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Author Topic: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?  (Read 27169 times)

Lucifuge

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Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« 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?
« Last Edit: April 06, 2010, 08:43:51 PM by Lucifuge »

Brow

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #1 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
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Antag

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2010, 11:42:16 AM »
It's an interesting question, especially as Tim states "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"
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gwEm

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2010, 03:40:40 PM »
theres been mention of A3 stormy mondays on here before.
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Will

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2010, 12:26:06 AM »
I think there are some A3 Mules in one of Tim's, in the gallery maybe?

FenderBender

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #5 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).

Elliot

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #6 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. 
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FELINEGUITARS

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #7 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

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PhilKing

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #8 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.
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FELINEGUITARS

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #9 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 !
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Tim

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #10 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.
Tim
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exactopposite

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #11 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.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2010, 04:02:43 PM by exactopposite »

Bonamassive5150

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #12 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.

Telerocker

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #13 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.
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ShredHeadJHJ

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Re: Why is Alnico 3 never used for humbuckers?
« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2010, 09:13:07 PM »
Slash's humbers are Alinco II...