What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Rex_Rocker

Well-known member
Are the magnets in Phat Cats standard-sized like the rest of the Duncan lineup?

I am thinking about ordering some rough A2's and polished A3's to try in it. Would the standard HB-sized ones fit?

Thanks. :)
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Yes they would fit. I always start off with either A3/A5 or A5/A4 in the neck (whichever magnet is closer to the next doesn't make a difference) and A4/A8 for a beefier bridge, with the A8 closest to the bridge.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Get all the mags so you can have them to use in the future.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Get all the mags so you can have them to use in the future.

Best advice ever! I have a ton of fun swapping magnets and checking things out. You should know though, it can take some time for magnetic fields to settle in. I have no idea why, when I put an alnico 2,4, UO5 or 8 in something I hate it at first, but giving it at least 24 hours to settle, matures the sound enough to know how it will end up in the end. Some people think the magnetic field settling is hogwash, but once I switched out an alnico 5 to a 2 in a Custom after it sat for a couple of hours without a magnet (I got sidetracked), and hated the alnico 2 but knew how it was supposed to sound in the end. Sure enough a couple of days later, it was correct in tone.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

I'm ok with how the pickup sounds immediately after I swap a magnet. I may or may not be able to tell the difference. The time when I really noticed a difference was when I put 2 different kinds of magnets in a pickup. I put A4 in my JB with A2 spacers and thought it sounded good but it was sloppy. After a few days, it evened right out.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Oh man, that JB mod sounds way cool. I don't suppose you could tell me where you get your spacer magnets from?
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

It's so great. It fills it out and smooths it out. The spacers are from Axesrus and they fit perfectly.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Would the standard HB-sized ones fit?
If you get short ones will certainly fit in any P-90-in-a-HB-housing p'up.

I personally had problems with Gibson P-94s and standard 2.5" bar mags. The fit was too tight, they wouldn't properly close so I couldn't solder the cover back on.

/Peter
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

In the Phat Cat, the 2.5" ones work fine and that is what length the stock alnico 2's are. I took my neck one apart for a magnet swap, to reverse the wind, and polarity change. So it would play nice when splitting a standard Duncan bridge humbucker to the slug side and to get noiseless when the split humbucker and phat cat are combined. But yeah, regular/common shaped humbucker magnets fit the Phat Cat.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

I've loved A4/A4 for neck (very clear and articulate) and A8/A8 for bridge (juicy powers for days). Also A3/A3 neck (dynamics, dynamics, and once again dynamics) is somewhat magical and can be paired with A4/A4 bridge (like bare knuckle mississippi queen). Or go with classic A5/A5 in both neck and bridge
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Yes they would fit. I always start off with... A5/A4 in the neck and A4/A8 for a beefier bridge.


The Blueman P-90 magnet set! I came up with those after being disappointed in my Phat Cat's stock A2's (to me, the wrong magnet for bridge and neck). Since P-90's have two magnets, you can dial in EQ's more precisely than with a humbucker, so I like to take advantage of that and use two different kinds in a P-90.

To the OP: I wouldn't bother with roughcast A2's, as the problem with the neck PC is it's overwound and pretty warm, and roughcast magnets take off a little high end. They desperately need brighter magnets to get some treble, mine sounded like a pillow was over the speaker. I tried an A5/A2 first and that helped, then an A5/A3 which was better still, and finally an A5/A4, which gave a nice sharp high end, a little more mids, and didn't have the bassiness that twin A5's can sometimes have.

Zhang's said bridge Phat Cats sound 'weak and puny', and I agree. They're overpowered by the neck PC. I thought an A8 in the bridge would be nice as it adds output, midrange, and warmth. An A4 keeps that going without pushing treble or bass. That magnet pair's worked for me for years. BTW, Zhang's solution for his neck PC was to take off about 1,000 turns of wire, which made it brighter.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Has anyone tried ceramics in their Phat Cats?
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

I can only emphasize what Blueman said...ceramic in a P-90 would be a disaster.

Why would you even want to? What would you be trying to achieve?
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Just wondering, for posterity.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

Thanks for the replies, dudes!

So the stock magnets in the Phat Cat are just plain standard humbucker-sized? Just like you'd find in a Pearly Gates or Seth Lover? I've read somewhere they're short (like a T-Top?). Is this not true?

I'm leaning towards replacing the stock A2's with polished A3's, RCA3's or RCA2's because I want to lose just a touch of low-end. I guess A3's. I definitely don't want to go A5 or 4 because I don't want more low-end or less mids from it. I don't feel like stock Phat Cat lacks high-end, but I wouldn't want to lose what high-end it has either.
 
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Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

The A3 will definitely thin out the bass. But you should try out the A4 at least, it will give it more high end and won't scoop the mids out too much. If you don't wanna lose ant more treble, I'd stay away from roughcast magnets.
 
Re: What kind of magnets should I order to swap in my Phat Cat?

So the stock magnets in the Phat Cat are just plain standard humbucker-sized? Just like you'd find in a Pearly Gates or Seth Lover? I've read somewhere they're short (like a T-Top?). Is this not true?


It's not true. Phat Cats have regular-size A2's, not short ones.
 
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