Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

[Ursupator]

Hello,
Did anyone ever tried this:

Instead of putting a whole new magnet into a pickup, stick 2 magnets together (e.g: A SH-6 with stock Ceramic for the low strings, A8 for the high) and put them in.


I got the idea after reading about the Seymour duncan Five-Two Pickup, where they use different magnets in the pole pieces.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

Not a good idea: the stronger magnet will degauss the weaker. In this case the ceramic the A8. This idea works better in Fender style pickups because of the distance between the magnets. BTW cutting magnets is tricky.

 

[Ursupator]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

the stronger magnet will degauss the weaker.

Oh, I forgot about that happening to magnets

 

[Mincer]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

Yeah, different magnets has been tried, but it doesn't last. High school physics comes into play, here. This is in a humbucker, however. It has been done (and really well) in single coils.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

How about an alnico bar with ceramic spacers?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[AlexR]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

Same effect happens. Thats like a p90 where the two mags are repelling either side of the keeper bar. You might get a lesser effect without them touching, but it still happens.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

How about an alnico bar with ceramic spacers?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

I've never had any issues with this, but then again my best example (double thick A2 with A8 spacers) is only 2 years old. But you think that big a difference in magnetic strengths would have a drastic effect after some time.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

^ It will, but 2 years might only see a small change. If the outer mags had been the A2s, and the inner not a doublethick then the effect would have been quicker. Your thicker a2 will produce more magnetism as it is bigger, and the A8 outers will produce 'less' due to small size.
It would be interesting to see if the tone/output of the pickup overall was more influenced by the outer very stong but small mags, or the bigger inner (but weaker type) mag:33:

 

[blueman335]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

The way to mix magnets is in P-90's, they come with 2 laying side-by-side, repelling, usually A5's. I've matched up various combinations and my favorite is A8/A4 in the bridge slot for more output, midrange, and warmth than twin A5's, and A5/A4 in the neck, for a little less low end & a bit more mids.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

I've got some humbuckers that have alnico rods in place of the steel slugs. The T&Bs in my oldest PRS use A5 rods (A2 under the high B & E), with an A5 bar in the bridge and an A2 bar in the neck. For more than thirty years they've been my favorite humbuckers for modern feel. I got a set of the "1985" reissues last year for my CE22 and I believe they have the same configuration (except I think the slugs might all be A5).

There's no problem with opposite polarities degaussing each other in these since the poles aren't repelling, even though they mags are right up against each other. Anyway, I think that's less of an issue with A5/A2 than it would be with A8 or ceramic.

 

[Ursupator]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

This all sounds very interessting

Btw the intention behind all this is, was to get the typical ceramic sound including all the chunky hard lows and moderate mids, but with less spiky and aggressive highs.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

This all sounds very interessting

Btw the intention behind all this is, was to get the typical ceramic sound including all the chunky hard lows and moderate mids, but with less spiky and aggressive highs.

Just replace the ceramic with an A8 then. Simple. Forget about cutting 2 different mags and the potential problems associated with that.

 

[freefrog]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

Hello,
Did anyone ever tried this:

Instead of putting a whole new magnet into a pickup, stick 2 magnets together (e.g: A SH-6 with stock Ceramic for the low strings, A8 for the high) and put them in.


I got the idea after reading about the Seymour duncan Five-Two Pickup, where they use different magnets in the pole pieces.

There's a PAF clone with two short bars side by side but I can't remember who has designed it nor if the pickup has effectively been released.

FWIW, experimenting with slugs and screws of different alloys (and/or of different mass/lenght) might be interesting. I know more than one winder who fine-tune their products like that....

 

[Ursupator]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

Thanks for your replies.

I just found this Shootout


I think I will replace the magnet with an a8

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

How about an alnico bar with ceramic spacers?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

This actually works, Ive done it to swap the mag in an invader but keeping the spacer mags. The trick is its super difficult to find double thick alnicos, I wound up making a spacer to shim a normal thickness mag into place. I had no issues with degaussing, didnt test for years but there was no immediate effect.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

How did it change the tone?

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[Edgecrusher]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

How did it change the tone?

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A8 i didnt like, made it loose and kinda boomy on the bottom, A5 i did like, made it open and less compressed. pulled back the mids but gave the bass much more definition. That plus swapping the cap screws for super distortion style hex screws cut short became my favorite invader mod. Makes a super fast articulate chugga chugga pickup.

 

[Ursupator]

Re: Use 2 different magnets together in one Pickup

Yesterday the mail with the magnets I wanted to test arived.

The results (tested with a Laney IRT Studio and a Boss SD-1 as boost pedal):


A8
too much low end, just doesn't cut through the mix, cleans are ok, but to sterile just like the stock ones.
Handels every gain state very good, but I just don't like the overall sound. I would describe it as "too modern for my taste".
The SH-6 looses the "JB with a boost" feeling it had to me.

A2
A neat rock sound with bit of a Pearly Gates vibe. Muddy when distorted hard. I really like the way a stock SH-6 handels tons of gain, but the A2 kinda destroys this feeling. The cleans are great.
For blues rock it would fit, but I'm a metal guy so I need something that crushes the audience's heads.


A5 unoriented rough cast (normal A5 was not available)
Controlled but still aggressive low end. The Output got lowered a bit, but SH-6 character is still noticeable.
The highs are tamed and smooth like butter.
It gained more of a mid heavy sound, but rolling them back a on my amp (Laney Ironheart) helped against it.
The cleans are good. Not as delightful as the A2 but still very decent.
The sound got more of the hot rodded PAF vibe to it that I like.


I will leave the unoriented A5 in there. It is a unorthodox choice, but it fits my needs.