Alnico II vs Alnico V - Which holds up better? (High Gain tone)

[danjovi]

Which one would hold up better under high gain (amps like Splawn, Mesa Recto, 5150, Mesa Mark Series)?

 

saying both pick-ups are Quality pu's.

 

Alnico II(8.5k) lower out put

 

or

 

Alnico V(15.7k) higher output

[eor]

eor likes alnico 2 because it's "wrong" for high gain, but it affords you some versatility, if you switch between both channels a lot.

 

love,

eor

[danjovi]

Eor talks in third person so he rules : )

 

What if I don't switch channels much (use very little of clean channel) ?

 

I'm actually using a really nice low out put pick up right now(High Order) .

 

I also have a higher output Seymour Duncan PATB pick-up which I like.

 

Unfortunatly i don't know how to wire pick-ups back n forth so I can get a good sound test going.

 

Is the Alnico V going to be a little more clear (compressed?) sounding than the Alnico II?

 

It's for a Gibson LP just incase.

[danjovi]

Bump? : )

[aerorockjax]

An example of each in hard rock would be

Alnico II: SD Alnico Pro II: Slash

Alnico V: SD JB: Jerry Cantrell

[danjovi]

thanks for the example of comparison

 

 

can anybody else help on this topic?

[Giga]

 

Originally posted by danjovi Eor talks in third person so he rules : ) What if I don't switch channels much (use very little of clean channel) ? I'm actually using a really nice low out put pick up right now(High Order) . I also have a higher output Seymour Duncan PATB pick-up which I like. Unfortunatly i don't know how to wire pick-ups back n forth so I can get a good sound test going. Is the Alnico V going to be a little more clear (compressed?) sounding than the Alnico II? It's for a Gibson LP just incase.

 

 

Shoot Jeff @ Highorder an e-mail; he'll educate you

 

Giga.

[unichord]

Alnico is just one component of many that can affect the tone. Number of winds and wire type probably have more effect. And - in a Les Paul - the pots and caps make a big difference too.

 

The difference between II and V is "strength" of the magnet.

 

Usually the II's are in lower output pickups. I like em in LP's - but I'm looking for more of a "PAF" tonality - harmonic extension and double tone.

 

Higher output pickups will hit your preamp stage harder - was probably more important in the days prior to cascading preamps (late 60's through 70's) Was thought to give more sustain and gain. Today you just dial in gain with pedals or preamps.

 

Choose pickups for their sonic character.

 

If you're buying custom wound pickups - you might give Jim Rolph a call and describe the tone you're after. He can answer any questions you have - and steer you in the right direction. His pickups are some the best around ~ $140 each for humbuckers. Custom wound to your specs.

 

Duncan has some info on their site - also great products. A little cheaper.

 

And - search the threads at the Les Paul Forum for "Alnico"

 

Literally thousands of posts on the topic.

[FiletOfFish]

 

Originally posted by danjovi Which one would hold up better under high gain (amps like Splawn, Mesa Recto, 5150, Mesa Mark Series)? saying both pick-ups are Quality pu's. Alnico II(8.5k) lower out put or Alnico V(15.7k) higher output

 

 

Low output pickups let your amp do more of the work and have a smoother distorted tone, which I personally like a lot for leads, while a higher output magnet will be a little more grainy and a lot crunchier, with more of an agressive tonality and more overdrive. The alnico 2 vs. 5 is a seperate consideration, I find that Alnico 2s have aa smoother bass that can be a little muddy with the wrong guitar and amp combination(suchas a les paul with a custom custom(high output alnico 2) into a rectifier) and the 5 is a bit tighter in the bass and more agressive in the mids.

 

I'd say I prefer higher output alnico V pickups in the bridge and low output alnico 2s in the neck, but it takes some experimentation to find a set that balances.

[danjovi]

from looking at the Seymour Duncan comparison chart

 

it looks like the "custom custom" dc resistance is as high as their Alnico V pick-ups.

 

I also heard that giving Alnico II a high resistance will make it sound really muddy.

[Cibyl]

Alnico II pups are generally darker and not as high output. Alnico V's are brigher and hotter for the most part. Both work fine with high gain amps, just depends on what you're going for tone-wise.

 

Honestly, the only way to find out is to just start trying different pickups. Put them in the guitar(s) you like and play through your amp(s),...your ears are the best judge. Using the Seymour Duncan tone chart, reading reviews, etc is good as a guide but that's about it.

[FiletOfFish]

 

Originally posted by danjovi from looking at the Seymour Duncan comparison chart it looks like the "custom custom" dc resistance is as high as their Alnico V pick-ups. I also heard that giving Alnico II a high resistance will make it sound really muddy.

 

 

It can in the wrong guitar/amp combo. The Custom Custom sounds awesome in strat-type guitars but it'll get muddy with, say a LP into a darker amp.