How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

[guitarspaz]

Is this dependent on magnet type or style ? And better yet, is there a way to do it yourself ? I have an old Dimarzio Breed I disected just for fun (Would never destroy a duncan PU, heh heh), and when I put it back together, output was much lower. Contacted Dimarzio and they said when this particular pickup is disassembled, it has to be remagnetized when put back together, otherwise output is significantly reduced. I was wrongly under the impression that the magnets contained therein would have retained their magnetic properties even when separated. Any comments, suggetions, or links for additional reading would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[guitarspaz]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

bump ?

Thanks.

 

[pstarove]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

I've never heard of anything like that before. Every magnet from every pickup I disassembled (including Seymour Duncans, Gibsons and Dimarzios) remained perfectly charged.

 

[guitarspaz]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

Thanks for the response. Dimarzio said they could remagnetize for like 5 bucks. Unfortunately, by that point, I had hosed one of the coils pretty bad trying to get the tape off. I guess on that particular pickup (maybe others too ?) it gets some additional magnetization at some level of assembly, presumably after the bar magnet (in the center under the coils), and the two skinny bar magnets (under each coil individually) are all in contact with each other. Maybe it makes them perform like one big magnet as opposed to separate ones. Just makes me wonder what other pickups have this "feature". Perhaps any pickup that has two rows of adjustable pole pieces and no rod magnets is an indication of this type of "magnetization" ?

Thanks much

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

That's goofy, and doesn't really make any sense.

 

[pstarove]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

No, that really makes sense, now I begin to understand what they were talking about. I didn't know that the Breed uses two smaller Alnico5 magnets at the sides of the pickup, I thought there was only one big magnet in the center like in most of the pickups. The problem is, small Alnico5 bar magnets are known to demagnetize themselves. That is why you will not find any production single coil-sized humbucking pickup with Alnico5 magnet neither in SD nor in Dimarzio line. They are available via Custom Shop though.

 

[guitarspaz]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

Ah-ha !!! Makes sense. So, perhaps in my experimenting, as long as I stay with Ceramic, Alnico 2, or a type that uses a single slab and/or pole piece magnets, I'm probably OK from a magnetic standpoint. Sound reasonable ?

Thanks very much for the assistance.

 

[pstarove]

Re: How can I tell if pickup is going to need remagnetizing after its disassembled ?

You may use only the central bar magnet of any kind (A2-A5 or Ceramic), in this case the output will be lower (just like you stated). I personally like the sound of slightly degaussed Alnico2 magnets, so low output is not a problem for me (I play heavy music BTW, in the roots of Jerry Cantrell and Alice In Chains).

If you want the higher output provided by the three-magnet structure, you may try to magnetize the magnets yourself, by using a strong neodimium magnet on the assembled pickup without the base cover attached. I haven't done it myself though.

Another option is to use three ceramic magnets from a DuncanDistortion, Invader or Gibson 496R/500T