JB magnet swap help!

[evh_slash]

I carefully took apart my custom 5 and put an Alnico 8 magnet there no problem.

Next I tried to place a UOa5 magnet in a JB but for some reason it was a lot more stubborn trying to pry the magnet out. The bobbins became loose before the magnet did!! I was scared that i'd damaged the pickup because I've never experienced the 2 bobbins moving around so loosely. To the extent where I could misalign or separate them slightly by pulling them gently apart...

Is it likely that I've damaged or overstretched the wires/windings or are the bobbins supposed to be so 'free' when the tape has been loosened/baseplate has been removed ??

Loose slug coil bobbin before attaching baseplate...



Pickup after re-attaching baseplate...



The Pickup is currently not installed so theres no way of me testing it for now. I hope i haven't killed it!!

 

[gregory]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

I doubt you've hurt the windings at all. The wax potting between the bobbins and magnet can be a pretty cantankerous adhesive. I try not to mess with the tape except to relieve it from the baseplate flange with a blade.

Not to sound negative and condescending like our notoriously critical forum knowitall, but I hope you aren't trying a UOA5 for your JB neck experiment. I'd do the A8 with the pickup in parallel first...if only because you have a few of us extremely curious.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?209273-UOA5-vs-A4

 

[evh_slash]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

hahaha , You know I kinda changed my mind because people were telling me how Parallel seriously Lowers the output , even worse than Splitting a coil.... So I decided against it. I am intending on doing the Half air mod (removing the metal spacer bar around the screws so the magnet no longer contacts the slugs) and popping a UOa5 in it. This will cut and tighten the boomy bass a little, whilst lowering total output with a slightly brighter 'air'ier feel.

I have now successfully swapped the magnet and done the air mod. BUT i have no idea if the pickup works anymore. haha

it seems to be all lined up properly and stuck tight now that i've eschewed the baseplate in.... Hopefully its working fine!

 

[gregory]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

hahaha , You know I kinda changed my mind because people were telling me how Parallel seriously Lowers the output , even worse than Splitting a coil.... So I decided against it.

I wouldn't pay any mind to that. DCR of 4k in parallel means very little. The JB is an extremely hot wind and can handle parallel just fine; especially with a strong magnet.

I ran an A5/short hex-loaded Seymourizer II in series/parallel and in parallel it worked exceptionally well. In series it isn't even really that hot of a pickup; definitely weaker than a JB or a Custom.

It was pretty funny to later see validation for my decision:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=81305&d=1497920692

...care to guess the DCR of a Seymourizer II in parallel? ~3.2k ...and that was in the bridge position!

i have no idea if the pickup works anymore.

An ohm meter or just touch the leads to a cable to your amp and tap the pole pieces.

Hopefully its working fine!

I'm sure it is.

Good luck with your mod!

 

[6pack Jon]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

If you still haven't gotten the magnet out ,might try running a hair dryer over it for a few seconds to loosen up the wax.

 

[Mincer]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

I'd love to know if this pickup works. Sometimes coils can be broken with rough handling, but I never ruined a pickup swapping magnets.

 

[evh_slash]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

I'd love to know if this pickup works. Sometimes coils can be broken with rough handling, but I never ruined a pickup swapping magnets.

Hey, Well the resistance is reading 16k still... and there was definitely some action when I plugged it into the amp directly and tapped on the coils. The screw was a bit louder than the slug but I'm not sure I was testing it correctly !

Should be all fine I hope

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: JB magnet swap help!

Sounds like your pup is fine. Put it in the guitar and play it.