Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

joyouswolf

joyouswolf

New member
What are the differences between the 1018 alloy and 1022 alloy pole piece screws for humbuckers pickups?
What would the difference be to the sound?

Thanks & peace
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

Cant give any real insight as ive never messed with different alloys, types yes alloys no so with that... Iam So in :opcorn:
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

The higher the number the higher carbon content. The higher carbon content the less ferrous it is, thus weaker magnetically and more "vintage" sounding. *shrugs*

What I know is that I've replaced the slugs and screws in some Gibsons and put a dent in that grit all Gibson pickups seem to have.
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

I think the screws, keepers and slugs Duncan uses are made-to-spec, so I don't think you'll have an answer from the Co.

I carry both gold-plated 1022 and nickel-plated 1018 screws, and maybe is the placebo-effect doing the talking here, but for my ears they don't really sound the same as the Duncans.

HTH,
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

LtKojak said:
I think the screws, keepers and slugs Duncan uses are made-to-spec, so I don't think you'll have an answer from the Co.

I carry both gold-plated 1022 and nickel-plated 1018 screws, and maybe is the placebo-effect doing the talking here, but for my ears they don't really sound the same as the Duncans.

HTH,
Click to expand...

In what way as for the EQ?
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

joyouswolf said:
In what way as for the EQ?
Click to expand...

The Duncans are a tad smoother-sounding, but not really the EQ per se, but on the pick attack is where the difference shows.

And exactly because of this that I know the alloys are not the same as the ones I use. Or maybe is the plating of the screws and/or the slugs...? :dunno:

HTH,
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

Metallurgically (is that even a word?) speaking; the 1022 has a .04% higher carbon content than the 1018. Both are 10-- series steel, which is plain carbon steel. Basically there isn't much difference.

I don't know for sure, but I doubt there is much audible difference either.
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

When I got some Zhangbuckers with Gold screws, he mentioned the gold (plating) would soften the tone a bit.
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

JollyRoger523 said:
Metallurgically (is that even a word?) speaking; the 1022 has a .04% higher carbon content than the 1018. Both are 10-- series steel, which is plain carbon steel. Basically there isn't much difference.

I don't know for sure, but I doubt there is much audible difference either.
Click to expand...

it'd be an interesting Pepsi challenege
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

This much, I do know.

The Lindy Fralin P90s that I put in my PRS Soapbar guitar arrived with gold-plated polepiece screws. On a white guitar with chrome hardware, these look silly but I don't give a FLICK because the pickups immediately sounded right in that instrument.

I know when to leave well alone.
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

Somebody should do like JOLLY did the other month: post roughly half a dozen audio clips for members to rank in ordure of preference. This time, rather than guitar/pickup combinations, it would be different polepieces in the same pickup.
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

On covers it sure does. On the screws there would be much less of an effect, the actual alloy of the screw itself would matter much more. 1018 is smoother, less bite than 1022. In my experience, a gold-plated 1022 screw is still brighter than a 1018 with nickel.
 
Re: Pole Piece Screws Alloy Differences???

I tried replacing some fillister screws with their Ace Hardware equivalents and it drastically changed the tone. They probably weren't even the same type of metal. Different head styles such as hex and fillister do make a difference.
 
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