Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

STRATDELUXER97

STRATDELUXER97

Stratoblaster Tone Meister
So last night I was comparing the overall output of the stock A5 Fred in my one strat and the UOA5 I just put into another Fred pickup/guitar.

What surprised me was how much weaker the UOA5 magnet strength is.

I took a small allen wrench and put it on top of the poles on both bobbins of both pickups..The A5 really has alot of pull..The UOA5 barely has any.

Hoping the UOA5 I just got isn't under-gaussed alot?

I also noticed that the Fred in the other guitar which is beefier is 180 degrees opposite orientation of the one I just put in my other guitar and it's split tones are brighter and thinner as the on split coil is closer to the bridge.

I need to flip that next string change.

Did you UOA5 users notice the difference in the lack of magnet pull..? Also the magnet pull is stronger along parts of the pickup and weaker in other area..Hence the unoriented I guess?

This would explain also the less volume issue some of us talk about with this mag unless I got some weak ones.

The stock Fred is quite a bit beefier overall..and the newer Fred almost acts like a single coil...Series dc measures well over 10k though and is installed right.Hmmm? Do I flip the pickup and go back to the stock A5?
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

What designates the criteria for how much charge is needed on a given magnet? I'm sure the gauss is all over the map with magnets..Learning more and more about this stuff.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Well, the magnet's composition determines the charge at full capacity. When you charge it reaches saturation then will stabilise at a slightly lower amount. Of course that process can produce 'cool spots', so unless you have a solid process for ensuring a consistent charge along the full length then you can have inconsistency
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

An unoriented magnet is going to be noticeably weaker than its oriented counterpart. This is due to the physical composition of the magnet.

The manufacturing process of "oriented" magnets yields an internal crystalline structure that is in alignment throughout the material, giving the magnet a very directional charge character and greater strength and stability.

Unoriented magnets have greater variation within the crystalline alignment of the material, complicating the "directionality" of the charges, which results in a lower effective magnetic strength, even at full charge.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Wow thanks guys! So the fact that the magnetic pull on the poles is weaker is just the nature of the UOA5 compared to a strong A5? I thought there was something wrong with the UOA5 I just installed in my new Fred pickup.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Yep, nothing wrong- just the nature of UA5. Because of that you may notice a bit less output from the pickup, too.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

I hope you will report your impressions after flipping the standard Fred in your strat. I'm interested to know the orientation is related to the different sound of the Fred in your latest guitar.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Teleplayer said:
I hope you will report your impressions after flipping the standard Fred in your strat. I'm interested to know the orientation is related to the different sound of the Fred in your latest guitar.
Click to expand...

Absolutely I will.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

I actually have two Motor City Afwayu in two guitars. One has the regular A5 and the other an UOA5. I'd say the UOA5 has a bit more treble and grit, less output overall and less thump in the bass. The regular A5 feels more muscular, beefier and definitely feels like it drives the amp harder.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Jeff5 said:
I actually have two Motor City Afwayu in two guitars. One has the regular A5 and the other an UOA5. I'd say the UOA5 has a bit more treble and grit, less output overall and less thump in the bass. The regular A5 feels more muscular, beefier and definitely feels like it drives the amp harder.
Click to expand...

I find the UOA5 has more mids,slightly less output,less highs,is smoother and almost a saggier compressed tone.Less treble and def more low mids.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Ok so tonight I turned this Fred pickup 180 degrees,but what a pita it was.I had cut the leads short and so I had to splice and heatshrink longer wire to the dpdt switch..Made for alot more work for me.Next time I need to make sure to leave longer lead...(Smacks self in the head!):disappoin

Did it make any difference? Minimal if any?

It helped the split position because it now put the main coil further away from the bridge...

Maybe and I say maybe,it may have slightly taken some of the highend away from the guitar in the series position.

I'd like to try putting the longer slotted fillister screws at the back/bridge position coil and see if it gives this pickup slightly more balls overall..

Seems the stock A5 is the better magnet in the Fred but I do like the UOA5 but the pickup has less output and just seems a bit thinner.

I Know overall it's the guitar and the crappy bridge and block..It's alot better and I have a ton of strats and so this one is just different.

Even though this Fred measures 10.67k in series..Clean it acts like a beefy single coil in this bright axe.

Was the switching of the pickup worth the hassle? Not really!
 
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Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Thanks for the report. I was expecting the stock orientation to produce more harmonics as the 43awg coil is close to the bridge. It must be really similar since you have had the Fred in the strat for a while.

I find the Fred has plenty of mids, so i'll be keeping the stock A5 magnets in mine.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Teleplayer said:
Thanks for the report. I was expecting the stock orientation to produce more harmonics as the 43awg coil is close to the bridge. It must be really similar since you have had the Fred in the strat for a while.

I find the Fred has plenty of mids, so i'll be keeping the stock A5 magnets in mine.
Click to expand...

It was after 10 pm and my listening was with lower volume clean tones.

I kinda worried that the switch to UOA5 would kill the cool harmonics,but I know the unbalanced coils plays into that.

I also don't play with a ton of gain..

I'm very dissapointed with the Fred in this guitar.I may go back to the A5 magnet or try to tame my JB back a bit and try it again.

Right now the the JB has an A2 in it but I hate the mids and the 16k output of the JB,though it's split tones aree better than the Fred..The JB's mids always get on my nerves and I can't run it with 250k because then the neck pickup will be too dark and lifeless.

I need to spend more time with the Fred at louder volume and gain and see if it grows on me?
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Try putting the UOA5 in the JB. You might like it better than the A2.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

STRATDELUXER97 said:
It was after 10 pm and my listening was with lower volume clean tones.

I need to spend more time with the Fred at louder volume and gain and see if it grows on me?
Click to expand...


As i understand you just corrected the orientation of the Fred in the guitar that sounded good.
The inconvenience of the short wires was partly because you appear to be playing left handed.
I was half expecting the old strat may suddenly become brighter and it would explain at least some of the difference. Apparently not so, but I would keep playing to confirm if any aspect has changed.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

i was going to suggest a3 for the jb. brighter and less middy than a2 with a little less output
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Teleplayer said:
As i understand you just corrected the orientation of the Fred in the guitar that sounded good.
The inconvenience of the short wires was partly because you appear to be playing left handed.
I was half expecting the old strat may suddenly become brighter and it would explain at least some of the difference. Apparently not so, but I would keep playing to confirm if any aspect has changed.
Click to expand...

I am lefty but that wasn't the issue..The issue was I cut the leads too short..My bad.
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

jeremy said:
i was going to suggest a3 for the jb. brighter and less middy than a2 with a little less output
Click to expand...

Hi buddy...What I don't need is brighter..Brighter has been the entire issue..LOL...Bright and too thin.

I was hoping the Fred would end up like it did in my other strat...Ballsy,not too bright,tight lows,articulate.But I am dealing with and oranges..
 
Re: Fred A5 Mag Vs UOA5 Strengh

Teleplayer said:
As i understand you just corrected the orientation of the Fred in the guitar that sounded good.
The inconvenience of the short wires was partly because you appear to be playing left handed.
I was half expecting the old strat may suddenly become brighter and it would explain at least some of the difference. Apparently not so, but I would keep playing to confirm if any aspect has changed.
Click to expand...

The orientation in my opinion didn't really change much if anything though..
 
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