Magnet Upgrade

[Harmonic]

I installed Alnico 2 magnets in my Epiphone SG Special. It was an easy and straightforward installation. The sound was nice, smooth and mellow without the high frequencies of the ceramic magnets. But I didn't like it. I missed the high frequencies. I can always adjust the tone controls to reduce the high frequencies if I need to. So I put the creramic magnets back in. Sounds good, and I'm happier.

The big improvement in sound was upgrading the tuning machines. After the tuner were upgraded, the pickups sound pretty good.

 

[ChicknPickn]

Hmmmmmmmm . . . . .

 

[archetype]

I installed Alnico 2 magnets in my Epiphone SG Special. It was an easy and straightforward installation. The sound was nice, smooth and mellow without the high frequencies of the ceramic magnets. But I didn't like it. I missed the high frequencies. I can always adjust the tone controls to reduce the high frequencies if I need to. So I put the creramic magnets back in. Sounds good, and I'm happier.

The big improvement in sound was upgrading the tuning machines. After the tuner were upgraded, the pickups sound pretty good.

I'm glad you like your SG in its current state, but there are a couple of fallacies going on.

1. Changing the magnet type is not an "upgrade." It's just different magnets with a different maximum Gauss. The result depends mainly on the magnet (or its field) distance from the strings, which you can adjust.

2. Tuners have zero affect on tone. You may have heard a difference due to something, but it wasn't the tuners.

 

[fender4life]

Tuners will change the tone in a way....not really so much the tone, but dynamics. But only when choosing a set thats much heavier or lighter. Heavier will give more sustain but at the cost of dynamics. Not saying it kills dynamics, but they will be lessened. It especially messes with cleaner tones gotten by using a treble bleed equipped volume. Heavy tuners especially on a thin neck can really mess up the dynamics on those turned down cleans. On set necks like gibsons not so much, or at least i haven't owned enough gibsons to have noticed it.
Magnets...they're a change in tone that you may or may not like. It's 100% subjective.

 

[monkeybanana]

Did you adjust the height? Try A5 too. It’s cheap enough.

 

[Zepfan]

Deneb Tone pickups from Ukraine are made by a member here on the forum and he uses Neodymium magnets which give you all the best features of the ceramic mags and the alnico mags together.
They have clarity that the ceramic has but also have the mids that the alnico has. You get a even amount of treble, midrange and bass. One doesn't overpower the others.
I've been very happy with mine. I have a humbucker set and some Strat single sets.

 

[Telegnosis]

 

[JRapp]

Try A5, A4, A3...more high-end than A2.

 

[Telegnosis]

If in a P90 you can also do a HYBRID. Using an A2 with an A5 for example.

 

[Ronkirn]

Hmmmmmmmm . . . . .

Hmmmmmmmm . . . . . indeed …

changing the magnets is NOT an upgrade, it only represents a latteral move. There are far too many other factors in the pickup's makeup for the magnets to be the singular improvement...

More times than not people are influenced bu the COST and not the actual sound. Back in the recesses of the mind the old grey matter is thinking, “lesse, this shi* cost $$$$ so it has to sound better than the old caca that only cost $$” That’s cognitive bias, and it's the "engine” that propels the aftermarket guitar commerce through the ranks of the misinformed.

Think of the tone as one would perfume… is a 500.00 ounce of Eau de hoity-toity, better than a 50.00 bottle of Chez d'not seaux heaut?? Well not if you don't like it...

and that Don’t like it is important…

all to often i read in these pages where someone mods their guitar, they change out the Bridge, the wiring, they Pickups, the nut, the cap, the whatever… then ask in the forums “Why does my guitar sound like a whacky frog farting underwater with a cork up it's butt?"

It’s a question no one can answer because the guy dumped a box full of mods into the guitar all at once, thus he has no idea what is responsible for what. So. . when modding, do so one change at a time and live with it for a few weeks, so the “new car smell” wears off… that way you know what to remove if you don’t like what you're hearing..

now as to the magnets.. it’s just one nice perfume, compared to the others… if ya don't like one, move on.. or better, if you don't like the sound, just change your mind.

 

[ChicknPickn]

Back in the recesses of the mind the old grey matter is thinking, “lesse, this shi* cost $$$$ so it has to sound better than the old caca that only cost $$” That’s cognitive bias, and it's the "engine” that propels the aftermarket guitar commerce through the ranks of the misinformed.

I'm chuckling. A lot.

Being tight with money has mostly worked in my favor in a lot of places, especially in Guitar Land. I come from farming people who couldn't afford not to have common sense. So when someone comes at me with "you just ain't gonna get THAT SOUND with anything less," I am skeptical. Highly, very, extremely skeptical.

An example would be a sometimes-maligned online retailer out there whom I will not name, who, I'm pretty darned sure, is selling "premium" imported hardware at a 30%-50% discount because it hasn't been brand-stamped yet. I've used a lot of it in the last 20 years. All good. I like not having logos stamped/silkscreened onto everything. I don't want my guitar to be branded up like a NASCAR Camaro.

Anyways, their $35 "vintage" soapbars sound darned good to me. Really good. But what do I know? I have hearing aids, for god's sake . . . .

 

[Peegoo]

Alnico magnets for pickups are so overhyped it's comedic.

Seriously comedic.

Nothing at all wrong with them...just like nothing wrong with ceramic mags. If either one is your Kool Aide, drink UP, Shriners!

But the nostalgia attached to alnico, claiming it's superior, is marketing hype.

And keep this in mind: if a person graduates med school with a D average, they still get to be a doctor. Same goes for alloys claiming to be alnico: there's no industry standard, which means you never know what you're really getting despite being charged a premium.

 

[hopdybob]

Today i learnt a good lesson.
i have a NUX MG300 multieffect and has a lot of amp models.
could not get a good sound with my peavey express 112 bluestripe as end of the chain.
then i saw a vid where someone mentiont that a blackface shines when the level is full up.
and i did and heard that what i wanted. dynamic clean round tone.
the l280 and L500, the guitar all was good, but i did not know how to use the moddeler.

its all in the chain, from speaker to brain. the philosophy of Bill Lawrence, and he was right

 

[elpico]

So I put the creramic magnets back in. Sounds good, and I'm happier.

The guy's post is literally about choosing whichever one he prefers but we're lecturing that what people should do is choose the one they prefer?

 

[Holy smokes]

The cat is happier. That’s all that counts. I doubt the people sitting front row would notice or care

 

[Burn Yesterday]

"Alnico magnets for pickups are so overhyped it's comedic."

i disagree. I won't even have ceramic speakers in my hi-fi. You wanna hate me, go hate me.

 

[ChicknPickn]

"Alnico magnets for pickups are so overhyped it's comedic."

i disagree. I won't even have ceramic speakers in my hi-fi. You wanna hate me, go hate me.

You're on the list, buddy. ( )

 

[Holy smokes]

I installed Alnico 2 magnets in my Epiphone SG Special. It was an easy and straightforward installation. The sound was nice, smooth and mellow without the high frequencies of the ceramic magnets. But I didn't like it. I missed the high frequencies. I can always adjust the tone controls to reduce the high frequencies if I need to. So I put the creramic magnets back in. Sounds good, and I'm happier.

The big improvement in sound was upgrading the tuning machines. After the tuner were upgraded, the pickups sound pretty good.

Good I’m glad you are experimenting and having a good time. We are all just hobbyists. What works for you is all that counts. Forget the experts.

 

[toanhunter]

ceramic magnets are more compressed, alnico magnets are more dynamic, that's what I have found anyway. It's better to change the entire pickup if you don't like it.

 

[Holy smokes]

Glad to see your. Still alive and kicking Mr. Kirn. I still have that material you so generously posted on Mr. Fender. Best I’ve ever gotten from the guitar forums. So I just wanted to say thanks it was greatly appreciated. Go jags