Alnico - brand or just a material?

[Immortal]

We are having a hude conflict about alnico. I'm saying that alnico is just a material, used to built pickups, the others say that alnico is a brand of pickups, running by Yamaha.

Help me, it's a $50 bet! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

It's just a material from a mixture of metals. Al = aluminum, ni = nickle, co = cobalt. There's also different kinds of alnico magnets, such as Alnico II (2), or Alnico V (5). Alnico II is usually a little warmer sounding with less gain. Alnico V has a little more gain and is brighter.

There's typically two kinds of magnets used in a pickup... either ceramic or alnico. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Immortal]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

[img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

The fifty is mine! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

Go you! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Immortal]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

Just one more thing (yeah, Columbo), which one is better? I mean, which one is more praised by the guitarist legacy around the world? Alnico or ceramic?

[toejam]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

Well, one isn't necessarily better, but ceramic typically tends to be stronger and a little brighter. Read the comments from Joe Barden in this article. http://www.joebarden.com/reviews-2.htm

[Immortal]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

Originally posted by toejam:
Well, one isn't necessarily better, but ceramic typically tends to be stronger and a little brighter. Read the comments from Joe Barden in this article. http://www.joebarden.com/reviews-2.htm

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey, thanks. You deserved yourself a Bud. When I drop by NJ, I'll look up for you! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

Cool. No problem! [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[fuel0707]

Re: Alnico - brand or just a material?

As an aside, cobalt is a pricey metal. It tends to drive up the cost of an alnico pickup. That tends to be why ceramic pickups are usually a little cheaper.