Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

[Benjy_26]

Hello all.

I recently picked up a MIM maple/alder strat for a really great price and am considering swapping out the stock ceric singles for something a little different.

I currently own 2 SSS strats, one has a set of Duncans out of an Ernie Ball Albert Lee sig and the other has an EMG DG20 pickguard. I have been looking around and came across a pickup maker that has a set of alnico 8 singles with pretty high resistance numbers.

The pickups are described as loud and dark, which sort of appeals to me.

My only concern is that the pickups may have too much string pull. I've never experienced "stratitis" first hand and I'd like to avoid that. Do you guys think that an alnico 8 strat pickup is viable, or should I stick to more traditional designs for a SSS strat?

 

[TVFV]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

What are you wanting to do with it? At that point I would consider some sort of HSS setup with something like two quarter pounds in the neck and middle and a Custom 8 in the bridge.

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[Discharged]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

Do you guys think that an alnico 8 strat pickup is viable?

If you ask me, in a nutshell, no.

You can make'em and make it work, but with a considerable waste of economic resources, as there are a number of other time-tested, more economic and even more elegant ways to accomplish the same goal.

/Peter

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I don't see why not? They have neodymium pickups.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I don't see why not? They have neodymium pickups.

I can only imagine the size of the slugs for a neodymium single coil. About like finishing nails.

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[idsnowdog]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I can only imagine the size of the slugs for a neodymium single coil. About like finishing nails.

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The Entwistel pickups I have are built like P90's so you don't have the direct pull of a rod magnet. That being said they still have a strong pull. However, I don't notice that they choke string vibration or are any worse for statitus for the upper frets. They're bright and loud.

http://www.entwistlepickups.com/pickup.php?puid=XS+62N

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I recall a few years ago someone put a neodymium bar magnet in a humbucker. They stated that the dogs in their neighborhood would never forgive them.

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[Benjy_26]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

What are you wanting to do with it? At that point I would consider some sort of HSS setup with something like two quarter pounds in the neck and middle and a Custom 8 in the bridge.

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At this point, I'm just looking to do something different with this strat. I've got a few HSS rigs, but I wouldn't mind throwing a PG+ in the bridge of this thing with some Texas Special-ey pickups, doing a full set of rails-type pickups, or going with aome vintage repros. I actually ran into these pickups while looking for some 50's style singles.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I would think the big bass and rounded highs of A8's would be great for a bridge single coil. I also have an Entwistel HDN and think its a good sounding pickup. I put a brass baseplate on mine to round off the high end.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

Have made a couple of these for bridge but not with heavy winds, just low 7's DCR with 42 gauge. They don't sound dark at all, far from it -- but instead of sounding like a Strat, for better or worse, they sound very much like a vintage range Firebird bridge! No Stratitis but again that's just the bridge position. I have not tried one for middle or neck, A8 would likely have too much string pull there, but maybe I shouldn't just assume and give it a try at some point.

Have also made a few A6 Strat bridges in the hopes that it would get rid of the icepick and give me beefy/gutsy bridge tone but instead they just sounded bland. Oh well..

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

Have made a couple of these for bridge but not with heavy winds, just low 7's DCR with 42 gauge. They don't sound dark at all, far from it -- but instead of sounding like a Strat, for better or worse, they sound very much like a vintage range Firebird bridge! No Stratitis but again that's just the bridge position. I have not tried one for middle or neck, A8 would likely have too much string pull there, but maybe I shouldn't just assume and give it a try at some point.

Have also made a few A6 Strat bridges in the hopes that it would get rid of the icepick and give me beefy/gutsy bridge tone but instead they just sounded bland. Oh well..

Did you use rod magnets or were they bottom loaded?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I think if you like loud and dark, it is easier to start with A2 magnets, and hit them with a boost or something. You won't have the string pull of A8, and you'd likely get a nicer, more usable tone with less string pull. That Strat-itis thing is real, and it sucks when you are battling it, as many notes just seem out of tune.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I don't why they wouldn't be viable. The Creamery make A8 single coils, I ordered one of their Sonic 60s with an A8 for my Mustang, but it still hasn't arrived yet, when it does I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[Artie]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I recall a few years ago someone put a neodymium bar magnet in a humbucker.

Q-Tuner's does that.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

Well my Sonic 60s pickups from The Creamery unexpectedly arrived today, never got any notification that they shipped, so hopefully I can get them installed this weekend.

 

[Davii]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

I recall a few years ago someone put a neodymium bar magnet in a humbucker. They stated that the dogs in their neighborhood would never forgive them.

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Hey, I sell neodymium humbuckers, and the bit.. I mean dogs are just fine

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

^^
Like with any magnet, I'm sure that if you design the pickup around it, neodymium would sound just fine.
But if you swapped one into something like a 59, I could imagine that the results might not be quite so good.

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[Discharged]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

Hey, I sell neodymium humbuckers, and the bit.. I mean dogs are just fine

Yes, they're deaf.

/Peter

 

[Davii]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

^^
Like with any magnet, I'm sure that if you design the pickup around it, neodymium would sound just fine.
But if you swapped one into something like a 59, I could imagine that the results might not be quite so good.

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I've tried them in loads (though not a 59, admittedly) and they've all been fine. A8 by comparrison seems noticeably compressed wherever I've tried it, and ceramic's have occasionally been a bit harsh, but not neodymium. The ones I use are N38, perhaps that's the difference(?)

 

[Davii]

Re: Alnico 8 Strat pickup. Too much magnet?

Yes, they're deaf.

/Peter

Nah, that's our women