ALNICO 5 Rod Magnets

Manufacturer Customized cast Rare Earth Guitar Pickup alnico 5 rod magnet

Alnico is an acronym referring to aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co). These elements are combined with iron, copper and sometimes titanium to create permanent magnets that are excellent for high-temperature use and offer good corrosion resistance. Alnico 5 polepieces- set of six staggered(not same height) rods for telecaster or Stratocaster type guitar pickup assembly. Alnico 5 power delivers harsher more trebly sound than an alnico 3 magnet. Please note that we supply these items as unmagnetised for easier assembly of your guitar pickup.

Products description

* Magnet Meterial: Alnico 5 / Alnico V / A5

* Top Characteristic: Flat Top, Vintage Top, Modern Top(Chamfer)

* Diameter: 0.187 in / 0.195 in / 0.250in

* Length: 0.471 in 0.630 in 0.650 in 0.665 in. 0.671 in 0.688 in 0.693 in. 0.710 in 0.719 in. 0.780 in

* Magnetizing Options: Do Not Magnetize / North Up / South Up

Key Advantages Of Alnico:

Excellent temperature stability

Strong corrosion resistance

The maximum working temperature is up to 550°c

Fine grain

Compact crystal.

Excellent magnetic consistence and evenness.

Suitable for small volume and complex shape magnets.

Guitar pickups magnets features

Different types of guitar pickups use different numbers of alnico magnets, usually one, two, or six, depending on their design. If just one or two magnets are used, they are usually found as bar magnets mounted beneath the pickup's coil, which charge steel pole pieces running through the coil.

Magnets of different compositions are also used in different pickup designs, and these play a big part in shaping these components' sounds, too. Following are the main types and their characteristics:

Alnico magnets are made of aluminum, nickel, cobalt, copper, iron and other materials. Based on different processing technology, it can be divided into cast and sintered magnets. We can supply both cast and sintered alnico magnets in a variety shapes including horseshoe, U shape, bar, block, disc, ring, rod and other customized shapes. Compared to other permanent magnets like neodymium iron boron (NdFeB), the main features are excellent resistance to high temperature (up to 550℃) and high residual induction.

FAQ: 

Q1. What is the difference between alnico and alnico 5?

A1. AlNiCo V has a stronger magnetic pull than AlNiCo II or III. This translates into tighter low end response and a more aggressive, edgy tone. A good way to imagine the difference between Alnico magnets is to compare them to shocks in a car.

Q2. Which alnico is best?

A2. Alnico 8 pickups are the strongest and highest output of all the alnico pickups. They are one of the least used alnico magnets because their output can be too high for most players. However, their high output results in very strong and powerful lows, lots of mids (especially lower mids), and thick highs.

Q3. Is alnico 8 stronger than alnico 5?

A3. Alnico 5 has a higher Residual Induction, but a lower Coercive Force. Alnico 8 has a lower Residual Induction, but a higher Coercive Force. This immediately suggests that Alnico 8 will have a larger magnetic field compared to Alnico 5 when magnets are short compared to their pole area.

Q4. What is the difference between alnico 5 and ceramic pickup?

A4. Alnico (an alloy of aluminium, nickel, iron and cobalt) pickups are generally associated with a sweeter and rounder timbre, and a cleaner and more 'vintage' sound, while ceramic pickups are associated with a more powerful and grittier sound, more suited to distortions and more audible on higher frequencies.

Q5. Is alnico 3 or alnico 5 better?

A5. Alnico 5 magnets sound brighter in comparison to alnico 3. Alnico 5 also has a higher output so sounds much louder and grittier. Alnico 3 magnets have a smoother top-end and sound more balanced in comparison to alnico 5 magnets.