Gibson 60s Burstbucker with Alnico 8 magnet
- Thread starter pittbull
- Start date
I have a burstbucker 3 and a 57 classic, each in the bridge position, with A8 magnets (I haven't updated my signature line in a long time, so those changes are not reflected there).
I think it sounds great!
Going from A5 to A8 increases your output, fills in the mids, and rolls back the highs and the lows. Because you roll off both bass and treble, it can be hard to predict whether your ears will perceive it as "brighter" or not. There also tends to be a bit more sag with an A8 than with an A5, and that, plus the increase in mids, is the reason I prefer the A8 > A5.
I think it sounds great!
Going from A5 to A8 increases your output, fills in the mids, and rolls back the highs and the lows. Because you roll off both bass and treble, it can be hard to predict whether your ears will perceive it as "brighter" or not. There also tends to be a bit more sag with an A8 than with an A5, and that, plus the increase in mids, is the reason I prefer the A8 > A5.
freefrog
Well-known member
A8 contains less iron than A5. Therefore it makes the inductance lower than an A5 of the same mass.
A8 is more efficient magnetically than A5. So an A8 will have a stronger magnetic field than an A5 charged in the same way.
Consequences: if an A5 and an A8 of the same mass and charged in the same way are tried in a same humbucker, the sound should be more powerful and slightly brighter with A8. That's why I've located A8 between A5 and ceramic: physically (objectively), that's the case.
Now, in real life, the specs of discrete magnets (and of other parts) can vary enough to make tonal results hard to predict... Not to mention that some magnets appear to be sold under erroneous designations (I've already seen supposed "A3" bars which were most probably... A8).
A8 is more efficient magnetically than A5. So an A8 will have a stronger magnetic field than an A5 charged in the same way.
Consequences: if an A5 and an A8 of the same mass and charged in the same way are tried in a same humbucker, the sound should be more powerful and slightly brighter with A8. That's why I've located A8 between A5 and ceramic: physically (objectively), that's the case.
Now, in real life, the specs of discrete magnets (and of other parts) can vary enough to make tonal results hard to predict... Not to mention that some magnets appear to be sold under erroneous designations (I've already seen supposed "A3" bars which were most probably... A8).
freefrog
Well-known member
AFAIK, Ibanez Super 70's are low wound pickups (around 7.8k) with a low inductance - around 3.75H. Knowing the kind of Gauss measurements took on their A8 magnets VS above the poles, I'd also wonder about the covers initially mounted by Ibanez: those that I've tested weren't really transparent magnetically. For these reasons among others, I'd hesitate to attribute the tone of Super 70's to a single factor like their magnets. Mileages may vary.
For sure.
