Secret Agent question.
- Thread starter Artie
- Start date
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I guess the coil needs to be short-ish to fit under the pickguard. Also, it needs to be pretty hot because it's going to be really far away from the strings compared to a regular Tele pickup.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
I would think the magnetic field has to be stronger to pickup the string vibration with fullness and clarity?
Artie
Peaveyologist
I would think so too. But the SA looks like a standard bobbin. And it's a ceramic mag. I wonder if a HotRails would work equally, (or closely), similar?
I would guess...but I would also love this design to be explored further. Imagine strong pickups under a very thin figured wood top. It would change the way guitars are designed.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
compared to a humbucker, it kind of is. I think it's about the size of the booster magnets on pickups like the Black Winter?
RanchManSandy
New member
Hot rails wouldn't really be good for this since the rails are raised out of the housing and have a radius, no?
the secret agent is dead flat so it all butts up against the underside of the pg. i suppose a certain kind of maniac could even use a dimebucker for this lol
the secret agent is dead flat so it all butts up against the underside of the pg. i suppose a certain kind of maniac could even use a dimebucker for this lol
Artie
Peaveyologist
True. It is kinda small.
Yeah. I thought about that. It could take some tricky routing with a Dremel.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
There's some debate about how distance from the strings related to changes in tone: whether the distance itself has an effect, or if the difference in sound is due simply to strength of magnetism reducing as distance increases. Those who judge based on the principles of physics tend to believe field strength is the only relevant factor. Myself, I'm not entirely convinced of that. I feel the shape of the field also matters quite a bit.
It does seem to me that stronger magnetism might be useful in a situation like this, where a lot of distance is required.
I think a (smallish) neo bar underneath might be the answer for such a pickup, a really strong magnet perhaps allowing lighter wind and tighter coil(s).
Then again - especially in a neck position pickup - there's the extra string pull to consider.
I imagine several options were tried before the Secret Agent design was finalized.
It does seem to me that stronger magnetism might be useful in a situation like this, where a lot of distance is required.
I think a (smallish) neo bar underneath might be the answer for such a pickup, a really strong magnet perhaps allowing lighter wind and tighter coil(s).
Then again - especially in a neck position pickup - there's the extra string pull to consider.
I imagine several options were tried before the Secret Agent design was finalized.
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Yeah, I bet they tried all kinds of strong magnets and different ways to focus the magnetism so it would be similar to a regular pickup. I always wondered if they tried this with other types of pickups...the in the 60s, Fender worked on a pickup hidden under the pickguards but it didn't take off.
