Alnico 4 Magnets What you need to know.
I recently had a request for Alnico 4 magents for a set of Single Coil Stratocaster style pickups. I have not used them before in any of my custom hand wound pickups so this is what I found out. I plan on using the vintage strat staggered size poles and flatwork that I use in all my ealry strat pickups. Heavy Formvar wire to match the warmer airier tones of the Alnico 4 magnets.
Alnico 4 rod magnets are a balanced choice for single-coil pickups, sitting tonally and magnetically between the warm, soft Alnico 2 and the bright, punchy Alnico 5.
They are valued for providing a flat EQ that allows the natural resonance of the guitar to shine through without coloring the sound as heavily as other magnet types. The Tonal Characteristics of Alnico 4 are Balanced EQ, unlike the mid-scooped character of Alnico 5, A4 has a very even frequency response with crispier highs than Alnico 2 but sweeter, softer highs than Alnico 5.
With a tight low end, they provide a tighter bass response compared to the bouncy or loose lows of Alnico 2 and 3, but it isn't as hard or aggressive as Alnico 5. Because of its flatter EQ, A4 is often called transparent. While some players find this bland, others prefer it because it reveals the guitar's true character.
They have enhanced dynamics, which offers better attack and note definition than Alnico 2 while remaining more dynamic and less stiff than Alnico 5. Compared with common rod magnets, magnet magnetic strength the tonal profile common use Alnico 2 low warm, sweet, soft attack, loose lows. Vintage blues, jazz, Alnico 3 lowest very clear, glassy highs, soft lows. Early '50s Strat/Tele tones. Alnico 4 offers medium flat EQ, balanced mids, crisp but sweet highs. Versatile rock, pop, indie. Alnico 5 high punchy, bright highs, tight lows, scooped mids. Modern rock, country, high-output.
I am looking forward to building and offering these Alnico 4 Stratocater Pickups. As all my pickups the bobbins will be meticulously built, dipped in lacquer to seal them, hand wound using my unique scatter winding and then potted with the customers choice of lacquer or wax. Also the choice of the middle pickup being reverse wound and having reverse polarity.
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