Please Excuse My Ignorance But...

M

Martian

New member
Please correct me where I'm wrong.

One of the reasons one lowers a pickup with an A5 magnet in it is to mimic say, that of a pickup with an A2 in it.

As an A8 magnet is so strong, it can't be raised as high as one could 'normally' do with that of an A5. So, if this is true, than the change wouldn't be as dramatic and raising a A5 to its absolute max without dampening the strings from the magnetic pull should achieve the same end. Apparently I'm missing something here. Would someone please enlighten me?

TIA.
 
Re: Please Excuse My Ignorance But...

pup height effects the tone and output. lowering an a5 does not make is sound like a2.

strong magnets can pull harder on the strings if too close
 
Re: Please Excuse My Ignorance But...

^ Exactly.....I've never heard of lowering a pickup to mimic another magnet. Magnets are more complex in their nature and eq than just 'less of everything'.
 
Re: Please Excuse My Ignorance But...

I'm always surprised to see so many photos of people running their pickups so much closer to the strings than I do. I thought that better tone is achieved by setting the pickup farther from the strings.
 
Re: Please Excuse My Ignorance But...

There is a narrow range of adjustment that a pickup will sound best in. Too far away, and it will sound weak and thin, too close and it will sound too aggressive and interfere with the string vibration. Moving it closer or farther away doesn't really change the overall character of the pickup that much. A Dimarzio Tone Zone, for instance, is notorious for having a VERY specific height "sweet spot" where the magic happens, but it still sounds like a Tone Zone however you have it set.

Buying one of the Duncan Custom pickups and a few magnets to change in and out of it really educates you as to the effects of magnet type on tone and feel. Its a lot of fun swapping back and forth to see what the strengths and weaknesses of each magnet type are.
 
Re: Please Excuse My Ignorance But...

I don't adjust my pickups with Alnico 8's any lower than Ceramic or Alnico 5's.
 
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