Alnico vs Ceramic

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

wadr ~ That is probably true for someone who is trying to get to know their guitars , lets say 5 or so and get some Variety and personal Sound Style established . After changing out almost countless pickups over the years and builds , Recording , Live Performance ( Most Important to myself ) - I would pretty much KNOW what I am going to Get with all of the properties previously Experienced in a Swap out , as an End Result on quite alot of configs . but You guys Always get the Cobwebs knocked off and get the wheels Turning such as this Here --> What May be killer + I've Never thought of is combining Alnico with Ceramic on the Same Pickup( maybe it could make big $ ; ) and making a hybrid pickup with both , could work Awesome in a few Configs .

Is that what you are going to put together to make your recording?!?!?!?!?!

That would be awesome.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

For want of a better way to describe it, I find the tone of Alnicos sweeter than that of ceramics. Not that the wind doesn't play a factor. Ceramics tend to have a bit more bass and the top end has more sizzle under heavy distortion. And I don't mean fizz, I mean sizzle. Though I bet that A9s come close.

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[Aceman]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

I like Ceramics - a lot . To some the are sterile, brittle, cold, harsh. To me they are tight, bright, immediate, powerful.

I like Alnico's too. I have used A2, A3, UOA5, A5, A8 and Ceramics and have swapped a bit. A magnet is a big part of a pickup - but not the only and not necessarily the biggest. The Custom family, though, shows how extreme they be. The C5 vs the A2 of the CC....WOW - almost opposite pickups!

Pickup tone mojo is a complex thing....wind, wire gauge, magnets. Play what you like. I'm sure there are some guys who bought LP Customs and are playing the blues as sweet and sad as can be with their 500t's, which are basically Duncan Distortions. I metal the %$%^# out of my Pearly Gates with an A2. Sound is sound. If you like it, it is good even if it is a refrigerator magnet.

And to see what a JB with a Ceramic is....It's pretty much a Duncan Distortion. The magnet can make a wayyy huge difference in a pickup, or a subtle one.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

^^
With a thick ceramic. With a regular one it's the Dokkenbucker.

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[gregory]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

My first Duncan pickup was a Custom, bought before they began stamping them. So long as I'm careful to avoid too much gain in the area where it becomes ice-picky I love it. It's muscular, ballsy and immediate. I like the ceramics in the single-sized side-by-sides I've tried as well.

These days I really like the RUA5 (riddle me this: why the C, when a polished Alnico magnet is also cast?!?, or the O when the U already establishes that it's unoriented?).

I am right at home with A5s as well.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

I've been working on this. I've actually made a humbucker that doesn't suck big hairy donkey plums for once:

View attachment 81708

Are those alnico rods? The original PRS T&Bs were made that way and they're fantastic. They had alnico bars under the screw coils rather than ceramic, but the ones in my '87 are among my all-time favorite humbuckers.

 

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

Is that what you are going to put together to make your recording?!?!?!?!?!

That would be awesome.

^-- could be very Awesome - may try it / gears a turnin'

u have a pm ~ + 1 day at a time Aceman : )


Hahahahahahahaha . . . . . . I have 2 or 3 before I could even get to That : ) but the Next 2 Songs will be done with DM TZ ( A5 ) bridge only Kramelock and My pers. built T on Blues / Rock with Dm Chopper Ceramic Bridge and Fender TT A5 in Neck . After that it's all gear and Fingers ~ I know You know the drill Ace of space : )

 

[Davii]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

Are those alnico rods? The original PRS T&Bs were made that way and they're fantastic. They had alnico bars under the screw coils rather than ceramic, but the ones in my '87 are among my all-time favorite humbuckers.

Yes, A2s at the moment, as they're the only ones I have in humbucker slug size. The outcome was really interesting; Of the two, the ceramic coil is actually the sweeter of the two solo, with the rod side perhaps needing a few more turns to take the edge off the high end a little bit, but they combine ok as well. Less dark going through my rig than when DI'd, but considering this is a neck pickup, I'm quite chuffed!

Some very rushed DI'd recordings: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/kujkun9lmo6n2/MVX-1_H90

 

[Zheddar]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

Hey Davli, whatever happened with that H90 pickup your working on? I liked the sound samples alot, how do I get one of those off of you?

 

[Davii]

Re: Alnico vs Ceramic

Hey Davli, whatever happened with that H90 pickup your working on? I liked the sound samples alot, how do I get one of those off of you?

I'm currently waiting on parts to do more testing, and a bridge version, so give me a shout via DM