this is what I think). By all means try a ceramic(ferrum) magnet in your 59, but I do not think you'd like the results.

On the other hand a2 (or a3) might produce great results depending on the wood. If your guitar is a darker sounding one (like many of the norlin era pauls and some of the customs (all mahogany so that ebony board is not enough to make them brighter), then stock a5 in a 59 might be exactly what you need. But if you have a maple cap LP for instance, that already is bright and does not lack in the bass department, a5 might be too in your face with non spongy bass, and strat kinda defined tone. If you wanna get a rounder tone, then a2 or a3 is the avenue to take. Many people here (including myself) loved the results. I personally favor a3's in 59s, because on my guitar a2's were sort of too round. A3's having a little more of them a5 features was the cure.

Hope that helps.

B

[Travis]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

That helps a lot more, thanks. The guitar is an all korina Hamer Artist semi-hollow body. I like the 59s and all, but I just don't think they're all that they could be (or another pickup could be). I was thinking about yanking them out and going with a Custom-Custom/APH-1 set. But I thought I might try the magnet swap first. If I didn't like it, then I would swap the pickups.

As far as the A2 goes, I like round. The 59 in the neck is not quite as smooth as I would like it to be. It seems to be somewhat scooped, even though I spike the mids pretty heavily at the amp. I was hoping that the A2 mag would soften the tone and smooth it out a little, boost the mids, you know.

[Luke Duke]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

Hey Travis, My guitar isn't korina it's mahogany and maple (heritage 150) and I could tell a HUGE difference in mids between mags. I went from a Schaller A5 paf style pup with kind of a scooped 59ish sound. To a JB with the High mid spike (but still A5 mag) to an A2P. I was able to pull back on the mids on my amp and let the pup supply the mids. The guitar REALLY sings, screams, cries, etc. The lighter string pull is also pretty nifty.

Luke

[MattPete]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

how does a ceramic magnet have less noise that any other magnet???

This came up in a discussion about why the CC can be noisy. I think the conclusion was that since A2 and A5 magnets are metal, they make really good antenas, whereas the ceramics do not (my CC guitar was noticebly noisier than my guitar with a Custom).

[dr.barlo]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

FYI another name for ceramics is ferrum (meaning iron in latin), thus ceramic magnets are also metal.

Travis, by all means do try an a2 in your 59. That might be it. BTW glad I could help this time.

B

[rspst14]

Re: magnet swap in a 59

A3 '59 is a cool pickup, I've been using that in my Wolfgang for a while now.

Ryan