Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Lucifuge on April 06, 2010, 08:41:15 PM

Title: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Lucifuge on April 06, 2010, 08:41:15 PM
Not just by BK; most pickup manufacturers use a variety of different magnets in their humbuckers, but I've never seen one with an A3 magnet.

I am assuming there is a good reason, and not just 'vintage PAFs didn't use it, so we won't either.'  Some people, maybe including Tim, must have experimented with this combo and found a good reason why it was inferior to other magnet types in a humbucker, even if it works well in a single coil, so what is it? Too weak or thin?

Edit: While I'm asking stupid questions, maybe I should also ask why you never see Alnico IV single coils?
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Brow on April 06, 2010, 10:44:59 PM
Fender in 1 of their newer model strats have a HSS setup and they use an Alnico III in the humbucker.

That's the only 1 I've ever heard of so far though
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Antag on April 07, 2010, 11:42:16 AM
It's an interesting question, especially as Tim states (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8005.0) "Alnico III is very transparent, low output and clean,sounds great for rounded fat jazz applications-typical of '50s tone.
Alnico IV is probably the best vintage tone IMHO(for humbuckers) and along with II and III was used in the earliest PAFs"
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: gwEm on April 09, 2010, 03:40:40 PM
theres been mention of A3 stormy mondays on here before.
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Will on April 10, 2010, 12:26:06 AM
I think there are some A3 Mules in one of Tim's, in the gallery maybe?
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: FenderBender on October 02, 2010, 07:54:03 AM
Skatterbrane Jazzbranes use Alnicu 3 and they sound damn good.  I'm not an expert, but from what I've read, AlniCo 3 is a misnomer since it doesn't contain Cobalt, so it's also called AlNi or AlNiCu (it does contain copper).
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Elliot on October 02, 2010, 10:45:03 AM
Alnico III doesn't contain cobalt - but, as I understand it, in the 50s cold war problems meant that the US had a reduced supply of cobalt so magnet manufacturers sold magnet material that was labelled as Alnico but had no cobalt in it. 
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on October 02, 2010, 10:59:35 AM
Alnico III doesn't contain cobalt - but, as I understand it, in the 50s cold war problems meant that the US had a reduced supply of cobalt so magnet manufacturers sold magnet material that was labelled as Alnico but had no cobalt in it. 
Yep - cobalt was used in atomic bombs, so it was scarce as the USA felt the need to build a lot of them in the 1950s and 1960s - think the Russians did too

I've had Alnico 3 mules in a guitar  and yes they sounded a lot more transparent than versions with Alnico 2/4/5
Could still overdrive etc but was more refined /tame- less mids
Here was one that we had them in
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/CUSTOM%20BUILT/bluetabbythinline.jpg)
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: PhilKing on October 02, 2010, 04:42:56 PM
I have a set of Alnico III mules for a 12 string.  I can't tell you how they sound though because it is still in construction.  However Tim told me these are what he uses in his doubleneck SG.
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on October 02, 2010, 11:36:02 PM
I have a set of Alnico III mules for a 12 string.  I can't tell you how they sound though because it is still in construction.  However Tim told me these are what he uses in his doubleneck SG.


Will be a good choice !
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Tim on October 03, 2010, 09:21:08 PM
We use Alnico III bar in our new Manhattan humbucker size P90s and I have, from time to time, used it in humbuckers where I want a particular control in the high end response, namely on 12 string guitars. Alnico III isn't a misnomer, it is a recognised grade of Alnico.
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: exactopposite on October 06, 2010, 03:43:17 PM
I have a set of alnico 3 humbuckers. They are  Giovanni GVH2 pickups. I split up the set and use both of them in the neck position with the alnico 5 version (gvh1) in the bridge position (on 2 different guitars of course).

I do think it's odd that there aren't more alnico 3 humbuckers though. I really like mine. I actually found this post while searching for info on alnico 3 humbuckers.
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Bonamassive5150 on October 13, 2010, 11:33:56 AM
Hi all,

Tim wound me an AIII humbucker for a neck pickup  back in 05'

i asked for a 'P90' type tone for my EVH Wolfgang,  it was metering out at 7.9K and i think was wound as a VHII (asymetrical coil)

i was after an 'another brick in the wall' tone.  twas spot on! sweet, clear biting, big and bell like.  (really should've taken it out of the guitar before i sold it!)  it was still 'big' enough to match a Crawler in the bridge.

I believe the new Page no'2 Les Paul has an AIII neck bucker in it too.
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Telerocker on October 13, 2010, 11:00:19 PM
Hi all,

Tim wound me an AIII humbucker for a neck pickup  back in 05'

i asked for a 'P90' type tone for my EVH Wolfgang,  it was metering out at 7.9K and i think was wound as a VHII (asymetrical coil)

i was after an 'another brick in the wall' tone.  twas spot on! sweet, clear biting, big and bell like.  (really should've taken it out of the guitar before i sold it!)  it was still 'big' enough to match a Crawler in the bridge.

I believe the new Page no'2 Les Paul has an AIII neck bucker in it too.

Interesting. Alnico V and Alnico III-combo. Should bear this in mind. I have a Crawler, like it very much.
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: ShredHeadJHJ on October 14, 2010, 09:13:07 PM
Slash's humbers are Alinco II...
Title: Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
Post by: Dr. Vic on October 23, 2010, 08:37:18 AM
... and here is the Randy Rhoads' Les Paul with Alnico III magnets :


http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Randy-Rhoads-Les-Paul-Custom/Pickups-and-Electronics.aspx


Gibson used them in the early to mid '70s.