Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

[Gooch]

Need help trying different magnets in the pups I have before spending a lot more money on pups. I am just now learning about through the forums about the differences magnets can make for some humbuckers. I would assistance from those of you with experience swapping mags, and who know the nuances each type plays, especially if you know the pickups I have below.

I realize this will not CHANGE the pickup entirely, but it maybe do just enough to make me happy before I purchase all new pups.

I play an EVH 5153 and Modded JCM800. Hard rock ala GNR, COC, Crowes, Kravitz, AC/DC, Zep, Metallica, Weezer, etc.

Here goes...Please help me fill in the blanks.

Les Paul Trad Pro - All 500K Pots
Neck: Classic 57 (has A2) - currently too muddy, bassy, boomy. Would like a bit more clarity and treble.
Replace with _____________, because ________________
Bridge: Burstbucker 3 (has A2) - this pup kills me. SOO shrill with my amps, and I don't dig using tone knob. I'd like a bit less treble, the mids and bass are fine to me. It's a middy pup.
Replace with _____________, because ___________________

Schecter PT Standard - All 500K Pots
Neck: SD Alnico Pro II (has A2) - currently somewhat muddy, bassy, boomy. Would like a bit more clarity and treble.
Replace with _____________, because ________________
Bridge: Super Rock II (not sure what mag is in there now) - this is a pretty good pickup. Seems to have good, crisp highs, decent mids, not so great bass, so I'd like to keep the highs and mids, but get a bit more bass and power overall. Maybe an A8?
Replace with _____________, because ___________________

I do not know anything about "roughcast" or some of these other nuances. Hopefully this thread can also be another notch in the magnet swap educational belt for others, too.

Also, what size do I need? I see different sizes and options for ROUGH or POLISHED, and also MAGNETIZED or no. What are differences between these? What about ORIENTED and UNORIENTED? What's the difference?

Is there a definitive list out there that has the characteristics of each like the one below, which is just one dude's experience?

A2 - warm, rounded high end, lots of mids, not much treble, loose low end, lots of vintage dynamics, low output.

A3 - like an A2 but with more treble and less bass.

A4 - flat EQ, medium output. no big EQ push, which lets the PU's and wood's tones come thru.

A5 - bright, sharp high end, scooped mids, lots of bass. firm low end, relatively high output.

UOA5 - unoriented A5 - will sound like the middle ground between an A2 and A5, warm but with a little more treble than an A2, lots of dynamics, medium output.

A8 - warm, lots of mids, some treble but not an excess, firm low end, high output.

Look forward to your thoughts and help, friends. Cheers!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

Well, you gave yourself the tools to answer your own question when you posted that mag comparison chart.

So, in your LP:
neck ('57)...A3 or A4. UOA5 may work, but may make your bass even more "boomy",
bridge (BB3)...since it already has an A2 which has the least treble of all the mags, your best bet is to replace the volume pot with a 250k (assuming that you have an existing 500k pot).

A roughcast mag will give you a smoother response than a polished mag of the same type.

The usual size is 2.5" x .5" x .125". You may see some that are a little shorter (like 2.33") but you won't notice much difference in effect than a full length mag (possibly a slightly softer/smoother effect)

Schecter:
neck...same as the LP,
bridge...without knowing what is in there now, it is impossible to give you an accurate suggestion. But generally an A8 will give the qualities your are looking for.

 

[Spewnz]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

You cant mag swap that schecter pickup. It uses rod magnets like a single coil. Either a5 or ceramic. (They have done both)

 

[Gooch]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

Damn...OK, so it looks like I'm gonna get a

Duncan Custom for my LP Bridge. I'll get a Magnetized A3 for the LP Neck's Classic 57, but also a UOA5 roughcast to play with. I'll get two A8's, since I have a Custom 5 in my Strat, and I want a bit less bass from it and more mids.

I'll get another Duncan Custom for my Schecter PT and I'll try another A3 in the APH-2 neck of the PT.

Thoughts? Cheers!

 

[Gooch]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

...and I just read someone tried an A4 with a Classic 57 neck with successful results. They tried the A4, but did not care for it:

57 classic: This has been living in the neck of my LP for years and I've never been satisfied with it. Its too thick sounding in my LP, and I think the weaker A2 isn't helping things here. If the vol. and tone aren't on 10, it just sounds woofy, soft and undefined.

The first magnet I tried was the A3, thinking the weaker magnet and weaker bass response would help. That was not the case at all. It sounded like a weaker A2, and I quickly removed it.

Next was an A4. This is supposed to be stronger than an A2, more articulate, and neutral in response (which I was hoping would help with the bass and treble). This one REALLY brought out the best of the 57 classic. The sweet sound of the 57 is still there; its just noticeably more articulate. The highs are more present, but still rounded off. The low end is also there but there's much better string definition. I'm very happy with this one.

 

[Big Flannel]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

The custom works great for COC tunes. Just figured I'd add that.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

I can give you another recommendation - use the damn tone knob. I mean its even got numbers on it for easy reference so you can reset it if it gets moved from the spot.

Do you have EQ knobs on your amp that you refuse to use too?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

I can give you another recommendation - use the damn tone knob...Do you have EQ knobs on your amp that you refuse to use too?

Helpful suggestion. Since many of us change magnets in our HB's and P-90's to get the sounds we want, do you really think all of us are too stupid to use our tone knobs?

 

[rozman62]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

I have my fingers all over my tone and volume knobs. Some folks call it old school. I gig a lot. I EQ my amp for each room I play in then work the guitar song to song. I do support a mag swap on the 490/498 set. They match up much better after a mag swap.

 

[Gooch]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

I can give you another recommendation - use the damn tone knob. I mean its even got numbers on it for easy reference so you can reset it if it gets moved from the spot.

Do you have EQ knobs on your amp that you refuse to use too?

Wow. You clearly are an angry little ******nozzle. You feel better now?

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

My suggestion is easiest. Just buy at least one of each type and try them all.

The tone knob may or may not help because depending on the cap and the taper it may remove frequencies you do like along with the ones you don't.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

Helpful suggestion. Since many of us change magnets in our HB's and P-90's to get the sounds we want, do you really think all of us are too stupid to use our tone knobs?

Honestly? It's possible. Magnet swapping has become so popular (myself included) that I wouldn't be surprised if someone said "I need A5 with less treble" and the first answer was "A4" instead of "turn your tone knob down."

I have my fingers all over my tone and volume knobs. Some folks call it old school. I gig a lot. I EQ my amp for each room I play in then work the guitar song to song. I do support a mag swap on the 490/498 set. They match up much better after a mag swap.

It's probably more old school because people used to have one amp to share, so the eq needed to be done by the instrument or voice or w/e. But yes, sometimes magnet swaps work miracles. I know that was the case with A3 and my franken-lover modded sh-55.

Wow. You clearly are an angry little ******nozzle. You feel better now?

And you're the one who made a post which answered its own question. AFAIK, there's a rule somewhere that says "be nice." That rule to my knowledge isn't lifted when someone is less than pleasant to you. Although, I do give you points for the creative swear. Well played.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Help Me Pick the Right Magnets for a Swap

lower the neck pickups, lower the poles in the bridge pickups.
you find both neck pickups too boomy already, and the only magnet less boomy than A2 is A3.
you like both bridge pickups and just want to reduce the attack; lower the poles, or the whole pickup.
they're both good guitars being played through a modded 800 and/or a 5153; you may be surprised at how far away you can get them.

you don't need to wring its neck, it sounds like that's the problem IMO.
i'm by no means "anti-magnet swap", but it won't fix what you're describing.

EDIT: you could also drop a string gauge, that'd probably help. and if you're not going to use the tone controls, disconnect them.