Quick magnet question

[BurgerKingDiamond]

So I have an alnico Warpig in a newish 25 1/2 mahogany neck thru/ebony fingerboard guitar. It is too dark - and while I can mostly dial it out at home, it's just getting buried by the bass guitar in the practice room.

I've read that the ceramic version has a lot more upper-mid cut and highs. Is getting a ceramic Warpig as simple as having the alnico magnet swapped with a ceramic 8 magnet? It's the same wind for either? Or is there some other tech voodoo involved? I'd love to just go buy another set, but that is just not in the cards for the time being.

Also, is there a way to purchase magnets from Bare Knuckle or is there an other recommended vendor?

Apologies if this has been addressed elsewhere in the forum but for I couldn't find it. Any info appreciated! Thanks!

[themetallicat86]

First, the ceramic version is the exact same winding with a different magnet.  BKP doesn't recommend swapping them yourself (I have personally broken a couple of humbuckers between swapping magnets and hybridizing experiments).  But the process isn't hard at all (in fact there are several YouTube videos that show the process in detail).  As far as sourcing different magnets, there are lots of places that sell them.  Mojotone, Stew Mac, AddictionFX (my favorite, cheap and fast shipping), Philadelphia Luthier Supply an many others.  Depending on your setup I have no idea whether a simple magnet swap will accomplish what you need, but experiments are fun!

[BurgerKingDiamond]

Thanks for the reply! My setup is a Dunable Asteroid (which I really dig) with a set of alnico Warpigs into a tubescreamer type boost (usually Maxon or EQD Plumes) into either an Orange Rockerverb III or a Bogner Uberschall. The Warpigs always seemed a bit tubby but still have a pleasing tone - and I do play kinda sludgy/Doom adjacent Metal so this seemed appropriate. However I brought my Gibson standard with a humble Duncan Distortion in the bridge to a rehearsal and it was like someone pulled a blanket off my sound. My band vetoed the Asteroid in favor of the LP for the gig the next day lol.

I remember seeing a YouTube demo of several pickups (which has since been pulled down - forget the dudes name) and the tonal similarities between the Distortion and a ceramic Warpig was striking, so that’s what got me thinking about a magnet swap.