Mini-humbuckers without poles

[xblue]

Usually mini humbuckers without poles are built in one of two possible ways:

1) Two steel bars with a bar magnet under the bobbins
2) Two bar magnets without bar magnet under the bobbins (original Firebird pickups)

My question is: how is the difference in tone and output between the two construction methods?

 

[jeremy]

the firebird pups sound brighter with stronger output given everything else is the same in my experience

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Too many variables to give a definitive answer, but remember the steel bars, if in contact with the magnet, become magnetized too. Just like that middle school thing picking up perilous one after another to form a "chain" with a single magnet.

 

[Chistopher]

Too many variables to give a definitive answer, but remember the steel bars, if in contact with the magnet, become magnetized too. Just like that middle school thing picking up perilous one after another to form a "chain" with a single magnet.

Also a neat trick if you want to hotrod a screwdriver

 

[AlexR]

The only generalisation you can make is that a bar magnet as a pole instead of below will give a more Fender type singlecoil tone

 

[Benjy_26]

The only generalisation you can make is that a bar magnet as a pole instead of below will give a more Fender type singlecoil tone

Yup. Probably why the SM-1n gets along so well as a Tele neck pickup.

 

[Teleplayer]

Placing the magnet in the core of the pickup coil changes the electrical characteristics. It will reduce inductance and have less eddy current loss compared to a humbucker with steel pole pieces. I have a guitar with Duncan SM-1 neck and bridge pickups using 24.75" scale length (although its not a Gibson). It is more versatile than I expected. The clean tone is harmonically rich and beautiful. I am still going to experiment again with mini-humbuckers that use steel pole pieces. They will be used in a Strat style guitar with 25.5" scale length, so there will be more than 2 variables involved.

 

[xblue]

It's interesting to notice that some recent Gibson Firebirds (like the 2015 version: http://legacy.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2015/USA/Firebird-V.aspx ) have "495R and 495T Mini Humbucker Firebird" pickups that use steel blades instead of magnet blades (vintage Gibson Firebirds used magnet blades instead).

 

[jeremy]

those things are nothing like vintage firebird pups in construction or tone. i think they are terrible but some people like em