Ceramic Magnets
- Thread starter brentasaw
- Start date
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: Ceramic Magnets
I dont know a whole lot either, but I do know that Alnico magnets have a softer magnetic field than ceramics, So the strings can vibrate more. The tone of alnico magnet will be more open, sweet, and organic sounding. Ceramic magnets have a very strong magnetic field that pulls on the strings more. The tone of a ceramic magnet is usually not as organic and sweet sounding compaired to an alnico magnet. It is more compressed, and very strong and in your face......that is why ceramic magnets are favored among most metal players.
I dont know a whole lot either, but I do know that Alnico magnets have a softer magnetic field than ceramics, So the strings can vibrate more. The tone of alnico magnet will be more open, sweet, and organic sounding. Ceramic magnets have a very strong magnetic field that pulls on the strings more. The tone of a ceramic magnet is usually not as organic and sweet sounding compaired to an alnico magnet. It is more compressed, and very strong and in your face......that is why ceramic magnets are favored among most metal players.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Ceramic Magnets
Alnicos are an old type of magnet, pretty much obsolete in most applications, having been replaced by newer designs like ceramics, which are stronger, hold a charge longer, and are lighter weight. But like vacuum tubes, which are also hopelessly obsolete in most uses, they add character & color to a guitar's sound. They're not so old-fashioned after all.
Metal players tend to like ceramics as they're very high output, and have a bright, sharp tone which holds up well under large amounts of distortion and effects. Blues & rock players usually prefer alnicos for the tone coloring and warmth, plus they're not harsh clean, like ceramics often are. Original 1950's Gibson PAF's (considered to be the 'Holy Grail' of PU's) used A2's, A3's, A4's, & A5's, all of which are still popular today (A5's and A2's being the most common). A8's were long considered a specialty magnet of limited use, but they're getting popular lately in various bridge PU's; there's a segment of pioneers on this forum that have gone into unchartered territory and found new uses for A8's, one of the most popular being the wildcat 'C8.' A1, A7, and A9 are rarely, if ever encountered in a guitar-sized magnet. Don't know what they'd sound like, but some of us are curious.
Check out some threads on magnet EQ's and output (I've got some posts on that subject). Changing magnets makes a new PU. If you have pickup(s) that don't sound like you want them to, swapping magnets is a cheap, easy, and quick way to create a new PU. Some of us have both improved our tones and saved a lot of money, by trying different magnets. It won't solve every tone issue, but it can solve many of them. The one limitation is that you can only do this with HB's and P-90's.
So now that your head is swimming, what guitars do you have and which need to have their tones improved?
Alnicos are an old type of magnet, pretty much obsolete in most applications, having been replaced by newer designs like ceramics, which are stronger, hold a charge longer, and are lighter weight. But like vacuum tubes, which are also hopelessly obsolete in most uses, they add character & color to a guitar's sound. They're not so old-fashioned after all.
Metal players tend to like ceramics as they're very high output, and have a bright, sharp tone which holds up well under large amounts of distortion and effects. Blues & rock players usually prefer alnicos for the tone coloring and warmth, plus they're not harsh clean, like ceramics often are. Original 1950's Gibson PAF's (considered to be the 'Holy Grail' of PU's) used A2's, A3's, A4's, & A5's, all of which are still popular today (A5's and A2's being the most common). A8's were long considered a specialty magnet of limited use, but they're getting popular lately in various bridge PU's; there's a segment of pioneers on this forum that have gone into unchartered territory and found new uses for A8's, one of the most popular being the wildcat 'C8.' A1, A7, and A9 are rarely, if ever encountered in a guitar-sized magnet. Don't know what they'd sound like, but some of us are curious.
Check out some threads on magnet EQ's and output (I've got some posts on that subject). Changing magnets makes a new PU. If you have pickup(s) that don't sound like you want them to, swapping magnets is a cheap, easy, and quick way to create a new PU. Some of us have both improved our tones and saved a lot of money, by trying different magnets. It won't solve every tone issue, but it can solve many of them. The one limitation is that you can only do this with HB's and P-90's.
So now that your head is swimming, what guitars do you have and which need to have their tones improved?
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: Ceramic Magnets
thanks blueman, lol. I knew someone could explain it better than I could
thanks blueman, lol. I knew someone could explain it better than I could
bryan the rocker
New member
Re: Ceramic Magnets
I have a few Japanese strat Single coils, They have magnets attached to the bottom of their bobbins,
So I guess you could swap that too
I have a few Japanese strat Single coils, They have magnets attached to the bottom of their bobbins,
So I guess you could swap that too
Last edited:
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: Ceramic Magnets
http://www.wymoreguitars.com has'em, from a2-a8, and ceramic. if i were you, i'd get both a ceramic and a8;
a JB with a ceramic is almost a DD, as the DD has a thicker magnet than most. with an a8, i've heard some good things about the JB; mostly that it's got tighter lows and smoother mids than it's stock a5.
http://www.wymoreguitars.com has'em, from a2-a8, and ceramic. if i were you, i'd get both a ceramic and a8;
a JB with a ceramic is almost a DD, as the DD has a thicker magnet than most. with an a8, i've heard some good things about the JB; mostly that it's got tighter lows and smoother mids than it's stock a5.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Ceramic Magnets
I should add that the "missing alnico brothers" (1, 7, & 9) are probably all still made for various applications, but to get them cut into guitar-size requires large minimum orders, several hundred dollars at least. Maybe one day a bunch of us can chip in & place some orders to try them out. Who knows what they offer tone-wise? Look at the difference between an A4 and A5, or an A2 and A3.
There are a few A6's floating around, but they're like an A8 with a more rounded top, so they don't offer anything really exciting. I've got several in PU's, and they're okay, but not different enough from an A8 to have much of a following. But what does an A7 sound like? Hmmm....
The five common alnicos offer a good variety in EQ & output, enough to keep most of us busy, especially in P-90's, which have twin magnets. But in the middle of the night, some of us lie there wondering about what life would like if we had alnicos 1 thru 9. That spirit of adventure and the unknown that drives men to new discoveries, some of which actually turn out to be worthwhile.
I should add that the "missing alnico brothers" (1, 7, & 9) are probably all still made for various applications, but to get them cut into guitar-size requires large minimum orders, several hundred dollars at least. Maybe one day a bunch of us can chip in & place some orders to try them out. Who knows what they offer tone-wise? Look at the difference between an A4 and A5, or an A2 and A3.
There are a few A6's floating around, but they're like an A8 with a more rounded top, so they don't offer anything really exciting. I've got several in PU's, and they're okay, but not different enough from an A8 to have much of a following. But what does an A7 sound like? Hmmm....
The five common alnicos offer a good variety in EQ & output, enough to keep most of us busy, especially in P-90's, which have twin magnets. But in the middle of the night, some of us lie there wondering about what life would like if we had alnicos 1 thru 9. That spirit of adventure and the unknown that drives men to new discoveries, some of which actually turn out to be worthwhile.
Re: Ceramic Magnets
brighter, tighter, sharper?
Add buzzier and meaner and I think you've described ceramic perfectly. It definitely has its uses, specially in various shades of distortion.
The rest of the pup, like the wind, have a lot to do with the sound though
tc
brighter, tighter, sharper?
Add buzzier and meaner and I think you've described ceramic perfectly. It definitely has its uses, specially in various shades of distortion.
The rest of the pup, like the wind, have a lot to do with the sound though
tc
Last edited:
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Ceramic Magnets
Once you learn how to tweak with magnets & pots (which is so easy) you can save a lot of money by making your existing PU's work for you. Every PU has multiple personalities, one for each magnet type; most players only hear the one the manufacturer happened to put in, and potentially miss some of it's best tones.
Once you learn how to tweak with magnets & pots (which is so easy) you can save a lot of money by making your existing PU's work for you. Every PU has multiple personalities, one for each magnet type; most players only hear the one the manufacturer happened to put in, and potentially miss some of it's best tones.
