General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

[korus]

I've read carefully high number of threads/posts here and some other forums on degaussing AlNiCo bar magnets used in HB pickups.Most of them deal with individual comparison of A[X] being degaussed to stock A[Y], or one being fully charged, and who prefers which of the 2 options.

So, it's not like I'm trying to define a new field of science, but I'll try to draw a general conclusion on the matter anyway.

If I understood all the comments/experiences on degaussing AlNiCo magnet bars, the net effect/purpose of degaussing generally is :

1. lower output of pickup, since magnet itself becomes weaker
2. flatter EQ, meaning e.g. A2 looses some of its middle, and A5 looses some of its bass and treble

I ask all of you knowledgeable/experienced - this conclusion is right or wrong?

Thank you for your help.

 

[jeremy]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

1. lower output of pickup, since magnet itself becomes weaker
2. flatter EQ, meaning e.g. A2 looses some of its middle, and A5 looses some of its bass and treble

thats about right

 

[korus]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

Thank you very much!

I really did not expect just one reply. Silly me. Actually it's dead simple :

Do you like to be amazed? I don't, I prefer to know BEFOREHAND.
Do you like to be surprised? I don't, surprises are mostly BAD.
Do you like to throw your money? I don't, I do not get it as a gift.

So, let us all buy things we do not need. Compulsive childlike money spending helps the economy.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

I've read carefully high number of threads/posts here and some other forums on degaussing AlNiCo bar magnets used in HB pickups.Most of them deal with individual comparison of A[X] being degaussed to stock A[Y], or one being fully charged, and who prefers which of the 2 options.

In my experiences, one magnet can't be degaussed to sound like another. There will always be characteristic differences. But you're right about the EQ being flattened. I never looked at it that way, but it's an interesting and useful observation.

Degaussing isn't a magic way to make your pickup sound amazing, but it is a method that can be used to adjust your pickup's EQ and characteristics. I think it's something that everyone should know how to do, because it opens up new possibilities for adjusting pickups, in the same way that magnet swapping does.

 

[uOpt]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

I measured the strengths of my magnets. They are all intermixed with some A2s very weak and some stronger than some A5s and even the small ceramics.

My first attempt to up-gauss an A2 just resulted in completely messing up the polarity. North-south is now along the long axis. Oops. Better be careful, guys.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

My first attempt to up-gauss an A2 just resulted in completely messing up the polarity. North-south is now along the long axis. Oops. Better be careful, guys.

You can return the magnet back to where it was before, by just flipping the disk magnet and charging it using the same method. And if you do it as you are playing through an amp, you can hear the effects of the magnet charging or degaussing.

But yeah, I believe that using the degaussing method is a hands-free way of changing the polarity for a pickup, rather than wiring it or flipping the magnet.

 

[uOpt]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

I got it back to what it was. Seems that the uneven long-side behavior is somewhat normal and I didn't flip it.

It's interesting, though. I took my weakest A2, from my CC, and although I degaussed and recharged it the maximum charge is still less then what my APH A2 magnet has. It doesn't get higher, no matter how I wave at it with the Neo disks.

My wife thinks I got entirely nuts, BTW, seeing the above activity.

 

[korus]

Re: General conclusion on degaussing magnets ?

I got it back to what it was. Seems that the uneven long-side behavior is somewhat normal and I didn't flip it.

It's interesting, though. I took my weakest A2, from my CC, and although I degaussed and recharged it the maximum charge is still less then what my APH A2 magnet has. It doesn't get higher, no matter how I wave at it with the Neo disks.

My wife thinks I got entirely nuts, BTW, seeing the above activity.

I've seen some of the tables with AlNiCo variety definitions and they are not quite the same. So, unless someone makes lab analysis of any particular PIECE of magnet we can only believe what pickup maker says - that pickup X has/uses magnet Y.

I mean it is not like we are talking some law issues here. What one pickup/magnet maker considers not relevant as a difference in a way coils are being wind for pickup X/ in percentage of certain element in a magnet Y, the other can call it a different model of pickup/a different type of magnet.

Sometimes it really looks like there is no other way then to do what those who know nothing on this matter do - e.g. like many old farts who play like hell :
"Man, I don't know what sounds better to me. I just play particular guitar and I either like it or not. And that's it. So, no use bothering me with what's better/what sounds better questions."

IMO