Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

L

Lorenzar

New member
Hey guys,

I don't know if there's a rule of thumb with such a thing, but what can you expect when you take an A2 magnet pickup like a Burstbucker 3, a Slash, a Pearly Gates or whatever and swap the magnet for an A8 one ?

I'm asking since it's being said A8 is supposed to have the sweet treble response of an A2, but with the added power and tightness of a ceramic. To my ears, on paper, it would sound like a good thing to do.

How would sound a Slash 8 or Burstbucker 8 ??
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Actually, the A6 is the one closest to the A2, tone-wise.

It's a louder, angrier and tighter A2, with an accentuated articulation and a lot less dynamic in the picking dept.

The A8 has a very even freq. response, that's why is best paired up with A4 mags in the neck p'up.

/Peter
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Lorenzar said:
I didn't even know A6 magnet exist !!
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Yeah, that's because they aren't really that great for too many applications. The wind required to make an A6 sound good doesn't translate well to other magnets, so the magnet swapping community doesn't use them all that much.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

A2's have warmth, full mids, and a rich sonic texture that endear them to many players. Output's low and low end is soft, but those can be overlooked. Switching out for an A8 also gives warmth and mids, but with more output and a firmer low end. The other difference is that A8's don't have the vintage texture A2's and UOA5's do, which partially comes from them being unoriented (and why they're lower output).

For me, Burstbuckers are Gibson's best-sounding pickup, and I'd always leave the stock A2 in. I also like A2P's and Slash with the stock A2's. I wouldn't consider putting an A8 in any of them. But then, I play classic rock and blues, and am a big fan of PAF's. I look at pickups for generating tone quality and amps for output. But if you want a warm, high output pickup, try an A8 in yours.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Lorenzar said:
Hey guys,

I don't know if there's a rule of thumb with such a thing, but what can you expect when you take an A2 magnet pickup like a Burstbucker 3, a Slash, a Pearly Gates or whatever and swap the magnet for an A8 one ?

I'm asking since it's being said A8 is supposed to have the sweet treble response of an A2, but with the added power and tightness of a ceramic. To my ears, on paper, it would sound like a good thing to do.

How would sound a Slash 8 or Burstbucker 8 ??
Click to expand...

Ever taken a Thunderbird and put a V12 in it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Chistopher said:
Yeah, that's because they aren't really that great for too many applications. The wind required to make an A6 sound good doesn't translate well to other magnets, so the magnet swapping community doesn't use them all that much.
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Duncan has used it in BOTH p'ups with the Bonamassa Amos set. I haven't personally tried this specific set, but I've tried A6 mags is several p'ups, but only in the bridge position, as I don't personally think their inherent characteristics match neck p'ups that well, although Kevin Beller thinks otherwise, it seems. ;)

Anyway, with different degrees of sucess, from "satisfactory" to "great" by the customers that required'em, it's been tried in the following p'ups: '59b, PGb, 490R, 490T, 496R, 498T, Custom, '59/Custom Hybrid, APH1B, JazzB, and heavily modified '57CH and HOTCH.

Personally, what I don't appreciate is the fact the general vibe is, for me at least, that the A6 is a bit on the stiff and cold side, where the A2 is spongy and warm. But it gives a nice and solid push to power chords and a "liquid" feeling to single-note soloing. Very good for Jazz Rock/Fusion and Classic Rock and a bit less for Blues.

But hey! It costs max ten bucks. Everybody can afford to try it.

/Peter
 
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Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

It's actually a pretty nice magnet to put in a neck PAF if you like a nice jazzy tone, but that's the only application I really like it for.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Discharged said:
Actually, the A6 is the one closest to the A2, tone-wise.
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Actually, I'd have to say that UOA5 is the closet in tone to an A2 for me. The differences between the two are subtle, with UOA5's having a little more treble, and a bit less mids. Both have the rich texture, which I've not heard in any other magnet. They've become my 'go to' magnets (after years of previously using A5's and A8's).
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

blueman335 said:
A2's have warmth, full mids, and a rich sonic texture that endear them to many players. Output's low and low end is soft, but those can be overlooked. Switching out for an A8 also gives warmth and mids, but with more output and a firmer low end. The other difference is that A8's don't have the vintage texture A2's and UOA5's do, which partially comes from them being unoriented (and why they're lower output).

For me, Burstbuckers are Gibson's best-sounding pickup, and I'd always leave the stock A2 in. I also like A2P's and Slash with the stock A2's. I wouldn't consider putting an A8 in any of them. But then, I play classic rock and blues, and am a big fan of PAF's. I look at pickups for generating tone quality and amps for output. But if you want a warm, high output pickup, try an A8 in yours.
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Thanks for the input ! My styles are more Classic Rock, Hard rock and Metal with a touch of blues.
I also consider you can get all the output you need from the amp, although there m's a certain tightness you'll get with more powerful magnets. Having said that, an A2 magnet with a tubescreamer through an overdriven amp can be as metal as it gets and sure if you go the high output route, you can't really go the other road around.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Angry without being shrill or scooped
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

IMO more horsepower but less personality. A8 will be more aggressive and much stiffer in feel. Bigger bass, more high end presence, less sweetness and less of a vintage character overall than A2. Especially for hard rock & metal some have really liked A8 in a PAF type pickup.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

And is it a more dramatic change to go from A2 to A8 than going from A2 to A5 ?

If I do this, I don't plan on changing magnet with the neck pickup. A2 in neck goes along well with A8 bridge ?
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Lorenzar said:
And is it a more dramatic change to go from A2 to A8 than going from A2 to A5 ?

If I do this, I don't plan on changing magnet with the neck pickup. A2 in neck goes along well with A8 bridge ?
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A5's have a very different EQ, with ample (sharp) treble and bass with scooped mids and a firm low end. Compare that to A2's with heavy mids, what treble they have is softer and rounded, & bass is looser. Big difference in tone. Plus A5's tend to sound clearer, without the added texture of A2's and UOA5's. What A8's have in common with A2's is warmth and a lot of midrange, so not as drastic a change EQ-wise as an A5 would be. The reason to use an A8 would be the output boost and to tighten up the low end. In getting that, you give up some of the A2's rich sonic 'character.'

Choose your magnets based on your priorities.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

blueman335 said:
A5's have a very different EQ, with ample (sharp) treble and bass with scooped mids and a firm low end. Compare that to A2's with heavy mids, what treble they have is softer and rounded, & bass is looser. Big difference in tone. Plus A5's tend to sound clearer, without the added texture of A2's and UOA5's. What A8's have in common with A2's is warmth and a lot of midrange, so not as drastic a change EQ-wise as an A5 would be. The reason to use an A8 would be the output boost and to tighten up the low end. In getting that, you give up some of the A2's rich sonic 'character.'

Choose your magnets based on your priorities.
Click to expand...

Ok so it sounds like A8 would be more for me if I swap magnet on an A2 one. Cause I like mids and the warm treble. All I want to change with an A2 pickup sometimes, is a tighter bass with more power, and it's what you described with A8, so it's definitely the path I should take since I'm not looking to necessarily change the pickup EQ or character much. As you said, maybe just tighter bass and more power that's all.

By the way, I've read some people considering the sound on A8 pickup to be congested, mushy etc....but maybe it's with High output pickup. Pickups I'd look to put an A8 magnet into, are around the 7.5/8.5 Kohms output.
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Lorenzar said:
Ok so it sounds like A8 would be more for me if I swap magnet on an A2 one. Cause I like mids and the warm treble. All I want to change with an A2 pickup sometimes, is a tighter bass with more power, and it's what you described with A8, so it's definitely the path I should take since I'm not looking to necessarily change the pickup EQ or character much. As you said, maybe just tighter bass and more power that's all.

By the way, I've read some people considering the sound on A8 pickup to be congested, mushy etc....but maybe it's with High output pickup. Pickups I'd look to put an A8 magnet into, are around the 7.5/8.5 Kohms output.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much a Super 70 clone, then.

Google up what they sound like
 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

Mmmmmmmm.

All Super 70s in this pic except bridge position on the left.

 
Re: Swapping A2 magnet for A8 : what is the expected impact on tone ?

I find that A8 still has the thickness of A2, but has more power and a bit more bite on the high end. I use Burstbuckers in a couple of my guitars and I would think that a BB3 with an A8 would be extremely harsh, at least to my ears.
 
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