Alnico 5's or Alnico 3's

[Lone Picker]

I have a BSB CV and to my understanding it is factory equipped with the Alnico 5's. I also have a set of Alnico 3's that need to go somewhere. Do you guys think the Alnico 3's would be better in the CV than the Alnico 5's? I know it a matter of what I like personally, but was just looking for opinions.
Thanks

[sjtalon]

Can't say better, just different.

Asking what "type" of pickup would be "better" in this guitar or that is like asking what color a pickup truck should be because it is a four wheel drive.

What is it about the current pickups you don't like ?

[wannapickone]

Let me confuse you a just a little more.......heh,heh. I have a CV'50 Vintage Blonde w/Alnico 3's and I have the CVC w/Alnico 5's and I just bought the CV'50 BSB w/Alnico 5's. The 5's in the CVBSB don't sound anything like the 5's in the CVC......In my opinion, the Alnico 5's in the BSB are to quote a friend of mine....."fuller and louder" with plenty of punch and spank and of course "TWANG"!!!!!! So I can say the difference is their between the 3 guitars.
"KEEEP ON A PICKIN" WPO

[DOGMA Dunn]

If I had a choice it would be the 5s in the bridge and the 3s in the neck on the tele. On a strat I would like all to be 5s, and another strat will all 3s with a 5 in the bridge for fatness.

[Lone Picker]

Its not that I don't like the current 5's in it, I was just trying to decide if I should swap to the 3's or not. I was looking for a push in one direction or another.

[sjtalon]

Well for curiosity sake, being you have the pups anyway, I would put them in if I were you. There isn't any other way to know which you prefer.

What are the A III pups ?

[Lone Picker]

They are the Fender original vintage pickups they sell at MF

[thrashmetl]

I personally prefer A3 bridge pickups because they're not as sharp and metallic, they sound woodier and more natural to me. On the other hand, I like that extra clarity that A5 provides in the neck position.

[Rob DiStefano]

moot point - most folks couldn't tell the sonic diff'frence 'tween a3 and a5 mags, let alone a2.

[sjtalon]

Well, I had a set of them for a while, and they are very true Telecaster that's for sure. Only thing for me is I thought the bridge too harsh, ice pick. That's just me. I change pickups out every couple years anyway.

There are a ton of folks that LOVE them though and they, next to the Nocaster's are THE
best Fender Tele pickup out there.

The only downside from what you have is they are not noise cancelling ( the bridge is not rw/rp).

But like I said, put 'em in and give them a shot.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by sjtalon

Well, I had a set of them for a while, and they are very true Telecaster that's for sure. Only thing for me is I thought the bridge too harsh, ice pick. ...

for the very most part, ice-pick-in-the-ear is just too few coil winds, which greatly enhances treble. the sought-after "vintage" pups that had a thick treble tone were the unintentional over winds, which increased the mid range and softened the treble. don't matter that much what alni/co mags (a3 has no cobalt), or coil wire, are used, it's all in the winds for a tele or strat pup.

[telex76]

I'll push. Put em in, it's good practice. If you don't like it you can change back or buy something else.

[BucksStudent]

Originally Posted by Lone Picker

I have a BSB CV and to my understanding it is factory equipped with the Alnico 5's. I also have a set of Alnico 3's that need to go somewhere. Do you guys think the Alnico 3's would be better in the CV than the Alnico 5's? I know it a matter of what I like personally, but was just looking for opinions.
Thanks

BSB CV? Backstreet Boys Circumcision Vision?

Alnico 3's are weaker than your 5s, I believe. I think fives are brighter than threes as well.

Perhaps I am wrong.

[tlimbert65]

When I bought my CV50 (alnico IIIs), I A/B'd it with a CVC with the alnico Vs, and was surprised at how different they sounded. I much prefer the IIIs, particularly the neck pickup. To me, the IIIs are darker and "greasier", where the Vs are brigher and "twangier". So, it's a matter of what you like.

[Troy T. Blues]

A5's for me.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by tlimbert65

When I bought my CV50 (alnico IIIs), I A/B'd it with a CVC with the alnico Vs, and was surprised at how different they sounded. I much prefer the IIIs, particularly the neck pickup. To me, the IIIs are darker and "greasier", where the Vs are brigher and "twangier". So, it's a matter of what you like.

unless EVERYTHING about the pups and guitar and amp and whatever are precisely the same, save for pup mags, you ain't a/b'd anything.

i've wound dozens of test pups using a5, a3, and a2 mags, and in all cases, with everything equal save for the mags, it was the coil turn counts that caused well perceived changes in tone.

[CC Ryan]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

for the very most part, ice-pick-in-the-ear is just too few coil winds, which greatly enhances treble. the sought-after "vintage" pups that had a thick treble tone were the unintentional over winds, which increased the mid range and softened the treble. don't matter that much what alni/co mags (a3 has no cobalt), or coil wire, are used, it's all in the winds for a tele or strat pup.

Whoa, back up there a second: there's no cobalt in an Alnico 3? Why include the 'co' bit in the name?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by CC Ryan

Whoa, back up there a second: there's no cobalt in an Alnico 3? Why include the 'co' bit in the name?

that's why the "/" is there ....

[Tonetele]

Interesting comments, particularly as to bridge/neck placement. I prefer Alnico 111 but I also think it depends on the wire guage and resistance. My ideal would be A-111 in the neck, 43 guage wire, resistance about 7.2K and Alnico 5 , 42 grade wire 9-9.2 k Ohms in the bridge position. I guess it all comes down to whatever your ears like. I have the above cobination in my Fender US Highway 1, and a similar combination in my Tele Partscaster. Both sound great, to me, anyway.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Tonetele

.... My ideal would be A-111 in the neck, 43 guage wire, resistance about 7.2K and Alnico 5 , 42 grade wire 9-9.2 k Ohms in the bridge position. ...

achieving 9k w/42awg will be near impossible with a standard height tele bridge bobbin and .630 or even .650 magnets. i'm building bobbins with .688 and .710 mags and with 11500 linear turns it's running at the bobbin's lips with nary room for a string wind - all for about 9k. and if yer "scatter winding", you'll pack in way less turns, too, since the scattering leaves lotsa unused air spaces. for 9k or more, 43awg is the better way to go and you will only fill the bobbin 2/3'rds at best with 9500 to 10000 turns.