SJE-Guitars Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Right well I am discussing with a magnet company over this side of the world about getting some custom magnets produced (nothing is ever easy!) and I am getting confused over which grade of Alnico's are which! For example everyone knows that Alnico 5 is an Alnico 5 right . . . well no not exactly there is actually 3 grades these being LNG37, LNG40 and LNG44 - each one have slightly different properties. Then in the Alnico 8 range there is the LNGT18, LNGT32, LNGT36J and LNGT40 . . . in this case there is considerable differences between the properties. I've search around and cannot find any answers to which are the usual grades used - does anyone have a reference? Cheers in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I'd ask over at the pickup makers forum at Ampage.org - those guys know their stuff and their pretty helpful. Some of those guys get pretty pedantic about specific grades of steel or magnets for their pickups, they certainly know their stuff, and may be better versed in explaining the tonal differences in various magnet grades. You may also be able to find the info you need just by searching the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted June 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Cheers for that I'll have look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Jupp, we (or more specific some of the other members over there...) have had several discussions about magnet grades. How many pickups are you going to produce? If it isn't a hole bunch (the 1000 range) I believe it is much cheaper to find a traditional vendor of magnets and more specific learn to wind pickups with the available parts. There is so much more to the sound than the minor differences in strength between magnets within the same grade. Anyway, check out http://www.sensmag.com/Pickups%20Magnets.asp They have A2, A3, A5 and ceramic magnets in "all" pickups sizes, good prices and no minimum order quantities. I have still to try the sampler sets I have here so I cannot say if they are good from personal experience, but a German winder I have some contact with claims they are really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted June 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Great - that answers the 2, 3 and 5 questions - any idea on the Alnico 8? Yep fully understand the they won't make a huge difference to the sound - however I am just looking to get the 'standard' pickups before varying grades. I won't be mass produdcing pickups but being in SE Asia the price of buying them from 'traditional' vendors in the west would be far more expensive - basically over double the price per magnet. Thanks for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Using A8 will not bee that different from using ceramic magnets. The A8 have actually a higher gauss level, but at the same time add to the inductance as it is metallic. Ceramic magnets are non metallic and therefore a pickup with ceramics will have a lower inductance. A high inductanse helpes to tame the slightly higher magnetic field of the A8 comnpared to the ceramic magnet, and if you are just starting to wind pickups I would say that there are other factors that will influence the sound much more than switching between A8 and ceramic. I don't know about shiping rates between Japan and Laos, but Montreux have complete pickup sets at resonably prices: http://www.montreuxguitars.com/products/im...u_parts_us.html 7,5$ per set excuding magnet, minimum order 12 sets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Using A8 will not bee that different from using ceramic magnets. The A8 have actually a higher gauss level, but at the same time add to the inductance as it is metallic. Ceramic magnets are non metallic and therefore a pickup with ceramics will have a lower inductance. A high inductanse helpes to tame the slightly higher magnetic field of the A8 comnpared to the ceramic magnet, and if you are just starting to wind pickups I would say that there are other factors that will influence the sound much more than switching between A8 and ceramic. I don't know about shiping rates between Japan and Laos, but Montreux have complete pickup sets at resonably prices: http://www.montreuxguitars.com/products/im...u_parts_us.html 7,5$ per set excuding magnet, minimum order 12 sets Yes - I understand fully all the outside of the magnet influences on the sound of the pickup - however since I am starting winding my intention is to build test pickups to work on the tones I want and a major part of this is going to be the magnet type hence I want to get a full range of Alnico magenets (and C8s). The pickups I am intending to make are not attempting to replicate traditional pickups in anyway different windings, slugs, base plates etc will be also included in the testing. But thanks for the link (more possible supplier links the better!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 A8 magnets: http://www.wymoreguitars.com/Humbucker-Magnets_c_60.html I've been told Allparts also carries them but they do not list them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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