Hi all! I have been doing a lot of research on different grades of alnico magnets and what kind of tonalities they can have. But what I need is peoples personal experience in this matter. Basically what I am asking is if anyone has tried putting a Alnico 3 magnet in a pickup set similar to the Seymour Duncan Antiquity set, or a different humbucker that is similar to the Duncan Custom Custom (SH-11). I sent a e-mail to the guy at Wymore guitars involving their magnets, and he suggested that I ask around here. So any help and opinions are appreciated!
Magnet Swapping Opinions
- Thread starter Arkas6767
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super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: Magnet Swapping Opinions
i've never had an antiquity pickup, but i can tell you that a3 in a brighter, lower output pickup like a PAF works very well. imagine a2, which has very fat mids, smooth highs, and subdued/loose lows, then tighten it up, give it richer, brighter highs, and just a touch less mids. it works very, very well in the neck.
i've never had an antiquity pickup, but i can tell you that a3 in a brighter, lower output pickup like a PAF works very well. imagine a2, which has very fat mids, smooth highs, and subdued/loose lows, then tighten it up, give it richer, brighter highs, and just a touch less mids. it works very, very well in the neck.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Magnet Swapping Opinions
A3's are like an A2, in that they are low output, but they're brighter than an A2 (which is heavy mids & little treble).
I've used a number of replacement magnets, mainly A4's & A8's. They're good to warm a bridge HB or P-90 if an A5 is too bright.
I haven't used many A3's, but I see them as useful when you have an A2 neck PU that is too dark or muffled. Or as a substitute for an A5, when it's too loud or bassy in that slot.
I don't think A3's would work that well in a bridge PAF, as an A5 would give more output and cut. An A3 bridge PAF may also be overpowered by whatever's in the neck. A3's would be better-suited to the bridge slot of a high output HB, although they're certainly not wildly popular in those. I don't recall anyone using one in a Custom (C3?), but it may work for certain applications. The CC is too dark for some of us, and a (relatively) brighter magnet is often preferred, like an A8 or A4, which still retain some mids.
A3's also have uses in P-90's, when paired with another magnet. I have a Phat Cat in the neck of an LP with a A5/A3 magnet pair. Eliminates any boominess that twin A5's might have in a fat mahogany body. In an SG, that same magnet pair was bright & 'chimey' in the neck.
Of the commonly available alnicos (2, 3, 4, 5, 8), A3's get the least use. They're pretty specialized and players usually choose another magnet that does the job better. By the same token, A8's are also specialized (suitable only for the bridge), but are rapidly becoming popular because they 'correct' some of an A2's faults: low output, rounded high-end, and a loose low-end. A8's don't have quite the 'color' of an A2, so you make compromises no matter what magnet you use.
In an Antiquity Set, I'd consider an A3 or A5 for the neck if the stock A2 was too dark or muddy, but I'd never use an A3 in an Ant bridge.
A3's are like an A2, in that they are low output, but they're brighter than an A2 (which is heavy mids & little treble).
I've used a number of replacement magnets, mainly A4's & A8's. They're good to warm a bridge HB or P-90 if an A5 is too bright.
I haven't used many A3's, but I see them as useful when you have an A2 neck PU that is too dark or muffled. Or as a substitute for an A5, when it's too loud or bassy in that slot.
I don't think A3's would work that well in a bridge PAF, as an A5 would give more output and cut. An A3 bridge PAF may also be overpowered by whatever's in the neck. A3's would be better-suited to the bridge slot of a high output HB, although they're certainly not wildly popular in those. I don't recall anyone using one in a Custom (C3?), but it may work for certain applications. The CC is too dark for some of us, and a (relatively) brighter magnet is often preferred, like an A8 or A4, which still retain some mids.
A3's also have uses in P-90's, when paired with another magnet. I have a Phat Cat in the neck of an LP with a A5/A3 magnet pair. Eliminates any boominess that twin A5's might have in a fat mahogany body. In an SG, that same magnet pair was bright & 'chimey' in the neck.
Of the commonly available alnicos (2, 3, 4, 5, 8), A3's get the least use. They're pretty specialized and players usually choose another magnet that does the job better. By the same token, A8's are also specialized (suitable only for the bridge), but are rapidly becoming popular because they 'correct' some of an A2's faults: low output, rounded high-end, and a loose low-end. A8's don't have quite the 'color' of an A2, so you make compromises no matter what magnet you use.
In an Antiquity Set, I'd consider an A3 or A5 for the neck if the stock A2 was too dark or muddy, but I'd never use an A3 in an Ant bridge.
hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Magnet Swapping Opinions
I used an A3 in a custom (C3), in an AntN and currently in DiMarzio PAF. Its a very low output magnet which compensates the bad sides of the A2. It has clearer highs/highmids and a bit less lowmids. The C3 sounded much like my stock Ant bridge (funny!), you would not recognize it as a member of the Custom family.
The A3 AntN got a bit more bite, but was still an vintage sounding Ant. So i conclude that the A3 is very similar to degaussed A2.
Why did i use it in the DiMarzio as neck. The DiMarzio PAF has the same specs for the neck and bridge. Therefore its a bit wimpy and thin in the Bridge and to phat/bassboomy in neck. The A3 did good in the neck and brought down the volume of the neck position. Just to mention: the bridge now has an A8.
I used an A3 in a custom (C3), in an AntN and currently in DiMarzio PAF. Its a very low output magnet which compensates the bad sides of the A2. It has clearer highs/highmids and a bit less lowmids. The C3 sounded much like my stock Ant bridge (funny!), you would not recognize it as a member of the Custom family.
The A3 AntN got a bit more bite, but was still an vintage sounding Ant. So i conclude that the A3 is very similar to degaussed A2.
Why did i use it in the DiMarzio as neck. The DiMarzio PAF has the same specs for the neck and bridge. Therefore its a bit wimpy and thin in the Bridge and to phat/bassboomy in neck. The A3 did good in the neck and brought down the volume of the neck position. Just to mention: the bridge now has an A8.
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Re: Magnet Swapping Opinions
Just to let you all know the sets I am looking at are the Tonerider Alnico 2 classic set (which is 7.6k in the neck, and 8.5 in the bridge, similar in output to the Antiquities.) And the other set is their Rocksong set (12k in the bridge, and 8k in the neck, from what I read about reviews this set is tonally similar to a SH-11, except smoother and a little bit brighter) again, both sets are Alnico 2 based. P.S. The guitar I am using is a Epiphone Les Paul Standard, which in my opinion is a tad bit bright, but has pretty good definition and clarity acoustically, I'm looking for a new set because the bridge is pretty aggressive and the clean tone is very thin sounding, currently using a GFS Fat Pat in the bridge and the stock muddy and boomy stock neck humbucker. So I needed something warmer and smoother.
Just to let you all know the sets I am looking at are the Tonerider Alnico 2 classic set (which is 7.6k in the neck, and 8.5 in the bridge, similar in output to the Antiquities.) And the other set is their Rocksong set (12k in the bridge, and 8k in the neck, from what I read about reviews this set is tonally similar to a SH-11, except smoother and a little bit brighter) again, both sets are Alnico 2 based. P.S. The guitar I am using is a Epiphone Les Paul Standard, which in my opinion is a tad bit bright, but has pretty good definition and clarity acoustically, I'm looking for a new set because the bridge is pretty aggressive and the clean tone is very thin sounding, currently using a GFS Fat Pat in the bridge and the stock muddy and boomy stock neck humbucker. So I needed something warmer and smoother.
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Magnet Swapping Opinions
Is the Fat Pat a HB? What are the specs? You can put in an A4 or A8 to thicken it up. I'd try that first before replacing it. Changing the magnet makes it a 'new' PU.
There's a big difference between an 8.5K and 12K bridge. 8.5 is in the PAF range and will be clear and open. A number of us feel the CC (14K A2) is too dark for an LP, so I'm not sure about 12K. I'd go with 8.5K myself.
The stock neck PU has to go! I'm the 'King of Mid-Priced Imports' and have upgraded all of my stock PU's. Of the PU's you're looking at, I'd get a 'Classic' A2 for the neck slot. 7.6K with an A2 should be nice. I think 8K with an A2 would probably be too dark & muddy in an LP, as A2's don't have much treble to begin with, and are famous for having a loose low end. If you got the 8K neck, you may very well end up putting an A4 or A5 in to clear it up.
Keep in mind there's really no such thing as a 'matched set.' That's a marketing term. One may sound good in the bridge, but the neck sound mediocre, or vice versa. You want to get what sounds best to your ears, and with your guitar, wood, amp, & style, that's usually not what the manufacturer happens to put together and give the same name to. Even with PAF's, which come closest to being 'matched sets', you may prefer them to have a different magnet in the bridge vs the neck. Think of it as the manufacturer making 'suggestions' with PU's and magnets; you mix & match to get your ideal tones.
Is the Fat Pat a HB? What are the specs? You can put in an A4 or A8 to thicken it up. I'd try that first before replacing it. Changing the magnet makes it a 'new' PU.
There's a big difference between an 8.5K and 12K bridge. 8.5 is in the PAF range and will be clear and open. A number of us feel the CC (14K A2) is too dark for an LP, so I'm not sure about 12K. I'd go with 8.5K myself.
The stock neck PU has to go! I'm the 'King of Mid-Priced Imports' and have upgraded all of my stock PU's. Of the PU's you're looking at, I'd get a 'Classic' A2 for the neck slot. 7.6K with an A2 should be nice. I think 8K with an A2 would probably be too dark & muddy in an LP, as A2's don't have much treble to begin with, and are famous for having a loose low end. If you got the 8K neck, you may very well end up putting an A4 or A5 in to clear it up.
Keep in mind there's really no such thing as a 'matched set.' That's a marketing term. One may sound good in the bridge, but the neck sound mediocre, or vice versa. You want to get what sounds best to your ears, and with your guitar, wood, amp, & style, that's usually not what the manufacturer happens to put together and give the same name to. Even with PAF's, which come closest to being 'matched sets', you may prefer them to have a different magnet in the bridge vs the neck. Think of it as the manufacturer making 'suggestions' with PU's and magnets; you mix & match to get your ideal tones.
Re: Magnet Swapping Opinions
Yeah, I would agree with putting the classic 2 in the neck position. But the reason why I have been looking at the Rocksong is because of the higher output bridge. I am afraid that if I get the classic set that it won't have enough punch and attack for the kind of music I like to play, which is classic rock, but still, I keep on thinking to myself that "Hey, did Jimmy Page or any of those dudes have high output pickups? No they didn't, and they STILL rocked" this issue of bite and attack is mostly why I was looking at swapping the mag for A3, to get a more rocking set . I have been meaning to go to a local guitar center to play a slash les paul to get a feel for A2 magnet humbuckers, but never got around to doing it. The GFS Fat Pat is a humbucker, it's an overwound PAF style pickup wound to 14k and has an alnico 5 magnet. I would swap the magnet if I could, but it has a chrome cover on it, and I have no means of getting it off, the metal is like melded to the baseplate.
Yeah, I would agree with putting the classic 2 in the neck position. But the reason why I have been looking at the Rocksong is because of the higher output bridge. I am afraid that if I get the classic set that it won't have enough punch and attack for the kind of music I like to play, which is classic rock, but still, I keep on thinking to myself that "Hey, did Jimmy Page or any of those dudes have high output pickups? No they didn't, and they STILL rocked" this issue of bite and attack is mostly why I was looking at swapping the mag for A3, to get a more rocking set . I have been meaning to go to a local guitar center to play a slash les paul to get a feel for A2 magnet humbuckers, but never got around to doing it. The GFS Fat Pat is a humbucker, it's an overwound PAF style pickup wound to 14k and has an alnico 5 magnet. I would swap the magnet if I could, but it has a chrome cover on it, and I have no means of getting it off, the metal is like melded to the baseplate.