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I now know that I can really trust Wicked Lester's ear. His description of the Alnico 8 tone is eerily dead-on. It's the wonder magnet, combining all the best qualities of Alnico 2, 5, and ceramic with none of the drawbacks:

It has Alnico 2 sweetness and smoothness (without weakness), Alnico 5 upper-mid grind and bite (without the mid-scoop), and ceramic tight bottom and POWER (without harshness).

The one conceivable drawback is this particular batch of mags is pretty strong so it might not work too well in a neck pu -- string pull could be a problem in the neck position. Even in the bridge of my Les Paul I noticed an ever-so-slight loss of sustain on the high frets, but only because I was checking for it. If someone had told me it was an Alnico 5, I wouldn't have noticed. I backed the pickup off just a touch and it wasn't a problem anymore.

(One solution would be a partially de-gaussed Alnico 8, which I bet is what Ibanez was using back in the day. Presumably you'd have the same tone, just with a little less output -- and less string pull.)

But beyond that very minor issue, this really is the Wonder Mag. So you're wondering, if it's so great, why don't Seymour and others use this magnet? Answer: They're about 3 times as expensive. They were $5.99 a piece from Allstar, which sells it's Alnico 2/3/4/5 at $2.00 a piece.

Sounds great! I have an Ibanez Super 70 at home that I bought from Lester. I have yet to do anything with it though.


Originally Posted by ZhangliqunI now know that I can really trust Wicked Lester's ear. His description of the Alnico 8 tone is eerily dead-on. It's the wonder magnet, combining all the best qualities of Alnico 2, 5, and ceramic with none of the drawbacks:

It has Alnico 2 sweetness and smoothness (without weakness), Alnico 5 upper-mid grind and bite (without the mid-scoop), and ceramic tight bottom and POWER (without harshness).

The one conceivable drawback is this particular batch of mags is pretty strong so it might not work too well in a neck pu -- string pull could be a problem in the neck position. Even in the bridge of my Les Paul I noticed an ever-so-slight loss of sustain on the high frets, but only because I was checking for it. If someone had told me it was an Alnico 5, I wouldn't have noticed. I backed the pickup off just a touch and it wasn't a problem anymore.

(One solution would be a partially de-gaussed Alnico 8, which I bet is what Ibanez was using back in the day. Presumably you'd have the same tone, just with a little less output -- and less string pull.)

But beyond that very minor issue, this really is the Wonder Mag. So you're wondering, if it's so great, why don't Seymour and others use this magnet? Answer: They're about 3 times as expensive. They were $5.99 a piece from Allstar, which sells it's Alnico 2/3/4/5 at $2.00 a piece.thank you i am glad you liked it


Originally Posted by gripweedSounds great! I have an Ibanez Super 70 at home that I bought from Lester. I have yet to do anything with it though.

hey bro that pup in stock form is a lot like a gibby T-top paf!real good if thats yer thing
but the magnet is a 8 and you can use it in a JB a custom a DD,a whatever


Originally Posted by WICKED LESTERhey bro that pup in stock form is a lot like a gibby T-top paf!real good if thats yer thing
but the magnet is a 8 and you can use it in a JB a custom a DD,a whatever

Well I prefer vintage style pickups. I'm open to anything though, and I'm a consumate tinkerer.


Originally Posted by Zhangliqun(One solution would be a partially de-gaussed Alnico 8, which I bet is what Ibanez was using back in the day. Presumably you'd have the same tone, just with a little less output -- and less string pull.)

mine were 20 years old so i assume they were not 100% strength?


Originally Posted by gripweedWell I prefer vintage style pickups. I'm open to anything though, and I'm a consumate tinkerer.

the super 70 has a great vintagey twang i actually like them
i was doing the micheal schenker stuff with em

[QUOTE=WICKED LESTER]mine were 20 years old so i assume they were not 100% strength?[/QUOTE

Twenty or thirty years old?

I wondered that too when you gave your initial report. It doesn't seem from Zhang's report as though it made any sort of sonic difference. It is a stronger magnet so perhaps it keeps its power longer?

[QUOTE=gripweed]
Originally Posted by WICKED LESTERmine were 20 years old so i assume they were not 100% strength?[/QUOTE

Twenty or thirty years old?

I wondered that too when you gave your initial report. It doesn't seem from Zhang's report as though it made any sort of sonic difference. It is a stronger magnet so perhaps it keeps its power longer?they are from 1985

i think they relate to cermaic in that they do not lose thier strength after 20 years like a alnico does?
all i know is that i like the VIOLIN highs they get


Originally Posted by ZhangliqunIt has Alnico 2 sweetness and smoothness (without weakness), Alnico 5 upper-mid grind and bite (without the mid-scoop), and ceramic tight bottom and POWER (without harshness).

that said, what would the eq be like?

lets take sd custom family of pickups as reference.

custom (ceramic): low - 7, mid - 6, high - 9
custom custom (a2): 3/7/7
custom 5 (a5): 6/3/8

i am sure fellow forum bros will get a clearer picture and relate better if we can put an eq to it.


Originally Posted by danithat said, what would the eq be like?

lets take sd custom family of pickups as reference.

custom (ceramic): low - 7, mid - 6, high - 9
custom custom (a2): 3/7/7
custom 5 (a5): 6/3/8

i am sure fellow forum bros will get a clearer picture and relate better if we can put an eq to it.here is how i heard it in the custom

bass was 7
low mids were at 6.5
upper mids were at 6
treble was at 8
presence was at 7.5

really it was dead in the middle of the cermwic custom and the alnico 5 C-5


Originally Posted by WICKED LESTERhere is how i heard it in the custom

bass was 7
low mids were at 6.5
upper mids were at 6
treble was at 8
presence was at 7.5

really it was dead in the middle of the cermwic custom and the alnico 5 C-5

doesn't see much of an a2 characteristic in there. but it sure looked pretty balanced. for a second, i thought you were describing the rio grande bbq.

just thinking, if i am to use a 250k vol pot with it, it may sweeten the highs a bit... man! you people are killing me! you and zhang are the folks my mum warned to stay away from.


Originally Posted by gripweedSounds great! I have an Ibanez Super 70 at home that I bought from Lester. I have yet to do anything with it though.

Those super 70 are really worth trying , both neck and bridge models are amongst the best is not the best p-u i've tried and i tried : DD , Custom , Custom5 , Demon , ToneZone , Jazzn , 59n , hfh , pafpro n , 500T , 490n .

In whitch pickup did you put the 8 Zang ?

mmmm...... beeeeer!!!


Originally Posted by fab.regnautIn whitch pickup did you put the 8 Zang ?

Can you tell more about your experiment Zang ( pretty please ) ?


Originally Posted by ZhangliqunI now know that I can really trust Wicked Lester's ear. His description of the Alnico 8 tone is eerily dead-on. It's the wonder magnet, combining all the best qualities of Alnico 2, 5, and ceramic with none of the drawbacks:

It has Alnico 2 sweetness and smoothness (without weakness), Alnico 5 upper-mid grind and bite (without the mid-scoop), and ceramic tight bottom and POWER (without harshness).

The one conceivable drawback is this particular batch of mags is pretty strong so it might not work too well in a neck pu -- string pull could be a problem in the neck position. Even in the bridge of my Les Paul I noticed an ever-so-slight loss of sustain on the high frets, but only because I was checking for it. If someone had told me it was an Alnico 5, I wouldn't have noticed. I backed the pickup off just a touch and it wasn't a problem anymore.

(One solution would be a partially de-gaussed Alnico 8, which I bet is what Ibanez was using back in the day. Presumably you'd have the same tone, just with a little less output -- and less string pull.)

But beyond that very minor issue, this really is the Wonder Mag. So you're wondering, if it's so great, why don't Seymour and others use this magnet? Answer: They're about 3 times as expensive. They were $5.99 a piece from Allstar, which sells it's Alnico 2/3/4/5 at $2.00 a piece.

I seriously doubt $4 retail was a deciding factor.........


Originally Posted by WICKED LESTERmine were 20 years old so i assume they were not 100% strength?

From what I've read about Alnico magnets, the quot;agingquot; aspect is pretty heavily over-rated. They lose a fair chunk (about 5-10%) of their gauss or oerstads (or some combination thereof) immediately after they are initially magnetized. After that, they are extremely stable for hundreds of years.

If so, my best guess is that if you have an Alnico 8 in your neck pickup and you're not having any significant string-pull problems, that particular Alnico 8 was probably never magnetized as strongly as the ones I have to begin with.


Originally Posted by danidoesn't see much of an a2 characteristic in there. but it sure looked pretty balanced.

It's not something that shows up on an EQ chart. You would have to hear it to understand what we mean. The top end is very sweet and clear in an Alnico 2 sort of way.Originally Posted by danijust thinking, if i am to use a 250k vol pot with it, it may sweeten the highs a bit... man!

Because the top end is Alnico 2 sweet, a 250k pot is probably unnecessary, although I confess mine's a 300k pot.Originally Posted by daniyou people are killing me! you and zhang are the folks my mum warned to stay away from.

Be afraid...be extremely afraid...


Originally Posted by fab.regnautIn whitch pickup did you put the 8 Zang ?

My custom-made hybrid from Jon Moore -- the Big Dog.

11.2k
6.7k screw coil with #43 wire
4.5k slug coil with #42 wire