Magnet change - benefits/costs

[Alex]

Hi

If I changed the magnet on the Holy Diver to ceramic...

... how would that change the sound?
... how the feel?
... does Tim do this and how much does it cost typically?

Thanks!

[ericsabbath]

only tried an alnico 8 in the diver
pickup got a lot louder, brighter and very dry sounding, but not exactly like a ceramic magnet would sound
sounded good for leads, and less mushy for lower strings palm muting, but a bit sterile
but it was in a Gibson SG, and that pup seems to hate SGs
maybe it would sound better in a les paul, like it does with alnico 5

I guess a thick ceramic magnet would make it a bit like a painkiller, maybe not as "djenty"
but definitely a big tone and response change from alnico 5

[Alex]

Does anybody here have a ceramic Diver?

[Afghan Dave]

Does anybody here have a ceramic Diver?

Antag...

BTW - All the original recipe Holy Divers were ceramic mags till Tim changed his choice for later production.

[ericsabbath]

Does anybody here have a ceramic Diver?

Antag...

BTW - All the original recipe Holy Divers were ceramic mags till Tim changed his choice for later production.

that was a completely different version
different winding and wire

[Nolly]

Antag...

BTW - All the original recipe Holy Divers were ceramic mags till Tim changed his choice for later production.

The original Holy Divers were... Cold Sweats. Tim changed the name, and wound a new Holy Diver set from scratch.

[Alex]

Err... so will a ceramic HD sound more like a Cold Sweat then?

[Nolly]

Maybe, but if it does I believe it would just be down to the sound that a ceramic magnet imparts.

[ericsabbath]

Err... so will a ceramic HD sound more like a Cold Sweat then?

I doubt that
stock holy diver = very different from alnico nailbomb
ceramic nailbomb = overwound cold sweat