New duty for Alnico 8

N

Ningirsu

New member
Hey guys,
I just wanted to know if (by accident) anybody on the forum had replaced the ceramic magnet in the Dimebucker with an Alnico 8 or not?
And if the answer is "yes" then please elaborate on your experience as you please.
I've been thinking about getting rid of the brittle/sparkly side of Dimebucker especially in the upper registers of the fretboard by such a replacement but truth to be told I have neither an A8 magnet ready nor do I have any know-how about this "handcraft" side of the issue (though I believe I can always find somebody who does in the region)..
 
Re: New duty for Alnico 8

Unfortunately, I don't think you can change the magnet on the Dimebucker, because it's a sealed plastic design.

On a regular humbucker, you slide away or remove the ribbon, loosen the 4 brass bolts on the bottom of the baseplate, and use a flathead screwdriver (very carefully) to push the magnet out longways. It can be a little tricky, since you've got to get the magnet to break out of it's wax seal. Don't stab your hand....it's easy to do. Make sure of the polarity of the end, and install the A8 that same direction, then tighten it up.

Your best bet would be to perform that on something like a Custom or medium output humbucker. On something like an Invader, it'd be super hot and noisy.
 
Re: New duty for Alnico 8

Unfortunately, I don't think you can change the magnet on the Dimebucker, because it's a sealed plastic design.
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I beg to differ. Having massacred many a pickup in my desperate fits of curiosity, I have also dissected the Bill Lawrence L-500. I'm really stupid that way but don't worry it's limited to guitar gear. The magnet in those is 2 small jobbies that are separated by a thin plastic spacer. Now I can't say if Duncan uses regular humbucker magnets in his, but it is very possible (why would you source those funky little ones for a single model?). If you feel courageous, do the following:

*Carefully drill holes in the plastic "bathtub" under each coil, but make sure you don't drill deep. Use a Dremmel with a mini drill bit or other small tool. Next, find something which can push the coils out SLOWLY and GENTLY through the holes. Then the bathtub should come off (it will be full of wax potting). At this point, you have 2 coils just like every other humbucker with 4 wires which you need to take care of. Rip one out and you could be screwed. Have a look at the magnet, try yours and you're done. You will have to break away some of the wax.

All this is assuming Duncan used the same construction as Lawrence did. Bill/Wilde/Willy? has the rails coming down to the bottom of the "bathtub" but the coils and magnet sit up into the cavity so there's not too much danger of killing them. I want to try regular alnico magnets on the one L-500 I *didn't* kill and I may try my hand at rewinding the one that didn't make it.

-Gearjoneser: why do you think the A8 will be noisy in an Invader? I just installed one that I can't stick in a guitar yet so I won't be able to hear it for a while. Just curious why it would be different from the ceramic...
 
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Re: New duty for Alnico 8

The Dime doesn't have the blades sticking out the bottom. It's a completely sealed unit. I wouldn't attempt a mag swap on mine, as it would likely be ruined.
 
Re: New duty for Alnico 8

The custom shop now has A8 on hand from the Alternative 8, why don't you just order a custom shop dimebucker with A8 instead of ceramic?
 
Re: New duty for Alnico 8

The Dime doesn't have the blades sticking out the bottom.
Click to expand...

They only stick out the bottom of their respective bobbins!

why don't you just order a custom shop dimebucker with A8 instead of ceramic?
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The magnets *might* not be the same size if they really copied the BIll Lawrence desing but of course a phone call ot the custom shop would confirm that instead of cutting up your pickup so yeah: :smack:
 
Re: New duty for Alnico 8

jimijames said:
The custom shop now has A8 on hand from the Alternative 8, why don't you just order a custom shop dimebucker with A8 instead of ceramic?
Click to expand...

That's actually one of the other options that I had in my mind.But there are a couple downsides to it:
First,since I live in Turkey I have to order it through the authorized dealer who even couldn't get my Air Norton shipped since September because of customs processes which is a regular catalog model. So I highly doubt if I may get it here any quicker when it's a custom spec'd order :scratchch
Second, I have some doubts whether the Dimebucker would reserve its "grind" feature so I wanted to try the less priced way first.

Anyway,here's a new question to everybody out there which one would you prefer in a mahogany body,rosewood fretboard,Floyd Rose bridge guitar from the point of versatility:
Dimebucker (bridge) / Air Norton (neck)
Parallel Axis Trembucker Distortion (bridge) / Parallel Axis Trembucker Original (neck)
 
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