UOA5 magnet strenght

[CarlosG]

Hi!
I always has several different magnets in my box. I they are touching together, could this weaken the magnets?
I noticed that UOA5 is very weak, when I use metal screwdriver A2 and A3 are stronger than this UOA5.
I read that UOA5 has different a magnetic field so maybe it's reason or it's demagnetized?
Can I charge it diy at home?

 

[hamerfan]

Of course you can charge it diy at home. But it won‘t hold the charge. How do i now? I tried it. Its the nature of the beast. Its unoriented magnet. It has a weak magnetic field of the A2, but a scoop similar (but not as strong) as an oriented A5.
Fun fact: If they are built in a pickup, the difference on top of the pole screws is much lower when i measured them with my gaussmeter.

 

[CarlosG]

Thanks. I will check it on polepieces and input level on my interface. UOA5 should be stronger or the same like A2? I mean magnetic field on polepieces and output lv.

 

[Chistopher]

Magnetic strength doesn't necessarily equate output. The mid range frequencies equate more to perceived volume than bass or treble frequencies.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

When storing alnico magnets together, you can stick them together.
It's only when they repel that they can degauss each other.

UA5 does have a pretty weak field, but I've found them not to have a correspondingly weak output.
I expected a serious volume drop the first time I replaced A5 with UA5, but it wasn't a whole lot quieter.

As Christopher pointed out, a lot of perceived volume is in the midrange character.
A2 is significantly weaker than A5, but in a humbucker it isn't a whole lot quieter.
And partly degaussing A5s doesn't decrease the volume by much - just mellows the treble and attack.

Of course a lot depends on your settings and your ears, so YMMV.
But field strength does not correspond 1:1 with pickup output.

PS: If you suspect your UA5 has been partially degaussed, stick it to an A8 or ceramic for a few days.
That should restore its strength. In fact, you can do the same thing in seconds with a powerful neo magnet.

 

[CarlosG]

PS: If you suspect your UA5 has been partially degaussed, stick it to an A8 or ceramic for a few days.
That should restore its strength. In fact, you can do the same thing in seconds with a powerful neo magnet.

Thanks. I have big ceramic magnet, but will it really charge it? I thought that a stronger magnet would discharge the weaker one. Can I put it on my guitar speaker magnet?

 

[hamerfan]

An unoriented A5 is very different beast, it sounds and act similar to an A2. You can‘t change its nature by charging it.
If charging is not done right like sticking it to a speaker magnet, there is a big chance to mess up the charge that means to degauss it partially, which is the worst state you don‘t want.

 

[Chistopher]

PS: If you suspect your UA5 has been partially degaussed, stick it to an A8 or ceramic for a few days.
That should restore its strength. In fact, you can do the same thing in seconds with a powerful neo magnet.

I have a roughly 1/2"×1/2" neodymium bar magnet that I could probably reverse the phase of a pickup without even taking it out the guitar. I'll need to try that when I get a second.

 

[Clint 55]

^ You'll just fuck it up. Unless you methodically charge it using 2 magnets in a magnetizer or one you have created, it'll make the new field all wonky.

 

[ehdwuld]

I have small vise with a north neo mag on one side and south on the other

I pass my demagnetized magnets between them
Slowly
And wha-la

 

[Clint 55]

^ Exactly

 

[larryguitar]

^ You'll just **** it up. Unless you methodically charge it using 2 magnets in a magnetizer or one you have created, it'll make the new field all wonky.

Well, Rob DiStefano (the guy who winds Cavalier pickups) disagrees; post #8: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/how-t...net-without-magnetizer.1147428/#post-12305296


Larry

 

[Clint 55]

Imo, that's a really moronical thing to try. Because if you only bombard a pickup magnet or magnets with 1 polarity magnetic field from a neo magnet, it absolutely will not set 2 opposite poles divided perfectly in the middle of the alnico. That's ridiculous to think that, it's not magic.

You have to pass the alnico in between 2 neos with barely any clearance so that it sets the poles correctly and evenly divided down the center.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

For actually reversing the polarity, a proper two-sided arrangement likely would be best.*
But for simply recharging a partially degaussed one I think an A8 or neo on one side should be enough.
Then again, I don't claim to be an authority and that certainly isn't an expert opinion.

Haven't degaussed often enough myself (and never charged from scratch) to warrant a proper two-sided setup.
I stumbled on Zhangbucker David's advice about humbucker mags years ago, and it worked fine for my purposes.
He first talks about doing it by contact with an A8, then about using a neo without removing the pickup from the guitar.

*EDIT: Just read Cavalier Rob's post linked above. Nice to have confirmation that one-sided works well for rod magnets.
Of course, that's full-physical-contact, not the 'pass nearby while still in the guitar' method Zhangliqun mentioned for humbuckers.