Steel Wool Infestation--Help! 

beaubrummels said:
If the polarities are the opposite and they attract, they should not demagnatize even in contact. Forcing like/repelling poles together will demagnatize one or both magnets, but I believe it takes time.
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Partial degaussing can happen instantaneously with a stronger mag affecting a weaker one. As you said, only when like-to-like polarity repels.

People used to mellow their A5 humbucker bars by touching an opposing A8 to them for just a moment.
Ceramic can degauss alnicos significantly, immediately upon contact.
Neo mags can do it instantly from several inches away.
 
eclecticsynergy said:
Partial degaussing can happen instantaneously with a stronger mag affecting a weaker one. As you said, only when like-to-like polarity repels.
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Okay, so let me make sure I understand what you're saying:

If I get some magnets that attract to my pickups, I can use them to pull off the steel wool.

And I'd need to get some reverse-polarity magnets for my RWRP middle pickup also?

But as long as they attract, the magnets I buy can be STRONGER than my pickups and not ruin them?

I hope I understood that right, and if you have any more advice, I'd really appreciate it!

I can always get new pickups, I guess, but it's $140 down the drain after only 4 months of use...
 
Magnets have 2 poles on them. But yes, I don't see why that wouldn't be worth a try to use an A8 or ceramic to pull off the shards if you use an opposite pole of the ones in the pickups.
 
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kilgoretrout321 said:
Okay, so let me make sure I understand what you're saying:

If I get some magnets that attract to my pickups, I can use them to pull off the steel wool.

And I'd need to get some reverse-polarity magnets for my RWRP middle pickup also?

But as long as they attract, the magnets I buy can be STRONGER than my pickups and not ruin them?

I hope I understood that right, and if you have any more advice, I'd really appreciate it!

I can always get new pickups, I guess, but it's $140 down the drain after only 4 months of use...
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Yes, as long as two magnets attract, the stronger one won't degauss the weaker one. You can even store mags stuck together.
Things get more complicated with humbuckers, because the two coils are opposite polarity from each other yet close together.

Luckily your JB Jr has a ceramic mag so degaussing isn't much of a concern.
Ceramics are resistant to degaussing.

I'm assuming your guitar is HSS? You wouldn't need a separate magnet for your RWRP middle.
You can just flip your "cleaning" magnet around and use the other pole on the middle pickup.

A ceramic magnet would be best for this purpose - neodymium is so powerful it can affect the other singlecoil even from several inches away.
Unless your singlecoils use ceramic too, of course. Then using a neo would be no problem.
It's only alnico magnets that are susceptible to weakening.
 
devastone said:
So now I have to be bothered to figure out where to buy fingernails! Where does it end????
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Don't worry about it. StewMac has plenty in stock! I heard they are some of Dan's premier clippings.
And if you need to fill in any gaps, StewMac's fingernail filings powder is the real deal; just mix with some
hide glue and you're all set!
 
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