Alnico magnets in the pickups of electric guitars generate a magnetic field, which produces an induced current when the metal strings of the electric guitar vibrate, and the speaker amplifies the current signal and becomes the sound we hear. Therefore, to a large extent, Alnico magnets affect the sound quality of electric guitars.
The Concept of Pickups
As the core component of an electric guitar, the pickup converts the vibration signal of the strings into an electrical signal. The pickup has a significant impact on the tonal characteristics of the electric guitar, giving rise to different musical styles.
The Importance of Alnico Magnets
Alnico magnets in the pickup generate a magnetic field. When a string (usually made of ferromagnetic material) is plucked, the vibrating string changes the magnetic flux around the pickup, which generates an electric current in the pickup coil. The current signal passes through the electric guitar’s circuitry and enters the speaker, where it is transformed into a sound that we can hear, so the magnet can be seen as the “engine” that produces the sound.
Alnico magnets are widely used in electric guitar pickups and are the cornerstone of a quality electric guitar. Depending on the user’s needs, electric guitar makers use different grades of Alnico magnets to produce different types of pickups producing different tones.
Image Source: Kylemagnet
The Illustration of Alnico Magnets in the Pickups
The electric guitar has three sets of pickups, each with six magnets arranged in the same direction. The magnets of the pickups are mounted underneath the steel strings in an S-pole → N-pole → S-pole arrangement.
Alnico Magnets For Guitar Pickups
Pickups made with Alnico magnets have a mellow, warm, soft, penetrating sound, suitable for playing blues, jazz, and pop.
Alnico magnets commonly used to make guitar pickups are mainly Alnico II, Alnico III, and Alnico V.
Alnico 2 Magnets for Pickups | Because of its moderate output frequency, Alnico II was used for pickup in the earliest Broadcaster electric guitars. Many current vintage-style humbucking pickups will also use Alnico 2 magnets.
Alnico 3 Magnets for Pickups | In the 1950s, Alnico III pickups were used to produce that bright, warm “twang” tone; today many vintage jazz electric guitars use Alnico 3 magnets for pickups to facilitate the mellow tones of traditional jazz.
Alnico 5 Magnets for Pickups | Alnico V pickups produce a fuller, brighter tone. Single-coil pickups made with Alnico 5 magnets could play the most tunes with the right amp.
The Effect of Alnico Magnets on the Tone of Electric Guitars
The magnetic strength of Alnico magnets and the number of coils affect the power output of the pickups, the size of the sound, as well as the tone of the electric guitar, so the designers of electric guitars need to find a balance between the output power strength and the tone.
Magnetic Field Strength | Stronger Alnico magnets will increase the output power, making it louder and more responsive, and will also give a thicker tone. However, the negative effect of the strong magnetic field is that the powerful magnetism will attract the string and diminish its vibrational strength, which means it will affect the lingering sound of the electric guitar.
Coils | Increasing the number of coils will increase the electromagnetic induction strength of the coil and increase the output voltage, resulting in a fuller tone. The lower the number of coils, the higher the fidelity of the tone. Older pickups from the 1950s often had more than 8,000 coil turns, while in the late 1970s, the number of coils decreased significantly.
Weak magnetism + Few coils | Tone: clear, but the bass is lacking.
Strong magnetism + Few coils | Tone: pure and little noise.
Weak magnetism + More coils (or humbuckers) | Tone: round and full midrange.
Strong magnetism + More coils (or humbuckers) | Tone: a “metal” sound with little treble and a strong mid-bass.
The Alnico magnet in the pickup is an important factor in determining the tone of an electric guitar, but it is not the only factor in determining the tone of an electric guitar. Factors such as the overall design of the guitar, the height of the strings, the type and quality of wood, etc. all affect the vibration of the strings, which in turn affects the electrical signal produced by the pickups and the sound quality of the electric guitar.
Image Source: Stewmac & Espguitars & Musik-produktiv
Supplementary Knowledge: History of Alnico Magnets and Electric Guitars
In the early 1930s, scientists in Japan developed Alnico magnets with high-temperature resistance and long-lasting magnetic properties.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Alnico magnets were used in a wide range of industrial applications, including pickups for electric guitars. Early electric guitar manufacturers used Alnico magnets for pickups.
Over the decades, Alnico magnets have proven to be the ideal magnets for pickups! Most guitarists and electric guitar enthusiasts are crazy about Alnico magnet pickups and consider them a must for an ideal electric guitar.
Alnico Magnets Manufacturer
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