Your favourite magnet in a neck humbucker?

PonchoGreg

What are people's faves?

I realise it's 100% dependent on the guitar and application, so feel free to elaborate!

I would have said A2 usually (with a PAFesque output) but I've really taken a liking to A3 (although that can sometimes be a bit too clear). That's for a set-net, mahogany body guitar.

bodhi

A2 for me. But in both positions. Just based on the absolutely stunning set of Wolfetone Legends I randomly gave a try.

axisus

er.... what???

ICBM

Alnico 4 or 5.

 I prefer more clarity and bottom-end - A2 sounds too soft and a bit weak to me, and quite thin with low-wound pickups.

PonchoGreg

ICBM said:

Alnico 4 or 5.

 I prefer more clarity and bottom-end - A2 sounds too soft and a bit weak to me, and quite thin with low-wound pickups.

I actually plan on trying out an A4 magnet in the neck position of my new PRS 22 - I had an A4 for the longest time in an SG but obviously that will sound a bit different given the pickup position

Philly_Q

Of course there are lots of variables, but I like a soft-to-muddy neck pickup so A2 (with a slightly hotter wind) or A4 for me, not keen on A5.  I've never tried an A3 pickup.

Actually I've just remembered that the BKP Stormy Monday is A2, and I didn't like it much.  But - dare I say - the Gibson 490R is alright... A2 is OK.

ICBM

PonchoGreg said:

I actually plan on trying out an A4 magnet in the neck position of my new PRS 22

That's what I've got in both mine - Dragon IIs and McCartys both have them. I like them a lot - full, clear and with plenty of bottom end, but not quite as bold and strident as the Duncan '59 neck.

Sassafras

Haven't got a clue.

timmypix

So far, A4, at least as humbuckers go - my favourite neck pickup is my BKP Emerald and my second favourite is a Mule!

I've got an A5 Firebird pickup from Oil City in my Tele and that's lovely - fat and humbuckerish higher up the neck, but bright and snappy lower down with plenty of clarity, and I think the A5 helps with the brightness and attack.

earwighoney

A5 in all pickups of all varieties. I always have the vol and tone quite low and roll them up to add brightness to solos. 

PudWud

I recently got some OX4 alnico 4 low winds and my Les Paul has never sounded better in the neck position. 

PonchoGreg

ICBM said:

PonchoGreg said:

I actually plan on trying out an A4 magnet in the neck position of my new PRS 22

That's what I've got in both mine - Dragon IIs and McCartys both have them.

Were the A4 magnets in these stock, or swapped in?

Seems PRS keep the alnico type of their pickups very close to their chest...

meltedbuzzbox

A3 for me.

I am generally happy as long as they aren't A5 I find A5 very clicky and unpleasant

ICBM

PonchoGreg said:

Were the A4 magnets in these stock, or swapped in?

Seems PRS keep the alnico type of their pickups very close to their chest...

Stock, although the information is quite hard to find, at least from PRS themselves. But some info was posted here -

https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/list-of-prs-pickup-specs.8055/

https://us.prsaccessories.com/products/dragon-ii-bass-gold

From that it looks to me like the Dragon II bass and McCarty bass are actually the same pickup, with different output cables. They do sound the same to me, although the bridge pickups are quite different.

victorludorum

I finally gave up on having a single coil in the neck and bought an A4 low wind bucker; I couldn't be happier with it.

Philly_Q

I always thought the Seymour Duncan Jazz neck was A2, but looking it up yesterday - inspired by this thread - I was surprised to find it's A5.

thegummy

My main one has alnico 4 and I've also played - and liked - ones using alnico 2.

I've heard from pickup experts that the magnet type isn't what determines the sound of a pickup. I think maybe people want it to be the case because it makes it convenient for choosing one but I reckon the pickup experts are right about it.

PonchoGreg

thegummy said:

My main one has alnico 4 and I've also played - and liked - ones using alnico 2.

I've heard from pickup experts that the magnet type isn't what determines the sound of a pickup. I think maybe people want it to be the case because it makes it convenient for choosing one but I reckon the pickup experts are right about it.

Yeah I would imagine number of winds (and wire gauge, obvs), coil offset make more of a difference. Changing the magnet definitely seems to be tuning the tone further though, was certainly noticeable when I played around with a couple of pickups

lysander

Big ceramic and low wind.. Give me some high end.

Rocker

When I first saw the heading for this post, I assumed that it was a piss take.  A bit like asking what is your favourite screws to secure the scratchplate?  But when @ICBM replied, I can only conclude that there is 'something' in the magnet question.  It did not keep me awake last night so whatever magnets are fitted in the pickups of my guitars will remain there.  And the types fitted to the guitars will probably remain a mystery.  YMMV.

Philly_Q

thegummy said:

I've heard from pickup experts that the magnet type isn't what determines the sound of a pickup. I think maybe people want it to be the case because it makes it convenient for choosing one but I reckon the pickup experts are right about it.

True, but if all else stays the same, changing the magnet does make a difference.  I think the Duncan Custom, Custom Custom and Custom 5 are good examples - same pickup, three different magnets, and they don't sound anything like each other.