I read that one of the reasons cheaper ceramic pickups get a bad rap, and a raspy sound, is that typical inexpensive ceramic pickups are made with very powerful magnets slapped on the pole pieces and this accounts for the less than desirable tone.

Has anyone here experimented with "cutting down" the magnet on a cheap pickup to lessen the "magnetic strength" and acquiring a more pleasing tone.

If you could please relate your findings. Thanks in advance.

_________________
I remember when we were free!

It's not a good idea to take a grinding wheel to a magnet. Excessive heat can ruin em.

_________________
No no and no

I have swapped them for the alnico magnets from mojotone before. but you have to magnetize them yourself. the results were noticeable but not worth the trouble in my opinion. I found the gauge of wire used and number of winds makes more of an impact. most cheap imports have really thin wire with less wingdings and more resistance.

_________________

also as nikininja said, grinding a magnet is a bad idea. not only the heat ruining it but it will shatter very easily and leave bits of magnet stuck on everything.
but applying controlled levels of heat can reduce the strength. but that would have to be a trial and error experiment.

you could possibly try one of these

http://www.google.com/products/details? ... 1423176906

I use one for my watch tools, but I have no idea how much of an effect it will have on a magnet.

_________________

Niki,

I was thinking of un-gluing the magnet from the bottom and cutting it down, regluing, not grinding on the actual poles if that makes sense.

or

I have a set of SSS that have two think magnets glued to each side, perhaps removing one and leaving the other?

_________________
I remember when we were free!

the poles are basically just metal plugs on that type of pickup. the bar is the magnet in the cheaper pickups and humbuckers. where the poles on a true single coil are small cylinder magnets.

_________________

I have a pile of these type SSS sets that I remove form Squiers and typically replace with an inexpensive Alnico 5 set from GFS, which generally sound pretty good on a Squier Bullet.

This whole idea came to me after reading about the pros and cons of ceramic mag pickups. But it sounds like a dead end from what you guys are saying.

Thanks

OL

_________________
I remember when we were free!

its not a dead end if you learn something in the process
if you have some pickups that you don't mind losing to experimentation, I say do it for the fun of it. if you ruin them you at least have bobbins that you can use if you want to play with winding pickups.

but replacing the ceramic bar with an alnico 5 or alnico 2 bar will change the sound. i just cannot guarantee you will like it

http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Bar-Magnets

they have them pre magnetized now so makes it easier.

_________________

SBD

Thanks for the link, I will ponder it.

OL

_________________
I remember when we were free!

I have a few MIM ceramic pickups (from MIM Standards). I wasn't thinking about "cutting down" the magnet, but I was thinking about removing some of the wire (to bring the DC resistance down to 6K ohms or a bit below).

Instead of cutting a magnet, you might be able to weaken them by subjecting them to a stronger magnetic source. But this is like leaning out a window. You might completely demagnetize them.

Stew-Mac sells the "blank" ALNICO pole pieces. They show some simple ways to charge them using powerful earth magnets.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Ah-ha, so they do. That's new, since last time I looked.

Alternatively, there's these folks. Quite a bit cheaper, if they offer what you want:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320675810114? ... 1423.l2649

Possibilities...

Cheers - C

_________________

I have two types, the one has a single magnet running from end to end that covers all of the bottom, the other type has two smaller magnets that run from end to end on either side.

Perhaps just removing a single bar from one side of the two sided type might soften the sound?

_________________
I remember when we were free!

SBD,

My Father was a watchmaker, I still have his old Paulson "timing machine" vintage 1950's are you in that line of work, if its not too personal.

OL

_________________
I remember when we were free!

not at all.
I am not a watchmaker, it is just one of my many hobby's I am in the engineering trade so anything mechanical fascinates me. there is just something soothing about the tic of an old pocket watch. I carry an old 1901 Waltham I repaired regularly. it really catches people off guard when they ask me the time and I pull out the ticking watch

hold on to that machine, those are not easy to come by these days. unless you want to donate it to my hobby

did you take up your fathers trade?

_________________

No, actually I did not take it up. He died while I was still in the oven, so I never knew him. I have some of his old stuff, his Paulson, small hand tools and devices. Somewhere in my stuff is his magnitizer/demagnitizer.

I have a cigar box of old watches that were never claimed. True watchmaking is a dying profession. I think there is a school in Paris, TX for watchmaking, It's not far from me in North LA. but I am not motivated to go back to school again.

I did inherit the propensity to tinker with mechanical devices of all types, so here I am tinkering with my cheapo leftover pickups.

_________________
I remember when we were free!