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Topic: Question for pickup builders & pickup gurus |
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 17 May 2023 12:29 pm |
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| On any given pickup, all other things being the same, are there any generalities that can be attributed to the use of ceramic magnets vs AlNiCo V magnets? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 18 May 2023 1:02 pm
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Okay, no one else is offering, so I'll jump in with my2cents. Ceramic magnets are stronger and cheaper, and can tend to sound punchy, and bright. Alnico magnets are weaker, and more expensive, and they usually give a softer, smoother sound.
But the real "tone-shaping power" comes from the amp, and tone controls. The only time you can make a really significant difference with a pickup change is when your amp has limited tone-shaping capabilities. |
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Tim Toberer
From:
Nebraska, USA
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Posted 18 May 2023 1:55 pm
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| I don't know anything about pickup design or the science behind it, but I have been loving NEO magnets in my homemade pickups, even though they are snubbed by many. To me magnetism is magnetism, small strong magnet equals large weak magnet. I really like that NEOs are available in myriad of shapes and sizes and cheap. Fun to experiment with. This is a very unscientific opinion and I would love for someone knowledgable to chime in. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 18 May 2023 3:21 pm
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| Tim, the only problem with very strong magnets is that they can reduce sustain, and lead to a very high output. This probably would not be noticeable on a pedal steel because the pickup is so close to the changer, and because a volume pedal is always used. But on a straight guitar, where the pickups are farther from the bridge, strong magnets can affect the string movement, and therefore reduce sustain. Also, a higher output may lead to distortion on either instrument if the pickup is too close to the strings. |
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