JoeC
Member
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2019
- Messages
- 92
I was just doing some magnet research. original PAF used Alnico 2 or 4 more Frequently and less often A3. Within an A2 for example there are different qualities, hence Gibson not able recreate the exact same magnet. Besides quality there is a charge. PAFs were not fully charged magnets. Since A3 is weaker than A2 (go figure) a full charged A3 gets the original PAF sounds as compared to a partially charged A2. In my opinion, also take the difference in winding on the original PAF (tension and trurns) and it would be impossible to recreate the original. Did some PAF magnets have difference charges? Probably. So an Alnico 3 at full charge is the most consistent to an original PAF, and recreating the exact formula of a magnet of the original PAF, spending a lot of money on it in the process, still will not get you there.As an interesting (to me) aside, I was watching you tube yesterday and a video popped up about PAFs and magnets. (tracking cookies know what I have typed and they send us content about that). There was a guy comparing real PAFs with new ones and swapping magnets. He reported that he thought the new vs old magnets were fairly similar but that the old ones sounded "1%" better (his words). It is my belief that if old magnets are 1% better, and hot hide glue is .5% (made that up), and a Brazilian board is 1% better (referencing discussion above), and caps are 4%......pretty soon you have a guitar that is 20-30% better and THAT is the "secret sauce". Not one detail as many of us are seeking.
Here is the video as a citation for what I am saying. I have no affiliation with this person and am neither endorsing nor debunking what he is saying. Just an FYI