Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

[Natman]

Hey all, I just did my first ever agnet swap yesterday: an A3 in a bridge Seth Lover. It is like a different pickup. The response is like an older pickup, it lost clarity but could also be seen as "thicker" with mids more prominent. Personally I don't like it, it doesn't match well with the stock neck Seth (one of the very best clean humbucker tones of all time). I just wanted to throw that out for newbies like me who were thinking of trying it. It was very easy too because Seths are not potted!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I don´t recall anyone ever saying that a magnet swap was a subtle change on this board.... But thanks for the quickie review

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

Sounds kinda cool. I'd like to hear one. Maybe one day I'll get a Seth and be able to play around with it.

 

[larry_emder]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

Thanks...i didnt believe they changed the sound noticeably....just seemed 'too easy'

But i'll give it a go sometime soon

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I asked Seymour one time why he doesn't use A3, A4, or A8 in some pickups, and he kinda shrugged, and explained that A5, A2, and Ceramic are the most viable magnets, and that he can get the desired tones out of them by weakening or strengthening them. That only applies to Alnico though, because I believe that Ceramic can't be changed....it is what it is. I still wonder if Duncan should release an A8 Custom though. I'm also curious about how A8 would sound in a Seth or 59.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I'm going to do a magnet swap on a Dimarzio Evolution really soon... still can't decide if I should go A5 or A2, I'm thinking A5 because I already have one but I could pull the A2 out of my custom custom if I wanted to, because I plan on putting a ceramic in there and trying it as a custom.

 

[larry_emder]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I asked Seymour one time why he doesn't use A3, A4, or A8 in some pickups, and he kinda shrugged, and explained that A5, A2, and Ceramic are the most viable magnets,

And because guitarists in general dont like 'non traditional' sounds :smack:

 

[Fritz6]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I've used A3 mags several times and have been very pleased with the results. A3 has more mids than A5, but more bass than A2. That being said it's much closer to A2 than A5.

A2 with a bit more sparkle and bass = A3

 

[Fritz6]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

Also the A4's Ive tried sound like an A5 without the huge bass. They would probably sound great in the neck. Didnt care for it in the bridge that much.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I only use the A4 in necks, to get the booming bass down.
The A8 comes near to a thin ceramic but with less stiff/harsh highs and a tad less bass. I would recommend the A8 in overwound pups. i brought a 11k 42AWG boutique custom pup to scream. Never tried it in vintage pup but a lot of folks like the Ibanez Super 70 with A8.
Great as a Custom 8 and a JB 8!!

 

[Natman]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I got to disagree with you Fritz. The A3 does NOT sparkle more than the A2, and the bass is either the same or LESS. The A2 sounded scooped compared to the A3 which has more honk. A3 sounds more even, less output with a slight mid hump. Just my findings, but sparkle and bass are not the words I would use to describe what I hear!

 

[Fritz6]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I got to disagree with you Fritz. The A3 does NOT sparkle more than the A2, and the bass is either the same or LESS. The A2 sounded scooped compared to the A3 which has more honk. A3 sounds more even, less output with a slight mid hump. Just my findings, but sparkle and bass are not the words I would use to describe what I hear!

Really? Interesting. I tried both Kersting and High Order A2's & A3's and a Duncan A5 in a hybrid I put together. High Order's being noticeably stronger. But the results were the same.

I found that the A3's were a bit clearer and had a tighter/stronger bass than the A2's. The A3 had more mids than A5, but A5 had much more bass response than the A3.

I've never liked the searing quality that I hear in A5's under gain, prob cause of the mid scoop. A2's are just too warm for me and lose too much "muscle" if that makes any sense.

A3's are a great compromise mag for me and have worked out pretty good in the buckers I've put them in.

But hey, everyone hears things differently and Eric Johnson I aint!

 

[BigDaddy]

Re: Magnet swap is NOT subtle!

I have a little experience with magnets.

A2 is a softer sound and compresses more. I think that's why they are good for that PAF sound even though Gibson used A5's as far as I know.

A3 is similar but does not hold a charge very well. Lindy Fralin explained this to me. I'll guess that's why you can get such different results with them. They sound good at first but maybe they will loose something in time. Especially if the pickup or magnet is knocked around. I killed one with a soldering iron by accident very easily.

A4 is lindy Fralin's favorite in humbuckers. I find them to be OK in the neck and not to good in the bridge position. They make a humbucker sound a little single coil like and scoop out the mids just were some people like them as in a Les Paul type sound.

A5 has a bigger brighter sound as compared to all the others and less compression. More bass more high end but similar mids.

A8 I have no idea.