Magnet swap

[MyFirstPRS]

I have a PRS SECU24 30th Anniversary along with a US Version VB/HFS pickups........I want to swap pickups out. What would happen if I took my US VB/HFS and replace the magnets from the G&B pickups and stuck them in my US Version pickups

 

[John Beef]

Didn't your SECU24 come with G&B versions of the HFS and VB pickups? I would think the magnets would be the same between the two sets.

 

[MyFirstPRS]

Yea it came with the G&B but I received a set of US VB/HFS and listening to youtube videos on the US, I would think the magnet strength would be different plus the coil wraps on the US versus G&B are not the same gauge wire.

 

[John Beef]

As far as I know both VBs use 42 and HFSes use 43 gauge, but there might be differences in the alloy of the metal or the type of insulation around the wire. As far as the actual magnets, I would bet they wouldn't be all that different assuming the SEs are in fact using A2 and ceramic.

What exactly are you trying to achieve? I put an A5 in a HFS once, and that tamed it quite a bit vs ceramic, but swapping in a different ceramic probably wouldn't do much. Your USA Vintage Bass is running Alnico 2. You could brighten it up with A4 or A5 but it will be relatively strong for a neck pickup at 8.5K.

 

[MyFirstPRS]

Its just basic experiment on what kind of output / sound it would produce....squawkey, nasal, bright, paf-ish, muddy.......just experiment

 

[VHTStark]

Like John, I have done a ton of magnet swaps and I will echo what he is getting at: what are trying to achieve tonally? What do you like/dislike currently about the pickups? What kind of rig?

The ceramics in those will be exactly the same: just a fully charged ceramic8 magnet. You don't really start getting into de-gaussing or calibrating magnets until you go high end like he Duncan Custom shop.

If you want a little different, you could try a thick ceramic, like what is in a Duncan Distortion. You will get a bit more juice and a bigger low end push. Or....Alnico 8 in an HFS might be cool. Retain the output but with a smoother top end and broader mids.