Yes, but there's something about it that attracts me.
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How many really believe.
- Thread starter gary mitchell
- Start date
Yes, but there's something about it that attracts me.
Im told there is ceramic im my EBMM 3band fretless and alnico in my EBMM 2band fretted, I love the sound of each but dont think Id like if the p/u’s tones were switched. I cant say if its the material or the circuit that makes the difference.
JeezyMcNuggles
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Ydepends on what you want.
If you want hot and dirty, then ceramic blades are where it's at
The Cobalt gives the alnico magnets just a little something over others magnets that I find comforting.
FullumMusic
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“Better” is a dangerous word when talking about music. Perhaps a better perspective is, which do you personally like better and if it’s more expensive than the other option, how much more are you willing to spend to have the option you prefer.
I play my Jazz bass with Ceramics thru a Markbass Jeff Berlin 151p combo with a 15 in speaker it was one of the first one out when guitar center started selling them. I just love the combination of it and and those Ceramic pickups at Church I use a GK 115 MB combo. But I just wonder if the $15.00 Alnico pickups like Fleor are other brands in that price range are as good as maybe an Alnico Seymour Duncan are close. Are maybe throw a EQ pedal in your gig bag and get that sound you want maybe.
There can be well- and poorly-designed ceramic and Alnico (and neo) pickups. I actually don’t recall ever hearing a bad pickup, just different.
I believe some top pickup makers are known primarily for their ceramic pickups/models, including Bartolini, EMG, DiMarzio, Delano, Alembic…
I believe some top pickup makers are known primarily for their ceramic pickups/models, including Bartolini, EMG, DiMarzio, Delano, Alembic…
I have a friend who plays a Fender Squire Jazz bass he bought off Craig’s list and someone put some unbranded Alnico pups in it. He plays it at gigs with his band at small parties and small bars and clubs. But he tells me the pickups stink so he uses an old Boss bass EQ pedal he has to help him . He don’t want to buy anymore cheap pups . I told him buying any 30 40 dollar set of Alnico pickups will probably be a hit are miss deal.
My Pedulla Buzz Bass has two Bartolini J pickups with ceramic magnets.
It sounds pretty darn good, even in passive mode.
It sounds pretty darn good, even in passive mode.
I blame nitpicky guitar players, who only noodle only on E using one pentatonic scale, for the ceramic, alnico debate.
I have an American Fender Telecaster I got in maybe 2008 new. And my grandpa my moms dad gave me along time ago some Tele pickups he had out of a 1959 Fender Telecaster and they are in my Tele now and to be honest I don’t know what magnet are in them they just sound super sweet . I don’t know what that’s got to do with what we’re talking about but well I do.
Can we say "different" instead?
I’m an Alnico 5 snob. Not saying you can’t have nice pickups with A2 and ceramic…I just don’t usually like them.
Ive played quality fidelity pickups with Alnico V magnets (I have a set of Fralin Js in my Fenderbird) and Ive played inexpensive dull pickups with Alnico V magnets (recently on a Harley Benton JP45OP which I just reviewed on my YouTube)...So, Im thinking its not just the magnets but also windings and other factors.....
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I can't speak to Jazz bass configuration specifically since I've only owned two, but I have been playing guitar and bass for a few days.
I've done "blind" sound tests at guitar stores, using the same amps.., cables, settings, and acoustics. As a rule of thumb, I prefer the AlNiCos to the ceramics.
For the most part, I find ceramics to be "hotter" than AlNiCos and that does nothing for me. This could very well be the reason I've never really liked active electronics, as well.
Count me (in general) in the "prefers AlNiCos to ceramics" camp.
I've done "blind" sound tests at guitar stores, using the same amps.., cables, settings, and acoustics. As a rule of thumb, I prefer the AlNiCos to the ceramics.
For the most part, I find ceramics to be "hotter" than AlNiCos and that does nothing for me. This could very well be the reason I've never really liked active electronics, as well.
Count me (in general) in the "prefers AlNiCos to ceramics" camp.
I’ve played Jazz Basses in a variety of configurations for nearly 4 decades. My ‘62 has AlNiCo in it; of course. Most of the rest of the stable have various other technologies going on.
About ten years ago, I was gigging a Sadowsky RV4 in a Big Band. I believe the original pickups in that bass are AlNiCo; but, I could be wrong. In any case, I had recently sold a Suhr era Jazz Bass, and was looking for big slug pickups to try out. So, by chance I got a set of the Delano JMVC pickups, which have large ceramic slugs. Those went into the RV4 and off to rehearsal. Midway through the first tune, the Band Leader stopped all 25 musicians, looked at me in the back, and asked me what the heck I had done to make the bass sound so absolutely amazing. I was floored.
Fast forward, and I now have JMVC’s in several of my instruments, including my NYC Sadowsky, which I specified intending to capture everything I’ve learned to look for in a Jazz Bass.
Roger & Co were perhaps a bit taken aback when I asked them to switch the JMVC’s from the RV4 to the new bass; but, they were pretty good about it. I’ll admit the appearance is a bit startling. I’m more concerned about tone than appearance these days. These pickups, contrary to all the popular hullabaloo about ceramic pickups, sound phat and remarkably old school. The clincher is that the neck pickup, normally a bit weak on the AlNiCo singles, does a very credible job of slotting somewhere between a 55 P Bass and a 58 P Bass. Very useful.
More recently, I acquired a 2008 Fender Jazz 5 Deluxe, which came loaded with the Fender Noiseless pickups. Some kind of SmCo alloy. Those sound absolutely terrific with a Sadowsky preamp; so, the JMVC’s I had bought as intended replacements are still in the drawer.
IME, there are great and not so great pickups. I can’t connect those two classifications with the materials used for the slugs.
About ten years ago, I was gigging a Sadowsky RV4 in a Big Band. I believe the original pickups in that bass are AlNiCo; but, I could be wrong. In any case, I had recently sold a Suhr era Jazz Bass, and was looking for big slug pickups to try out. So, by chance I got a set of the Delano JMVC pickups, which have large ceramic slugs. Those went into the RV4 and off to rehearsal. Midway through the first tune, the Band Leader stopped all 25 musicians, looked at me in the back, and asked me what the heck I had done to make the bass sound so absolutely amazing. I was floored.
Fast forward, and I now have JMVC’s in several of my instruments, including my NYC Sadowsky, which I specified intending to capture everything I’ve learned to look for in a Jazz Bass.
Roger & Co were perhaps a bit taken aback when I asked them to switch the JMVC’s from the RV4 to the new bass; but, they were pretty good about it. I’ll admit the appearance is a bit startling. I’m more concerned about tone than appearance these days. These pickups, contrary to all the popular hullabaloo about ceramic pickups, sound phat and remarkably old school. The clincher is that the neck pickup, normally a bit weak on the AlNiCo singles, does a very credible job of slotting somewhere between a 55 P Bass and a 58 P Bass. Very useful.
More recently, I acquired a 2008 Fender Jazz 5 Deluxe, which came loaded with the Fender Noiseless pickups. Some kind of SmCo alloy. Those sound absolutely terrific with a Sadowsky preamp; so, the JMVC’s I had bought as intended replacements are still in the drawer.
IME, there are great and not so great pickups. I can’t connect those two classifications with the materials used for the slugs.
I don't believe AlNiCo is better than other kinds of magnets.
I however know it has characteristics that lean toward a specific tone.
I'm not a pickup builder though. The good ones know when to choose one or the other to go where they want.
I however know it has characteristics that lean toward a specific tone.
I'm not a pickup builder though. The good ones know when to choose one or the other to go where they want.
Only if they're incontinent.
We should be careful that information doesn't leak out.
