Alnico is a type of magnet that is widely used in guitars as pick up devices. In guitar, different Alnico magnets are used and the most prominent ones are Alnico 2 and Alnico 5. A Pick up operates as a transducer capturing mechanical vibrations and converting them into electrical signals.
When comparing the guitars using Alnico 2 and Alnico 5, one can come across certain differences. A guitar using Alnico 2 gives out a weaker sound or a softer sound. On the other hand, a guitar using Alnico 5 gives out a stronger or sharper sound. The sound in a guitar fitted with Alnico 5 has a brighter sound than a guitar fitted with Alnico 2.
A guitar with Alnico 2 pickup gives out only less bass and less tone and more mids. When using alnico 2, the mids seem to be dominating over highs and lows.
Unlike the Alnico 2 pickup, the Alnico 5 pickup gives tighter sounds, which have more clarity. Moreover, the bass is stronger as well as the highs and lows. Unlike the Alnico 2 pickup, the Alnico 5 pickup mids gives out a scooped tone.
Another difference between the two is that Alnico 5 exerts more magnetic force than Alnico 2 magnets. This means that guitars having alnico 2 pickups have more natural tone than the other.
In regard to output, Alnico 2 pickups are weak when compared to Alnico pickups. Â When comparing the two, the guitar with Alnico 5 is more preferred as it produces a better sound than guitars with Alnico 2. It is the sharpness of the sound that makes Alnico 5 the wisest choice.
Summary
- A guitar using Alnico 2 gives out a weaker sound or a softer sound. On the other hand, a guitar using Alnico 5 gives out a stronger or sharper sound.
- Unlike the Alnico 2 pickup, the Alnico 5 pickup gives tighter sounds, which have more clarity. Moreover, the bass is stronger as well as the highs and lows. Unlike the Alnico 2 pickup, the Alnico 5 pickup mids gives out a scooped tone.
- The sound in a guitar fitted with Alnico 5 has a brighter sound than a guitar fitted with Alnico 2.
- In regard to output, Alnico 2 pickups are weak when compared to Alnico pickups.
- Another difference between the two is that Alnico 5 exerts more magnetic force than Alnico 2 magnets. This means that guitars having alnico 2 pickups have more natural tone than the other.
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“It is the sharpness of the sound that makes Alnico 5 the wisest choice.”
I can tell this article was not written by a guitarist… There is no such thing as the “best” magnet for a pickup. There are no “wise” or “foolish” choices. It depends on what type of sound you’re going for (tone, like everything else, is highly subjective), and we’re not all trying to play the same kind of music here… Some pickup types are better suited for certain genres of music than others. Also, there are several other factors in a pickup’s construction that affect tone. The type of magnet used is just one of them.
There are more types of magnets than just Alnico II and Alnico V used in guitar pickups as well… There’s Alnico III, Alnico IV, Alnico VIII, ceramic, and neodymium. Then there’s polished, rough-cast and unoriented magnets, which also impart different qualities to the tone.
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Factually, I liked the article as it concisely expressed ideas I’ve seen before. Though I agree the author should stayed away from value judgments or should have added, ‘IMHO [better] for my kind of music,’ the article deserves much better than 1.5 out of 5 stars. It’s more like 4 out of 5.
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