Alnico IV

[UberMetalDood]

Why isn't alnico 4 more popular? I have been listening to various a4 pickups whenever I can find them and I'm starting to catch on to how good they seem to be. More mids than a5 and more output than a2. To me, it sounds like a cross between a2 and a5; and a3 just sounds like a wimpy a5. I'm thinking a Duncan Custom with a4 would be awesome. Let me see if I can remember right... the Custom Custom/Custom 5/Custom are the same pickup but with a2, a5 and ceramic (respectively). Therefore, I suppose a4 would make it a Custom 4. A Custom 4 seems like it would be killer.

Blueman, or any of you mag swappers, what say you in regards to A4?

[Myaccount876]

Re: Alnico IV

I've used a Custom 4 quite a bit. It is really flat and balanced EQ-wise. I'd say it is great for letting a guitar show its natural frequency curves. I'd seriously put the Custom 4 EQ at something like (B/M/T): 5/4/5 or even 4/4/5.

I think it would work best in a dedicated rhythm application.

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Alnico IV

I've used a Custom 4 quite a bit. It is really flat and balanced EQ-wise. I'd say it is great for letting a guitar show its natural frequency curves. I'd seriously put the Custom 4 EQ at something like (B/M/T): 5/4/5 or even 4/4/5.

I think it would work best in a dedicated rhythm application.

Dedicated rhythm? It seems like it would be a very good rhythm pickup, but an awesome lead pickup because it has nice clarity and more mids than A5 even though the EQ is fairly balanced. The audio that I have been able to find sounds like A4 lends itself as a lead pickup extremely well.

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Alnico IV

[LtKojak]

Re: Alnico IV

A4 is a PROPRIETARY mix, not recognized by the MMPA, just like the UnOriented A5.

There are only a few foundries in the US capable of produce it to a reasonable price point, that's why you won't see it offered by the biggest p'up makers, unless it's a Custom Shop order.

HTH,

[Myaccount876]

Re: Alnico IV

Dedicated rhythm? It seems like it would be a very good rhythm pickup, but an awesome lead pickup because it has nice clarity and more mids than A5 even though the EQ is fairly balanced. The audio that I have been able to find sounds like A4 lends itself as a lead pickup extremely well.

Well, I was only referring to the Custom 4 specifically, as it is the only AlNiCo IV pickup I've had experience with so far. It really seemed to lack the power of any other magnet, and was more tamed than even the AlNiCo II Custom Custom. Not necessarily a bad thing, just it didn't have any stand-out peaks to really make it cut.

But I cannot speak as if this applies for any other AlNiCo IV based pickup. Magnet type is only a single part that interacts with other design factors to achieve the overall sound. An AlNiCo II/III/Iv/V/Un-Oriented V/VIII isn't this-or-that; they just occasionally give out a certain result enough that people make very generalized statements. Outliers definitely exist.

[Myaccount876]

Re: Alnico IV

A4 is a PROPRIETARY mix, not recognized by the MMPA, just like the UnOriented A5.

There are only a few foundries in the US capable of produce it to a reasonable price point, that's why you won't see it offered by the biggest p'up makers, unless it's a Custom Shop order.

HTH,

Multicultural Motion Picture Association?

At least, that's what MMPA stands for in the US (apparently along with Marine Mammal Protection Act, Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, and Moser Mayer Phoenix Associates). What exactly is it that you're referring to?

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Alnico IV

I have a 59n A4 and it's amazing. I think it was Pepe who said an A4 in the neck, is a shredders dream and he is right.

It tamed the bass and highs, and gave me more mids; just adding clarity but keeping the snap of the 59 that it naturally has.

Especially helpful when cranking the tubescreamer and gain.

I think a Custom with an A4 would be sweet. I still need to do a CustomUOA5, then an A4.

I feel a CustomA4 would be great in mahagony. Dunno just speculating.

[Ivars]

Re: Alnico IV

What to expect from Full Shred with A4 in the neck?

[AlexR]

Re: Alnico IV

A4 is the mag statistically speaking most likely to be in Gibson PAF pickups. It is also what is frequently used in clones of said.

As it is a balanced eq, the wind pattern/geometry etc becomes more important. Pickups that rely a lot on the magnet may not do so well with an A4 - they tend to become a bit bland.

[Brow]

Re: Alnico IV

I have a couple of sets of AIV mag pickups, BKP Mule PAFs and BKP Abraxas PAF+ types, and they're amongst my favourite pickups.

I find them to be very neutral tonally and let the true sound of the guitar come through without colouring it too much.

[dr. ad]

Re: Alnico IV

because they're less musical.

[VHTJay]

Re: Alnico IV

The PRS dragon1 neck pickup uses an A4 magnet and I still have that in the guitar it came. I think it really shines in the neck slot because as Myaccount876 has noted, it has a fairly flat/neutral eq curve which lends itself to clarity and taming some of the boom you can get in that slot. If you are looking for output, it probably isn't the magnet of choice for you; noticeably less juice than a fully charged A5 and the eq curve it imparts also results in a less aggressive tone.

[blueman335]

Re: Alnico IV

A4's have the flattest EQ of any alnico, which is what divides people. Some like that it doesn't have a big EQ push in any direction (lows, mids, highs) which lets the natural tones of the PU and wood come thru. The lack of EQ push is also why others dislike them, and some twist that around to consider them 'less musical' which is ridiculous, as a number of the original 1950's PAF's used A4's. Lindy Fralin is a big A4 fan, and uses them as the stock magnet in his HB's and P-90's (his PU's sound great!).

As with A2's and A3's, A4's are also unoriented, which gives them some character and complexity. A4's are a viable option when an A5 is too bright, thin, or bassy. They're also useful when an A2 is too warm or loose.

Like almost everything we discuss here, it's a matter of taste.

[CTN]

Re: Alnico IV

I feel like part of what makes a good pickup is that the wind plays off the magnet's natural mojo. The A4 has virtually no mojo. It's an accountant wearing a beige suit. But somehow, in a '59N, it's an amazing magnet.

I used a Custom4 for a while. The EQ curve is exceptionally transparent and really does just bring out the guitar's natural tonality. It's lower output though than the stock Customs.
If you want a similar tonality to the Custom4 with much more mojo, use a roughcast A3. The roughcast-ness trims down the A3's strong highs a bit and rounds out the lows a bit. Gives it a more balanced EQ, very similar to an A4, but with lotsa personality.