Alnico "Special"?

[soulforger]

What does it mean when a pickup manufacturer specifies Albico V Special or Alnico II Special? Degaussed? Or is there something else that makes a magnet special? Thanks!

[larryguitar]

Perhaps it wears a little helmet, or can't do some of the things other magnets can do?

Larry

[GuitarDoc]

The "special" may be referring to the pup not the magnet. There is no such magnet as an alnico "special"

[Mincer]

Now I am curious. Where are you seeing this?

[jeremy]

sounds like marketing bs to me

[soulforger]

Suhr lists the magnet for the Aldrich as Alnico V Special, also Pariah lists a couple of pickups as having Alnico II Special, I assumed it meant aged or degaussed, I should email them I guess to see what they mean, I was just curious if anyone here knew by chance.I've never owned a pup from either of them, but figured someone here might have one...

[Masta' C]

Proprietary composition, maybe? Roughcast? Degaussed?

No clue!

[soulforger]

I guess they like to keep some secrets haha!

[Mincer]

My guess is marketing.

[eclecticsynergy]

Suhr lists the magnet for the Aldrich as Alnico V Special, also Pariah lists a couple of pickups as having Alnico II Special, I assumed it meant aged or degaussed, I should email them I guess to see what they mean, I was just curious if anyone here knew by chance.I've never owned a pup from either of them, but figured someone here might have one...

I agree this could mean degaussed, or special order/custom formulation, or short length or even double thickness.
I imagine it varies from one brand to another, since in terms of pickup magnets it doesn't have a standardized meaning.
As suggested upthread, in some cases it might mean nothing at all.

[beaubrummels]

My guess, for both the Suhr and Pariah, is 'special' means roughcast / not polished, based on the descriptions and EQ profiles.

For example, the Suhr description is "It’s big sounding yet focused and punchy in the mids and tight in the lows. You will never hear this pickup get flubby and undefined in the highest gain settings. The high-mids will cut through like the sharpest knife but the treble will be sweet and never grating on the ears.", which is not what I would expect a polished A5 to be described as, but an RCA5 would have some mids and sweetened highs, never grating on the ears.

[GuitarDoc]

My guess, for both the Suhr and Pariah, is 'special' means roughcast / not polished, based on the descriptions and EQ profiles.

For example, the Suhr description is "It’s big sounding yet focused and punchy in the mids and tight in the lows. You will never hear this pickup get flubby and undefined in the highest gain settings. The high-mids will cut through like the sharpest knife but the treble will be sweet and never grating on the ears.", which is not what I would expect a polished A5 to be described as, but an RCA5 would have some mids and sweetened highs, never grating on the ears.

That would make sense for the "alnico 5 special". Wonder what they mean for the "alnico 2 special".

[beaubrummels]

That would make sense for the "alnico 5 special". Wonder what they mean for the "alnico 2 special".

I think it could be the same, rough vs polished. For example, the "Patina" description sounds a bit like what I would expect a roughcast mag to do for a pickup; "velvety", balanced midrange, singing highs. I seem to recall one of the winders on here saying that these days all mags are polished and you have to ask foundries to leave them rough? (Or is my memory failing?)

"Delivers a hard driving rock tone with a “velvety” punch. The warmth of the Alnico 2 Special magnet balances out the midrange providing a defined low end with singing highs. The Patina is an excellent pickup for blues, rock and metal. "

[soulforger]

That's one of the pups I was curious about, sounds like a double screw JB2 (obvious Jake E Lee tone implied by the name Patina!) I was just wondering about thag mag, thanks for all the input guys!

[beaubrummels]

I'd just shoot a email/note to their support and ask what the special means.