Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

[fuzzyratfarts]

I had planned on getting an Alnico 2 set, 7.7 neck, 8.7 bridge, but lately I have decided I want Alnico 5 in the bridge pickup...Will it be difficult to EQ this combo together??

this is the 8.7 alnico 5 sound I like (WCR Darkburst pickup):
http://wcrclips.com/clips/DarkBurst_Br.mp3

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I have an APH/C5 combo in my Hamer and have no EQ problems. I also have a PG/PG+ combo in my LP and get great results as well.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Fuzzyrat yeah, great combo. I have a 9.0 A5 on bridge and a 8.0 A4 on neck. I love the A4 in the neck since it is less boomy in the bass than a A5, but has more mids like a A2 and highs much like the A5. I think a2 are too vowelly in the neck for me (set neck all mahogany guitar!)

 

[gripweed]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Fuzzyrat yeah, great combo. I have a 9.0 A5 on bridge and a 8.0 A4 on neck. I love the A4 in the neck since it is less boomy in the bass than a A5, but has more mids like a A2 and highs much like the A5. I think a2 are too vowelly in the neck for me (set neck all mahogany guitar!)

I have a Fralin 7.5 (a4) in the neck of my "V" and a Seth (a2)in the bridge. It's my fav humbucker combo right now. Try it, you'll never know if it works for sure until you try.

Hamerfan, which a4 do you have in your neck?

 

[wildstar]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I'm very interested in hearing more opinions on this! Especially A2, A3, and A4.

I'm about to order a pair of High Order pickups, and am trying to decide between A2, A3 or A4 for the neck, at about 7.8k-8k. Bridge will be A2 at 8.5k, though A3 is an option.

A2 for both neck and bridge is a no-brainer, but I'm curious about other combos.

Anyone else?

 

[gripweed]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I'm very interested in hearing more opinions on this! Especially A2, A3, and A4.

I'm about to order a pair of High Order pickups, and am trying to decide between A2, A3 or A4 for the neck, at about 7.8k-8k. Bridge will be A2 at 8.5k, though A3 is an option.

A2 for both neck and bridge is a no-brainer, but I'm curious about other combos.

Anyone else?

I like a4 for the neck because I like a neck pickup that has a lot of clarity. If that is what you want, try a4. The Fralin that I have has less bass than a5 and more bass than a2. The bass is also tighter than a2. I'd say that the bass in a4 is closer to a5 than a2, although not as boomy. To my ears anyway, there is also a little less treble in a4. The treble is closer to a5 than a2.

If that isn't enough to sell you on a4, the midrange is incredible! I think that is why it matches well with my Seth bridge. Its not as heavy in the mids as a2 IMHO.

As a caution, some don't like the Fralins. I think that is because they prefer a more traditional style of humbucker.

 

[wildstar]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I like a4 for the neck because I like a neck pickup that has a lot of clarity. If that is what you want, try a4. The Fralin that I have has less bass than a5 and more bass than a2. The bass is also tighter than a2. I'd say that the bass in a4 is closer to a5 than a2, although not as boomy. To my ears anyway, there is also a little less treble in a4. The treble is closer to a5 than a2.

If that isn't enough to sell you on a4, the midrange is incredible! I think that is why it matches well with my Seth bridge. Its not as heavy in the mids as a2 IMHO.

As a caution, some don't like the Fralins. I think that is because they prefer a more traditional style of humbucker.

Great, thank you! Exactly the info that's helpful to me. Keep this kind of stuff coming.

Don't want to steal your thread, fuzzyratfarts (great name, BTW). But I think this is the kind of information you're looking for, right? I was about to post a very similar thread when I saw yours.

Cheers

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Off topic: Wildstar, love your avatar, man. :burnout:

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Off topic: Wildstar, love your avatar, man. :burnout:

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I had planned on getting an Alnico 2 set, 7.7 neck, 8.7 bridge, but lately I have decided I want Alnico 5 in the bridge pickup...Will it be difficult to EQ this combo together??

http://wcrclips.com/clips/DarkBurst_Br.mp3

Not difficult at all, this is a nearly ideal combo because if anything, it will make EQ'ing and pickup balancing easier. I know some guys who play blues who will use two neck models of the same pickup -- but they put A5 in the bridge and A2 in the neck to get the balance.

You can also take the opposite approach if you're having balance problems with an overly strong bridge pu. My ES-355 has a Custom Custom with an Alnico 3 magnet in it, while the Jon Moore neck (7.6k) has an Alnico 4.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I've gone in the opposite direction. I like A2 bridge pickups and A5 neck. I just like how they A5 in the neck retains some brightness in the neck slot so it matches up with the bridge better, to me anyway.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

I've gone in the opposite direction. I like A2 bridge pickups and A5 neck. I just like how they A5 in the neck retains some brightness in the neck slot so it matches up with the bridge better, to me anyway.

You've probably got a fairly high output bridge pu, right?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

You've probably got a fairly high output bridge pu, right?

Yeah, Custom Custom.

 

[wildstar]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Off topic: Wildstar, love your avatar, man. :burnout:

Thanks dude! Besides being a pathetic guitar gear nerd, I grew up on Robotech and Starblazers, and am a pathetic sci-fi/anime/fantasy nerd. I think it's a pic of Roy's Veritech, blasting away at the Invid or somebody...

Back to the topic: so if I'm understanding the differences correctly, all things being equal an A4 neck pup will have more clarity (high end) and low end compared to an A2 neck? It will not be as sweet and liquidy as the A2, but will be more usable for chords and rhythm?

Am I am idiot, or just misinterpreting the posts in this thread? Or both? :laugh2:

That's a very good point about different magnet types actually making it easier to match tone and EQ. Depending on which magnets go where, of course... It's not the position of the pickup that makes such a huge tonal difference, it's the nature of the guitar! Kinda forgot that...

 

[gripweed]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Thanks dude! Besides being a pathetic guitar gear nerd, I grew up on Robotech and Starblazers, and am a pathetic sci-fi/anime/fantasy nerd. I think it's a pic of Roy's Veritech, blasting away at the Invid or somebody...

Back to the topic: so if I'm understanding the differences correctly, all things being equal an A4 neck pup will have more clarity (high end) and low end compared to an A2 neck? It will not be as sweet and liquidy as the A2, but will be more usable for chords and rhythm?

Am I am idiot, or just misinterpreting the posts in this thread? Or both? :laugh2:

That's a very good point about different magnet types actually making it easier to match tone and EQ. Depending on which magnets go where, of course... It's not the position of the pickup that makes such a huge tonal difference, it's the nature of the guitar! Kinda forgot that...

No, I think you've hit the nail on the head regarding a4.

 

[wildstar]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

BUMP

Just hoping squeeze more info out of folks before this thread vanishes...

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

No, I think you've hit the nail on the head regarding a4.

Close but not quite -- Alnico 4 is still a very sweet-sounding magnet. Tonewise, it's much closer to A3 and A2 than A5. It just has a touch more oomph and woof than A2/3.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

It's not the position of the pickup that makes such a huge tonal difference, it's the nature of the guitar! Kinda forgot that...

Actually, if you're talking neck vs. bridge, the position of the pickup makes the biggest tonal difference of all. Take the same pickup and put it in the bridge and then the neck, the tone will be totally different because it's seeing a different part of the string.

 

[Dmitry]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

As I understand:

A2 - smooth highs / sweet mid / melow bass
A3 - almost A2 with more presence
A4 - sweetened A5
A5 - ... rock n' roll :laugh2:

ceramic - ballz to the wall?

How would you compare ceramic to A2-3-4-5?

 

[wildstar]

Re: Different Alnico grades for bridge and neck??

Actually, if you're talking neck vs. bridge, the position of the pickup makes the biggest tonal difference of all. Take the same pickup and put it in the bridge and then the neck, the tone will be totally different because it's seeing a different part of the string.

Thanks - I meant what you said - not what I wrote! :smack: So it seems to me that one strategy is to select pickups based on making the two positions work well together. We all have ideas of what the "perfect" neck and bridge pickup should sound like, but it might not be practical to make those work together. And that might mean making slight compromises on what your ideal tone for each position is, right?

Thanks for the summary, Dmitry. What you wrote corresponds well to what Lew posted in an older thread, here:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=1502&highlight=alnico+4+a4

Scroll down to see his precise and enlightening summary of the magnet types.

Other good threads I've found for describing the differences between magnets:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=53019&highlight=alnico+4+a4

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=4294&highlight=alnico+4+a4