Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
- Thread starter Tor
- Start date
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
What model of pickup was being stored?
Do you have a new alnico pickup on hand? If so, you could compare the amount of magnetic pole between the two to see how much weaker it might have become. A5 is the most common and it has a pretty sticky feeling when you touch a paper clip to it, but if it's A2 then it would have been a weaker magnet by design, so knowing the model would help.
What model of pickup was being stored?
Do you have a new alnico pickup on hand? If so, you could compare the amount of magnetic pole between the two to see how much weaker it might have become. A5 is the most common and it has a pretty sticky feeling when you touch a paper clip to it, but if it's A2 then it would have been a weaker magnet by design, so knowing the model would help.
Last edited:
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
It helps them to store them stuck together.
That said, no pickup magnet is strong enough to degauss any other pickup magnet, so it really doesn't matter.
Speaker magnets and transformer magnets are another story. Over [a lot of] time, those can make your pickups a bit wonky.
It helps them to store them stuck together.
That said, no pickup magnet is strong enough to degauss any other pickup magnet, so it really doesn't matter.
Speaker magnets and transformer magnets are another story. Over [a lot of] time, those can make your pickups a bit wonky.
Last edited:
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
None of that's true. You don't want them touching if you can help it. They will exchange magnetism more readily if they are touching. AlNiCo cain gain or lose magnetism extremely easily compared to other permanent magnets, in fact you can easily add or remove charge with neodymium magnets in a matter of seconds.
I had stored some Texas Specials in a small SD single pickup sized plastic case for about twelve years, two were facing one way, the other was facing another, and they were very weak. It was evident by touching metal to them and then touching it against a new A5 that they were down to about half their pull, similar to an A2. They were very low output and thin sounding. I charged the A5s back up with neodymiums and they came back to life. According to my magnetometer they're only at 45 though, they didn't make back up to 50.
None of that's true. You don't want them touching if you can help it. They will exchange magnetism more readily if they are touching. AlNiCo cain gain or lose magnetism extremely easily compared to other permanent magnets, in fact you can easily add or remove charge with neodymium magnets in a matter of seconds.
I had stored some Texas Specials in a small SD single pickup sized plastic case for about twelve years, two were facing one way, the other was facing another, and they were very weak. It was evident by touching metal to them and then touching it against a new A5 that they were down to about half their pull, similar to an A2. They were very low output and thin sounding. I charged the A5s back up with neodymiums and they came back to life. According to my magnetometer they're only at 45 though, they didn't make back up to 50.
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
Cool, knowing they're A5, they should put up a bit of a fight when you touch metal to them and pull away. If they feel only mildly attractive, they might have been weakened. This sort of thing is hard to describe though. If you have a new A5 pickup on hand, it's easy to tell.
BTW some people like the tone of weakened magnets, it's more "vintage" and mid-rangy, so see if you like it first before doing anything about it.
Cool, knowing they're A5, they should put up a bit of a fight when you touch metal to them and pull away. If they feel only mildly attractive, they might have been weakened. This sort of thing is hard to describe though. If you have a new A5 pickup on hand, it's easy to tell.
BTW some people like the tone of weakened magnets, it's more "vintage" and mid-rangy, so see if you like it first before doing anything about it.
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
The way I see it de-magnetization of one magnet from another requires either movement relative to each other or that ones pickup is much stronger than the other (more difference than just pickup A5 and pickup ceramic, let's see a neodymium industrial magnet.
What really kills magnetic charge is power tools. My classic case is guitars or basses that come back from fretwork or paint or crack repair work with pickups discharged (because somebody operated electric motor machinery on top of the pickups).
The way I see it de-magnetization of one magnet from another requires either movement relative to each other or that ones pickup is much stronger than the other (more difference than just pickup A5 and pickup ceramic, let's see a neodymium industrial magnet.
What really kills magnetic charge is power tools. My classic case is guitars or basses that come back from fretwork or paint or crack repair work with pickups discharged (because somebody operated electric motor machinery on top of the pickups).
darthphineas
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
agreed. it is NOT alright.
at best, you can store the SAME magnets together. like A8 with A8. UOA5 with UOA5. A2 with A2. RCA5 with RCA5. Ceramic with Ceramic. which is to say, the exact same magnet with the exact same.
also, long term exposure to other magnetic fields can affect them. such as, the guys that leave their guitars leaning up against a speaker cab. that won't happen overnight or in a few weeks, but over the span of time there can be change.
but still, look at how pickups are store in their retail boxes. I think there is a reasonable amount of space that can be allowed from one pickup to another. just use some common sense when considering the strength of any magnetic field they will be near.
agreed. it is NOT alright.
at best, you can store the SAME magnets together. like A8 with A8. UOA5 with UOA5. A2 with A2. RCA5 with RCA5. Ceramic with Ceramic. which is to say, the exact same magnet with the exact same.
also, long term exposure to other magnetic fields can affect them. such as, the guys that leave their guitars leaning up against a speaker cab. that won't happen overnight or in a few weeks, but over the span of time there can be change.
but still, look at how pickups are store in their retail boxes. I think there is a reasonable amount of space that can be allowed from one pickup to another. just use some common sense when considering the strength of any magnetic field they will be near.
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
If they are in very close proximity with misaligned or opposed polarities, they will work to cancel each other out over time. They would want to repel, but can't because they're stuck in a little case.
If they are in very close proximity with misaligned or opposed polarities, they will work to cancel each other out over time. They would want to repel, but can't because they're stuck in a little case.
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
They have to be sticking together, or close to it, for degaussing to occur in a time frame that would matter to anyone.
Even though a speaked is farther away, it's a lot more powerful, so I can imagine that being an issue, and it's coil is highly charged, which makes a difference for some reason as you can degauss a pickup, or a CRT monitor, with the coil of a soldering gun.
They have to be sticking together, or close to it, for degaussing to occur in a time frame that would matter to anyone.
Even though a speaked is farther away, it's a lot more powerful, so I can imagine that being an issue, and it's coil is highly charged, which makes a difference for some reason as you can degauss a pickup, or a CRT monitor, with the coil of a soldering gun.
darthphineas
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
given that what I'm hearing comes from people that deal in magnets and pickups as a profession, I'll go with what they tell me. if it's not necessary, then I haven't lost out on anything. if it is, then I'm still good.
as the saying goes.... 'an ounce of prevention'. and I'd rather repeat something that's closer to playing it safe than something that can result in being a risk.
given that what I'm hearing comes from people that deal in magnets and pickups as a profession, I'll go with what they tell me. if it's not necessary, then I haven't lost out on anything. if it is, then I'm still good.
as the saying goes.... 'an ounce of prevention'. and I'd rather repeat something that's closer to playing it safe than something that can result in being a risk.
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
I don't know that they have any feelings.
I don't know that they have any feelings.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
Yes, it is. Go learn something about it and then report back.
Yes, it is. Go learn something about it and then report back.
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
OK, I looked and here's what I've found:
"AlNiCo cain gain or lose magnetism extremely easily compared to other permanent magnets, in fact you can easily add or remove charge with neodymium magnets in a matter of seconds. "
I found that IN MY OWN POST, it's the portion you deleted when you responded to me.
OK, I looked and here's what I've found:
"AlNiCo cain gain or lose magnetism extremely easily compared to other permanent magnets, in fact you can easily add or remove charge with neodymium magnets in a matter of seconds. "
I found that IN MY OWN POST, it's the portion you deleted when you responded to me.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
I don't know how what you're talking about here has anything to do with what I just posted. I'm not talking about neo magnets. I said to go do some learning on the subject (i.e. read a book), because your information on the subject is seriously flawed.
My problem is that you said that none of what I said in my first post is true. Then you went on with whatever story you had about magnets.
In fact, all of what I said is true:
1. Storing magnets stuck together (attracting) will help to maintain their charges/orientation...
2. ...but for our purposes, that's nothing but theory. In practice, no commonly used pickup magnet has enough "juice" to effectively disrupt the charge/orientation of any other commonly used pickup magnet...and absolutely not if they are stored stuck together...
3. ...however, stronger magnets (such as those used in amplifiers) can degauss or disorient pickup magnets over time.
If any of that is wrong to you, then you have been ill educated on the matter.
I don't know how what you're talking about here has anything to do with what I just posted. I'm not talking about neo magnets. I said to go do some learning on the subject (i.e. read a book), because your information on the subject is seriously flawed.
My problem is that you said that none of what I said in my first post is true. Then you went on with whatever story you had about magnets.
In fact, all of what I said is true:
1. Storing magnets stuck together (attracting) will help to maintain their charges/orientation...
2. ...but for our purposes, that's nothing but theory. In practice, no commonly used pickup magnet has enough "juice" to effectively disrupt the charge/orientation of any other commonly used pickup magnet...and absolutely not if they are stored stuck together...
3. ...however, stronger magnets (such as those used in amplifiers) can degauss or disorient pickup magnets over time.
If any of that is wrong to you, then you have been ill educated on the matter.
DreX
New member
Re: Do pickups hurt when they're stored close together?
I'm speaking largely from experience. I had Texas Specials, which features A5 poles, become significantly weaker while improperly stored (the poles were not aligned with one another). They went from a gauss of what I assume was close to 50 to somewhere in the proximity of 20 over the course of about thirteen years, at about the same time I bought the guitar they came with.
Here are sources that agrees with my own experience:
http://www.ehow.com/info_8333862_happens-two-guitar-pickups-together.html
"If two or more magnetic pickups are stored close to one another for an extended period of time, it is possible for the magnets to degauss"
http://www.duramag.com/materials/alnico-magnets/alnico-handling-packaging-shipping-and-storage/
"Alnico magnets are very susceptible to demagnetization. They will even partially demagnetize each other if like poles are forced together. To combat this effect Alnico magnets are usually packaged with keepers or attracting in rows."
http://www.fecrco.com/faq.html
"Alnico magnets have a low resistance to demagnetization and loose power quickly, if stored improperly"
I'm speaking largely from experience. I had Texas Specials, which features A5 poles, become significantly weaker while improperly stored (the poles were not aligned with one another). They went from a gauss of what I assume was close to 50 to somewhere in the proximity of 20 over the course of about thirteen years, at about the same time I bought the guitar they came with.
Here are sources that agrees with my own experience:
http://www.ehow.com/info_8333862_happens-two-guitar-pickups-together.html
"If two or more magnetic pickups are stored close to one another for an extended period of time, it is possible for the magnets to degauss"
http://www.duramag.com/materials/alnico-magnets/alnico-handling-packaging-shipping-and-storage/
"Alnico magnets are very susceptible to demagnetization. They will even partially demagnetize each other if like poles are forced together. To combat this effect Alnico magnets are usually packaged with keepers or attracting in rows."
http://www.fecrco.com/faq.html
"Alnico magnets have a low resistance to demagnetization and loose power quickly, if stored improperly"