I want to know cheap are expensive, when it comes to jazz bass pickups do you really believe Alnico is better than Ceramic pickups. Be honest and give an honest opinion
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How many really believe.
- Thread starter gary mitchell
- Start date
The cheap ceramics that came in my Glarry J sound clearer and more beautiful to me than any of the alnicos that I've tried.
It’s not a matter of which is better.
Each has certain sound characteristics and some will prefer one type over the other.
(And why would someone give a dishonest answer??…..
)
Each has certain sound characteristics and some will prefer one type over the other.
(And why would someone give a dishonest answer??…..
)
My wife without me knowing it for my birthday last may bought me a Donner Jazz bass, it has ceramic pickups in it. According to Donner their electronics team design the electronics and the pickups and wound them to their specifications. Rather that’s true are not I don’t know . The pickups don’t sound like your normal jazz ceramics to me they have a sweet deeper sound sort of between ceramic and Alnico I guess. But I read where almost everyone goes to Alnico pups . My Ibanez had Alnico pups in it but to me don’t sound as deep and smooth. I just wonder why ceramic pups get such a bad rap.
Like @Christiaan said, it depends.
DiMarzio Area/Model J are ceramic, not my taste for a jazz bass. Peavey's Foundation was their take on the Jazz bass, I'm not keen on the early models using C-8 ceramic magnets, much prefer the later with weaker C-5 magnets.
Personal taste for JB is alnico,flats,tone rolled back.
As a blanket statement I generally prefer Alnico magnets for bass & guitar but I have heard & own both equipped with ceramic magnets I am fine with.
i didn't actually know that they did. i just always thought it was another choice 'out there'.
like all the other variables for a given instrument, i would think it depends. and like all of them: preferences matter.
i think it's a matter of 'feeling comfortable in your own skin'...especially in the area around your ears!
if you like 'em = who the he[[ cares whether anyone else does (they're abundant: someone likes them!)?and that's the truth!
Are there any are do you know of any high end basses being made with Ceramic magnetic pickups in them if so who are they.
What do you mean by high end? Boutique fanciness or high end production basses?
These are not jazz bass style pickups, but weren't the Ernie Ball Sterling (USA model) and some 90's era Stingray models equipped with ceramic magnet pickups? They sound pretty rad and are fairly high end.
Many of the EMG pickups have ceramic magnets.
I like some pickups with ceramic magnets. I like some pickups with alnico magnets. I love EBMM pickups with neodymium magnets. However, there may be other factors that contribute to the total package than just the magnet type.
I like uppity sounding basses, though.
These are not jazz bass style pickups, but weren't the Ernie Ball Sterling (USA model) and some 90's era Stingray models equipped with ceramic magnet pickups? They sound pretty rad and are fairly high end.
Many of the EMG pickups have ceramic magnets.
I like some pickups with ceramic magnets. I like some pickups with alnico magnets. I love EBMM pickups with neodymium magnets. However, there may be other factors that contribute to the total package than just the magnet type.
I like uppity sounding basses, though.
I own basses with Alnico pickups (Sadowsky, Nordstrand) and ceramic pickups (EMG). I have no preference as both pickup types sound great.
As others have noted, it truly does depend on how good the overall design is.
I will add that most of my newer basses have an active preamp running with the pickups and that makes a big difference in tone. Even one of my basses which has a pair of old-school EMG Jazz Bass pickups also has a Sadowsky preamp = a sweet combination.
As others have noted, it truly does depend on how good the overall design is.
I will add that most of my newer basses have an active preamp running with the pickups and that makes a big difference in tone. Even one of my basses which has a pair of old-school EMG Jazz Bass pickups also has a Sadowsky preamp = a sweet combination.
I don't give a rip what magnets are in my pickups
You can manipulate wind or magnet type to get any number of tones along a spectrum. Both can sound great! Get what you want.
I don't even know what kind of magnets are in any of my basses.
Sandberg uses ceramics, many other brands considered "good" too. I have great DiMarzio ceramics, Delano makes great ceramic pickups, it all depends on good bass design, there is no "best" component, there are "proper" components. And there are very cheap ceramics, and some are very good.
Area J use alnico 2.
Model J use ceramic.
I think ultra jazz are a hybrid of alnico and ceramic.
On a Jazz bass (two single coils), I've come to prefer Alnico pickups. On Stingray, ceramic.
But this is very general, I can see myself easily changing opinion.
But this is very general, I can see myself easily changing opinion.
I believe they are different, not necessarily better. That is to be determined by your ears and the tone you're trying to achieve.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,066
- 45,999
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Better for what?
I have one bass that’s had AlNiCo, ceramic, and neodymium pickups in it at one time or another, they all worked fine. It’s all about balancing tradeoffs, IMO and IME.
