Parson Street magnet swap?

mrfunnyman

mrfunnyman

New member
Any of you guys who use the Parson Street humbuckers in your guitars ever remove the stock A2 & A5 magnets and experiment with A3, A4, & A8 magnets? Thinking about trying A4 magnets in my set and just thought I would see if anyone has had some positive results.
 
Re: Parson Street magnet swap?

What are you expecting the A4 to do? It’s a weak magnet, so it will sound weaker and darker than an A2. Stronger magnets like an A8 will be louder and brighter.

Pickups are designed around a certain magnet.


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Re: Parson Street magnet swap?

Haven't ever used the Parsons Street hums but I've heard good things about them.

I think if the guitar has a voice you like, you'll probably be quite happy with a swap to A4. For me, Duncan 59s with A4s gave rich & complex results in a sweet sounding axe. But in another whose inherent tone wasn't great the bridge sounded a bit flat & uninspiring. A4 neck worked just fine in that one though - it's still there. (Of course, as with anything to do with tone, YMMV.)

For neck PAFs my preference is A3. Crisp-yet-warm, decidedly vintage character & feel. I have A3s in three different neck pickups now, one of which is a 59N that might be pretty similar to your Parsons St.

Don't overlook unoriented A5, too. I first learned of UA5 here on the forum and it's become my absolute favorite for bridge pickups. Pretty darn good at the neck too. Sounds fantastic with every humbucker I've used it in. (Six so far, though for two of those it's the stock mag, not a swap.)
 
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Re: Parson Street magnet swap?

A3 is weak magnet, not A4.
But even then, A3 has not made any hugely noticeable difference to output in the 20 or so times I have swapped this magnet into pickups, or had pickups with this magnet in guitars.

A4 is balanced eq. It can sound 'dry' - as in there is no push in any one frequency range. For a generic wind it can often sound bland or dull. For a good wind it makes the pickup have a great extended range without anything seeming overwhelming.
 
Re: Parson Street magnet swap?

I haven't tried those. But in general, as you move in order from A3 to A2 to A4 to A5, at the same amp settings, you will be adding slight amounts of output, compression, and treble. IME, there is a bigger e.q. jump in the treble department from A4 to A5 than there is between any of the others...though output moves pretty evenly upward from one grade to the next, in the order I listed. I have not tried A8, IIRC, but I have seen specs that state it is a very powerful alnico magnet.

IME, the main thing you are changing when moving from one to the other is how sensitive the pickup is to your picking/plucking hand. I hit hard, and I love my small combo amps, so I tend to lean toward lower output mags in my humbucker equipped guitars. I you play amps with lots of headroom, and don't pick/pluck very heavily, then you will probably prefer stronger magnets.
 
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Re: Parson Street magnet swap?

well, what are you trying to achieve with a mag swap? A slight change in tone? In output?

I find that the biggest difference between the different types of magnets is the effect on tone. Yes there is also a change in output and pick sensitivity but tone is the main thing. I've done close to 100 mag swaps and can tell you that it won't make your pup sound like a different pup, but it will subtly change its character.
 
Re: Parson Street magnet swap?

I like Parson Streets, I have the A2 version and haven't wanted to change magnets. Going to an A4 would add treble, reduce mids, and tighten up the low end. You'd lose some character too.

If you have the A5 Parson Street, an A4 would reduce treble, low end, and a little output, and add a small amount of mids. Less of a change than going from A2 to A4, although an imporvement if the A5 verson's neck was bassy and the bridge bright & thin for your tastes.
 
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