Maybe this is all over my head, but I don't see the point of this thread. Is it about changing the molecular structure of hardware, and for what purpose? Doesn't using harder metal for hardware generally brighten (some would say "harshen") tone? Is the point of this thread to end up generating orders for a new pickup? Is it about prematurely aging parts? (Curtis Novak says, "Buddy Holly's guitar sounded great brand new, Blackie, and Brownie sounded awesome when they were only 10 years old. If it is true that an "aged magnet" has any real effect on tone, then these same models from the 80's should be sounding pretty good by now.")
I'm so confused. I'm going to bed.