Ceramic Magnet Pickups Vs Alnico

Alnico has a higher inductance due to the iron content technically ferrite magnets are made from iron oxide so to generalize alnico will increase the inductance a bit and sound a bit warmer than a ceramic in the same pickup.

Ceramic magnet pickups vs alnico.

The magnet selection most definitely has an effect on tone. Alnico vs ceramic magnets. Alnico seems to be the popular favorite but on the other hand there is no shortage of popular recordings that feature ceramic. Alnico vii is in some pickups but this is rare.

So we often hear. Alnico 3 sounds sweet and even but little punch. Ceramic magnet pickups generally have a hotter output level as well often with a lower resistance rating. The result is a slightly hotter sounding pickup with more treble response.

There s always a trade off even between different types of alnico. Most magnets used in pickup production are either alnico v ii and ceramic however you will also see alnico iii. A lot of people automatically say that alnico is superior to ceramic in pickups. Alnico 5 has more punch but can be too crispy.

Pickups made with alnico magnets do sound different from those made with ceramic the fact that the magnets are made with dissimilar materials u is u a variable that makes an audible difference. Whereas ceramic is used in metal as it sounds tight loud and cool. Ceramic magnets have a lower inductance since they are not metallic. There are harsh sounding pickups with alnico magnets and sweet sounding pickups with ceramic magnets and vice versa.

Just remember that this is only one factor that goes into designing the tonal characteristics of a pickup. Alnico ii this provides the warmest tone as well as decreased dynamic range. Ceramic can get a bit plastic or sterile. Alnico ii is a lower output magnet that is smooth and usually has just a bit of warmth.

A magnet by itself has no sound and as a part of a pickup the magnet is simply the source to provide the magnetic field for the strings. To crown a winner in our alnico vs ceramic magnets shootout we would need a way to accurately compare the two which is not an easy task. Alnico is nice and warm and great for blues. Alnico viii is generally between ceramic and alnico v with quite a bit of magnetic pull punchy with upper mids but a little more warmth than ceramic.

Alnico v has more scooped mids and tighter in the low end. Alnico stands for aluminum nickel and cobalt. Provides some bite and sparkle. Magnetically speaking ceramic magnets produce a stronger field than alnico.

Ceramic magnets are made from ferrites often iron oxides. But it all depends on the pickup. Pickups with alnico v magnets that are voiced more aggressively than pickups with ceramic magnets and alnico ii pickups that sound totally different from other alnico ii pickups definitely exist. You often hear that the sound of a pickup is dominated by the choice of magnet used in its construction.