What are period correct pickup magnets for 62 Custom Tele?

mdahearn · June 5th, 2003, 03:20 PM

Could you tell me why Fender chose Alnico III magnets for the AV 62 Custom Tele reissue pickups? It is my understanding that alnico III was only used on early 1950's guitars (and mostly Strats), and that the period correct magnet for a 62 Custom Tele would be Alnico V magnets. Was there some tonal reason the Alnico IIIs were matched with current 62 Custom Tele reissue? Anyone else with info on period correct magnets for 62 Custom Teles? Thanks for clearing this up.

Dacious · June 5th, 2003, 07:11 PM

Probably because the whole assembly is very similar to the 52RI which went to alnico III last year. The only difference would appear to be pole stagger. Interestingly the MIM Classic 50's and 60's pups are also identical , down to part number, except for the magnet stagger.

If you find a Fender dealer with old stock of pickups, I bet they're the old ones which were alnico V.

OTOH, I bet unless you A/B'd two guitars, one older, one newer, you'd be hard pressed to pick them apart. FWIW, from the description the IIIs might be better unless you want clear clean sounds.

Whatever - the reissue pickups all sound great.

mdahearn · June 5th, 2003, 08:10 PM

Dacious,
Thanks for the reply. The reason I'm asking is that i just bought a new Crafted in Japan 62 Custom Tele reissue CAR (lefty) from Ishibashi that I love to death except for the Tex Special pickups that came with it. Too high output humbucker sounding - I'm looking for something more traditionally Tele sounding. I would like to know what the period correct magnets are for a 62 Custom Tele, I suspect they are not Alnico III. Here's my theory on what Fender did: they decided to make the 52 Tele reissues more period correct last year by changing from Alnico Vs to Alnico IIIs as you said. But they didn't want to do a special pickup for the 62 Custom Tele reissues so they just took the new Alnico III 52 Reissue pickup and staggered the poles for the 62 Customs Teles. Besides that they are probably the same pickup. I have a sneaky suspicion however that Fender was not using Alnico IIIs on their Custom Teles in 1962, and that the choice of the Alnico IIIs for the reissues were more a convenience for Fender than anything. So I still have the following questions:
1. Does anyone know the type of magnets used in 1962 on a real 1962 Custom Tele?
2. What is the pole stagger on the pickups on the American Vintage 62 Custom Tele? Are they a symmetrical stagger so that they can be installed in either a lefty or righty guitar? I want to install pickups with a correct stagger on them for a lefty guitar.
3. Has anyone compared Alnico III Tele pickups to Alnico Vs? I'd be interested to know...

Thanks

Dacious · June 5th, 2003, 08:55 PM

I agree - the '62s are '52s with longer poles inserted.

Lindy Fralin's site makes it clear alnico III was only used pre-'55 and then not exclusively. He uses it in a hybrid pickup on the bass strings.

I'm sure SD 5/2s are similar, with alnico 5 on the GBE string poles.

So find some alnico 5 pickups about 6-7kohm and I think you'd have it. SDs, are good, so are Lindys. Actually his Stock Telecaster pickups get a real big rap for being right on the money soundwise. They aren't symetrical standard, but I think Lindy will make you a set to order for a lefty.

I agree about Texas Specials - yuk! Well, maybe I'd take them over Niceless Vintage ones!

http://www.custom-sounds.com/lindytele.htm

mdahearn · June 5th, 2003, 09:48 PM

Dacious,
Interestingly, Duncan and Fralin have a different approach on how to do the hybrid pickups. The 5/2 Duncans are alnico V on the bass strings (low E, A, D) and softer warmer alnico II on the high strings (G, B hi E). Fralin puts the alnico IIIs on the bass strings (E,A,G) and alnico Vs on the high strings (D,B,E). Alnico IIIs are 5% more bright and 5% stronger in the low mids than alnico Vs.

June 5th, 2003, 03:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
mdahearn TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 78	What are period correct pickup magnets for 62 Custom Tele? Could you tell me why Fender chose Alnico III magnets for the AV 62 Custom Tele reissue pickups? It is my understanding that alnico III was only used on early 1950's guitars (and mostly Strats), and that the period correct magnet for a 62 Custom Tele would be Alnico V magnets. Was there some tonal reason the Alnico IIIs were matched with current 62 Custom Tele reissue? Anyone else with info on period correct magnets for 62 Custom Teles? Thanks for clearing this up.

June 5th, 2003, 07:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,610 35 Photos	Probably because the whole assembly is very similar to the 52RI which went to alnico III last year. The only difference would appear to be pole stagger. Interestingly the MIM Classic 50's and 60's pups are also identical , down to part number, except for the magnet stagger. If you find a Fender dealer with old stock of pickups, I bet they're the old ones which were alnico V. OTOH, I bet unless you A/B'd two guitars, one older, one newer, you'd be hard pressed to pick them apart. FWIW, from the description the IIIs might be better unless you want clear clean sounds. Whatever - the reissue pickups all sound great. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

June 5th, 2003, 08:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,610 35 Photos	I agree - the '62s are '52s with longer poles inserted. Lindy Fralin's site makes it clear alnico III was only used pre-'55 and then not exclusively. He uses it in a hybrid pickup on the bass strings. I'm sure SD 5/2s are similar, with alnico 5 on the GBE string poles. So find some alnico 5 pickups about 6-7kohm and I think you'd have it. SDs, are good, so are Lindys. Actually his Stock Telecaster pickups get a real big rap for being right on the money soundwise. They aren't symetrical standard, but I think Lindy will make you a set to order for a lefty. I agree about Texas Specials - yuk! Well, maybe I'd take them over Niceless Vintage ones! http://www.custom-sounds.com/lindytele.htm __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

June 5th, 2003, 08:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
mdahearn TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 78	Dacious, Thanks for the reply. The reason I'm asking is that i just bought a new Crafted in Japan 62 Custom Tele reissue CAR (lefty) from Ishibashi that I love to death except for the Tex Special pickups that came with it. Too high output humbucker sounding - I'm looking for something more traditionally Tele sounding. I would like to know what the period correct magnets are for a 62 Custom Tele, I suspect they are not Alnico III. Here's my theory on what Fender did: they decided to make the 52 Tele reissues more period correct last year by changing from Alnico Vs to Alnico IIIs as you said. But they didn't want to do a special pickup for the 62 Custom Tele reissues so they just took the new Alnico III 52 Reissue pickup and staggered the poles for the 62 Customs Teles. Besides that they are probably the same pickup. I have a sneaky suspicion however that Fender was not using Alnico IIIs on their Custom Teles in 1962, and that the choice of the Alnico IIIs for the reissues were more a convenience for Fender than anything. So I still have the following questions: 1. Does anyone know the type of magnets used in 1962 on a real 1962 Custom Tele? 2. What is the pole stagger on the pickups on the American Vintage 62 Custom Tele? Are they a symmetrical stagger so that they can be installed in either a lefty or righty guitar? I want to install pickups with a correct stagger on them for a lefty guitar. 3. Has anyone compared Alnico III Tele pickups to Alnico Vs? I'd be interested to know... Thanks

June 5th, 2003, 09:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
mdahearn TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 78	Dacious, Interestingly, Duncan and Fralin have a different approach on how to do the hybrid pickups. The 5/2 Duncans are alnico V on the bass strings (low E, A, D) and softer warmer alnico II on the high strings (G, B hi E). Fralin puts the alnico IIIs on the bass strings (E,A,G) and alnico Vs on the high strings (D,B,E). Alnico IIIs are 5% more bright and 5% stronger in the low mids than alnico Vs.