intersting experiment on inductance mod

[marcello252]

Just seen on YT this video , it's interesting, he modifies the pu inductance applying nails on bottom , you can hear the differences

[freefrog]

Thx for sharing.

Yep, adding iron boosts the inductance... That's the reason why pickups become more inductive with alloys containing more iron (A3>A2>A4>A5)...

For a similar effect, Fender did mount ferrous screws in the holes between rod magnets of Strat bridge pickups in the early 2000's (those with plastic bobbins).
Di-Marzio adds slugs between magnetic poles for decades and with the same goal...

[ArtieToo]

Interesting, but I can't help but wonder if refocusing the magnetic field had as much, if not more, impact on the change in tone? I guess it would be impossible to separate the two.

[beaubrummels]

Congratulations! He reinvented the TwangBanger!

[marcello252]

the jaguar pickup claws come to my mind

[freefrog]

Jaguar pickup claws surely increase the inductance but they have a slightly different effect because of their shape, modifying laterally the magnetic field. Reason why I rather see Jaguar SC's as a Fender Variation on the Burns Tri-Sonic recipe.

I wouldn't either think of added iron as having exactly the same effect than a copper-plated steel baseplate under a Tele or Tele alike SC: this other recipe certainly increases the inductance but a layer of copper under the coil also brings more eddy currents than a mere add of ferrous mass.

In any cases, I agree with Artie, inductive changes interact with magnetism in such experiments.

...And I can't help to recall that increasing artificially the inductance is not the only way to make a Strat pickup less "thin" sounding: increasing cable capacitance is still simpler but not less effective IMHO, as illustrated in the past by Hendrix, SRV and a couple of other Strat players... YMMV.

[eclecticsynergy]

One of my Lollar Strat pickups has the steel baseplate.
I think even that small an amount of iron has an audible effect.
Subtle but perceptible, in my case.