blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Good deal. 7K makes a great, clear neck PU.
Good deal. 7K makes a great, clear neck PU.
Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
- Thread starter SoCalSteve
- Start date
Ironbird666
New member
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
This is true, and of course I know myself all too well. :cool2:
I'm more at a temporary halt for the time being. My temporary halt will be on my LTD KH602 (yes, a Kirk Hammett guitar, it was a childhood fantasy that turned out to be a killer guitar) that I'm putting an A2Pn and the 59/Custom hybrid into with a UOA5 mag instead of the A5. I've been ditching my remaining EMG's for passives lately and this particular guitar was the last man standing in the active world and I'm itching to get it complete. :1:
For those wondering, I was told February 28th-March 10th arrival date on my 59/Custom Hybrid :hijacked: BUT I'll be performing my second magnet swap to get the tread back on track hahahaha! This forum is awesome, I can't say it enough!
This is true, and of course I know myself all too well. :cool2:
I'm more at a temporary halt for the time being. My temporary halt will be on my LTD KH602 (yes, a Kirk Hammett guitar, it was a childhood fantasy that turned out to be a killer guitar) that I'm putting an A2Pn and the 59/Custom hybrid into with a UOA5 mag instead of the A5. I've been ditching my remaining EMG's for passives lately and this particular guitar was the last man standing in the active world and I'm itching to get it complete. :1:
For those wondering, I was told February 28th-March 10th arrival date on my 59/Custom Hybrid :hijacked: BUT I'll be performing my second magnet swap to get the tread back on track hahahaha! This forum is awesome, I can't say it enough!
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Excellent PU/magnet choices! :friday:
And good move on the actives too. Passives are the place where tone lives.
Excellent PU/magnet choices! :friday:
And good move on the actives too. Passives are the place where tone lives.
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Blueman, what is a UOA5 mag? I see that Lt. Kojak tried it upon your recommendation. Is it some sort of A5? I am loving the A2 and would like to get a custom/59 hybrid w/A2 mag. But now I'm curious about the UOA5. Please enlighten me. Also, where can I obtain said magnet or any magnet for that matter?
Blueman, what is a UOA5 mag? I see that Lt. Kojak tried it upon your recommendation. Is it some sort of A5? I am loving the A2 and would like to get a custom/59 hybrid w/A2 mag. But now I'm curious about the UOA5. Please enlighten me. Also, where can I obtain said magnet or any magnet for that matter?
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Almost all A5's are polished and oriented, meaning the inner 'grain' is aligned in one driection, to get the maximum strength from the magnet. All the A2's, A3's, and A4's we use are unoriented, meaning the grain is random. That makes the magnetic field more varied and complex, less uniform. A couple years ago Dennis with Addiction FX came on the scene and I was the first here to try his UOA5's.
UOA5's are of course, unoriented, and Addiction's are also roughcast. Sound-wise, they sound much closer to an A2, except they have a bit more treble (A2's have very little), a little more output, and a slightly firmer low end (A2's have a loose low end). UOA5's are the the second warmest magnet, after A2's. Very vintage sounding.
For years, the middle ground between A2's and A5's was either A8's or A4's (which is like a tamer A8). Now we have UOA5's which have an A2's dynmaics and organic feel. There are times when an A2 is just too rounded on top, and I can't get enough bite. And A5's are bright, bassy, and mid-scooped which can be overkill in some guitars. In both cases, an UOA5 can be the perfect solution.
I have UOA5's in PAF's ('59B, Ant, Virtual PAF), medium output (Fred), and high output HB's (C5, 498T). I also use a pair of them in P-90's. All of this is for the bridge slot. Some other guys here are using them in the neck too.
If you like A2's, you owe it to yourself to try some UOA5's.
Almost all A5's are polished and oriented, meaning the inner 'grain' is aligned in one driection, to get the maximum strength from the magnet. All the A2's, A3's, and A4's we use are unoriented, meaning the grain is random. That makes the magnetic field more varied and complex, less uniform. A couple years ago Dennis with Addiction FX came on the scene and I was the first here to try his UOA5's.
UOA5's are of course, unoriented, and Addiction's are also roughcast. Sound-wise, they sound much closer to an A2, except they have a bit more treble (A2's have very little), a little more output, and a slightly firmer low end (A2's have a loose low end). UOA5's are the the second warmest magnet, after A2's. Very vintage sounding.
For years, the middle ground between A2's and A5's was either A8's or A4's (which is like a tamer A8). Now we have UOA5's which have an A2's dynmaics and organic feel. There are times when an A2 is just too rounded on top, and I can't get enough bite. And A5's are bright, bassy, and mid-scooped which can be overkill in some guitars. In both cases, an UOA5 can be the perfect solution.
I have UOA5's in PAF's ('59B, Ant, Virtual PAF), medium output (Fred), and high output HB's (C5, 498T). I also use a pair of them in P-90's. All of this is for the bridge slot. Some other guys here are using them in the neck too.
If you like A2's, you owe it to yourself to try some UOA5's.
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Thanx Blue for getting back so quickly. I do like the warmth of the A2. For my strats, I like the A5, (Fender CS 69s), SSL-1s. But for humbuckers, the A2s are what I like, but I think something with the warmth of A2 & the bite of A5 might be very interesting. Where can I get these mags?
Thanx Blue for getting back so quickly. I do like the warmth of the A2. For my strats, I like the A5, (Fender CS 69s), SSL-1s. But for humbuckers, the A2s are what I like, but I think something with the warmth of A2 & the bite of A5 might be very interesting. Where can I get these mags?
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Addiction FX. He's on eBay, and I think he has his own site now.
Addiction FX. He's on eBay, and I think he has his own site now.
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
Blue, you are the bomb. I found his website. I think I'll order a few UOA5s to try in my pickups. Now I do have a question, when I change the mag, how do I make sure that the polarity is the same as the one I am removing? I assume that if I lay the new mag on top of the old mag, if it attracts, it has the same polarity. Is this the case?
Blue, you are the bomb. I found his website. I think I'll order a few UOA5s to try in my pickups. Now I do have a question, when I change the mag, how do I make sure that the polarity is the same as the one I am removing? I assume that if I lay the new mag on top of the old mag, if it attracts, it has the same polarity. Is this the case?
75lespaul
New member
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
More than likely, that's a Dimarzio Super 2. They look exactly the same. Does it have the stamp or sticker on it that says 100 or DP100? If not, then Super 2. I had that happen on eBay where I bought what was listed as a Super Distortion, and found out later it was a Super 2 when I traded it to a forum member who put a meter on it. Needless to say (A) I don't buy a Super Distortion unless the pickup is stamped or tagged "100", or the seller shows a pic of the meter reading, or states the meter reading and (B) I bought a meter!
More than likely, that's a Dimarzio Super 2. They look exactly the same. Does it have the stamp or sticker on it that says 100 or DP100? If not, then Super 2. I had that happen on eBay where I bought what was listed as a Super Distortion, and found out later it was a Super 2 when I traded it to a forum member who put a meter on it. Needless to say (A) I don't buy a Super Distortion unless the pickup is stamped or tagged "100", or the seller shows a pic of the meter reading, or states the meter reading and (B) I bought a meter!
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
I think you may be right. this may be a DMZ Super 2. The DC reistance is close enough to it. I'll try it in the neck of one of my guitars & see what it sounds like.
I think you may be right. this may be a DMZ Super 2. The DC reistance is close enough to it. I'll try it in the neck of one of my guitars & see what it sounds like.
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
I finally got my UOA5 mags in as well as my 59/c hybrid. I did my 1st official mag swap this evening. I took out the A5 in the hybrid, and replaced it w/UOA5. Now I can't wait to try it out. Now I'm waiting for my Seth neck (Blueman & Lt. Kojak's recommendation as the best sounding neck pu) to go with this pu. According to GuitarDoc, this is the best mag for the hybrid.
I finally got my UOA5 mags in as well as my 59/c hybrid. I did my 1st official mag swap this evening. I took out the A5 in the hybrid, and replaced it w/UOA5. Now I can't wait to try it out. Now I'm waiting for my Seth neck (Blueman & Lt. Kojak's recommendation as the best sounding neck pu) to go with this pu. According to GuitarDoc, this is the best mag for the hybrid.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
You have some excellent PU's.
You have some excellent PU's.
darthphineas
New member
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
blueman, what would a UOA5 do to a Custom Custom bridge pup? it sounds like it'd give it a bit more output, brighten it up a bit, and tighten up the low end (although it looks like the CC low end is already tight). I was just going to make it a C8, but you have me curious.
and what would you suggest to brighten up a neck pickup a bit? something that already has a A5, like a '59n or a FSn. 'brighten' might not be the best word... something tight, crisp, focused lows, not too boomy, can keep it together in high-gain applications, and can split to have a nice clean tone on a clean amp setting. the FSn is really close to the sound I have in my head... but just not quite.
blueman, what would a UOA5 do to a Custom Custom bridge pup? it sounds like it'd give it a bit more output, brighten it up a bit, and tighten up the low end (although it looks like the CC low end is already tight). I was just going to make it a C8, but you have me curious.
and what would you suggest to brighten up a neck pickup a bit? something that already has a A5, like a '59n or a FSn. 'brighten' might not be the best word... something tight, crisp, focused lows, not too boomy, can keep it together in high-gain applications, and can split to have a nice clean tone on a clean amp setting. the FSn is really close to the sound I have in my head... but just not quite.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
The water was only knee-deep, it wasn't so scary after all. :14:
With warmth comes power and midrange punch. That's a good thing.
The water was only knee-deep, it wasn't so scary after all. :14:
With warmth comes power and midrange punch. That's a good thing.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
A CC with an UOA5 becomes...'The Blueman Signature Custom' (as a forum member named it, since I was the first one to do it). Great PU if I do say so myself. For me, CC's are too dark in most of my guitars and the low end has the A2 looseness. C8's are excellent PU's, but A8's are high output and not as organic and responsive as other alnicos. Enter the UO C5. It's got vintage A2 dynamics, but with a sharper high-end so you can cut thru better. Although Customs are wound too hot be to 'vintage' an UOA5 gives Customs a vintage sound. Great for blues and classic rock.
When you have a neck HB with an A5, but the low end is boomy, you can first try lowering the pole pieces and lowering the bass side of the PU. That will help, but if it's not enough, then try an A3 or A4 magnet. A3's have some treble, along with a good dose of mids, so they give a bigger, fuller sound than an A5. The high end is bright, but not as sharp as an A5. A3's don't have a lot of bass, so boominess is cured. A4's have a flat EQ, so they work too in neck PU's, by having more treble than an A2 and a decent amount of mids. Bass is moderate, so you cure that too.
BTW, A3's and A4's are unoriented (as are A2's and UOA5's). Gives some extra character to the sound.
A CC with an UOA5 becomes...'The Blueman Signature Custom' (as a forum member named it, since I was the first one to do it). Great PU if I do say so myself. For me, CC's are too dark in most of my guitars and the low end has the A2 looseness. C8's are excellent PU's, but A8's are high output and not as organic and responsive as other alnicos. Enter the UO C5. It's got vintage A2 dynamics, but with a sharper high-end so you can cut thru better. Although Customs are wound too hot be to 'vintage' an UOA5 gives Customs a vintage sound. Great for blues and classic rock.
When you have a neck HB with an A5, but the low end is boomy, you can first try lowering the pole pieces and lowering the bass side of the PU. That will help, but if it's not enough, then try an A3 or A4 magnet. A3's have some treble, along with a good dose of mids, so they give a bigger, fuller sound than an A5. The high end is bright, but not as sharp as an A5. A3's don't have a lot of bass, so boominess is cured. A4's have a flat EQ, so they work too in neck PU's, by having more treble than an A2 and a decent amount of mids. Bass is moderate, so you cure that too.
BTW, A3's and A4's are unoriented (as are A2's and UOA5's). Gives some extra character to the sound.
darthphineas
New member
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
when you say 'vintage' what types of samples would you cite? Skynyrd? Allman Bros? Bad Co?
how would a UOC5 work for 80s hard rock? or would making it an A8 just cut to the chase and save some time? lol!
also, you had me with the A3s and A4s and then lost me. lol! the more thorough the description, the quicker I got lost about the benefits of each. if both of them have more mids than an A5, I'm not sure if it'll keep things as tight, even with less low end. or maybe I'm just too confused with the descriptions.
when you say 'vintage' what types of samples would you cite? Skynyrd? Allman Bros? Bad Co?
how would a UOC5 work for 80s hard rock? or would making it an A8 just cut to the chase and save some time? lol!
also, you had me with the A3s and A4s and then lost me. lol! the more thorough the description, the quicker I got lost about the benefits of each. if both of them have more mids than an A5, I'm not sure if it'll keep things as tight, even with less low end. or maybe I'm just too confused with the descriptions.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
'Vintage' as in 1950's Gibsons used by blues/rock bands in the '60's and early '70's, particularly Brits. I'm into hippie-era bands, and they usually had PAF's in their guitars.
UOA5 is pretty warm and earthy/organic, I love it, but if you're using a lot of distortion and effects, an A8 would be come thru clearer. UOA5's are best clean or with moderate OD where you can hear their more complex qualities. For '80's rock, A8's would be a better choice, more modern-sounding. Tight, focused, loud, warm.
A3's have some similarities to A2's. Low output with lots of mids and a vintage-sounding looseness. But with A3's, the EQ is shifted upwards; more treble and less bass.
An A4 is tighter than an A3, and some guys here love them in '59N's. Why not try one?
'Vintage' as in 1950's Gibsons used by blues/rock bands in the '60's and early '70's, particularly Brits. I'm into hippie-era bands, and they usually had PAF's in their guitars.
UOA5 is pretty warm and earthy/organic, I love it, but if you're using a lot of distortion and effects, an A8 would be come thru clearer. UOA5's are best clean or with moderate OD where you can hear their more complex qualities. For '80's rock, A8's would be a better choice, more modern-sounding. Tight, focused, loud, warm.
A3's have some similarities to A2's. Low output with lots of mids and a vintage-sounding looseness. But with A3's, the EQ is shifted upwards; more treble and less bass.
An A4 is tighter than an A3, and some guys here love them in '59N's. Why not try one?
lazyfinger
Member
Re: Another first-time magnet swap success story ('59b content)
When the Led Zeps and Pinky Floyds ruled the earth! Good times!
PAF goodness:
When the Led Zeps and Pinky Floyds ruled the earth! Good times!
PAF goodness: