The power of the Magnet

The pickup is the heart of the electric guitar and the magnet the heart of the pickup. Magnets come in different sizes, strength and play a important role in the overall sound of any guitar.

The amount of magnetic pull a pickup has is measured in Gauss and varies according to the grade of the magnet and its size. In general, the more powerful the pull is the brighter the pickup will sound. Typically pickup makers use Alnico magnets, made of Aluminum, Nickel and Cobalt, or ceramic magnets.

The most popular for guitar pickups are Alnico 2, 3, and 5 along with Alnico 4, 6 and 8 who share their place in making great sounding pickups.

Each Alnico type can be charged (magnetized) to its maximum value but this is not really relevant as oftentimes the pickup maker will manipulate the amount of Gauss the magnet has to obtain a specific tone.

What is essential is to understand the order of strength of the different magnets. Let’s start with the weakest Alnico magnet.

ALNICO 3 - This is the weakest of Alnico magnets with less magnetic pull than Alnico 2. The lows are warm and soft while the mids are typically full with highs clean and glassy. Great for jazzy tones, funk or early rock and roll.

ALNICO 2 - Alnico 2, used in the early PAF pickup and also known as the Vintage tone, has a low output with soft and bouncy low ends. It’s mids are strong and rich with sweet rounded trebles. It is the classic vintage

ALNICO 4 - In terms of output Alnico 4 stands between Alnico 2 and 5. With it’s flat EQ, it is the most balanced of all Alnicos. With a higher output level than the Alnico 2, the lows and highs are stronger with a better definition and more balanced mids.

ALNICO 5 - Probably the most popular magnet used in guitar pickups. Alnico 5 is found in both humbucker and single coil designs. Strong output with big sounding tight lows, scooped mids, powerful and sparkling trebles.

ALNICO 6 - Very similar to Alnico 5 with a slightly higher output, it is halfway between Alnico 5 and 8. The lows are very present with less mid scoop while the highs are rounded off a little. Definitely darker than Alnico 5 or 8 while retaining a modern tone.

ALNICO 8 - The most powerful of the Alnico magnets used in guitar pickups. High output level with punchy and aggressive tone. High trebles and massive lows made to take on any distortions while maintaining clarity and rich harmonics.

And finally...

CERAMIC 8 - If you want a hotter, more aggressive tone with sharp and bright highs, this is it. With its higher output, ceramic 8 is brighter and harsher than alnico 8. Its punchy low ends, present upper mids and sharp and aggressive highs will handle distortion very well ceramic pickups can still be great pickups with a lot of tonal variation.

Wrapping up...

I could write about magnets for hours and still not cover everything. My goal is to help you better understand each magnet type so you can confidently choose the right magnet when looking for a new set of pickups.

So... is it important to actually know the Gauss level of your pickups? Well, yes, but mostly when it comes to the finish product.

All my pickups are built with non-magnetized magnets. When ready I charge them to where they need to be according the tone I want achieve. Only then I create a test report card with the exact Gauss level of every polepiece or bar magnet along with a dozen of other relevant information about the specification of every pickup I make.

I hope that helps you decide on some awesome tone combinations!