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1954 Strat Pickups: Alnico III vs. Alnico V Magnets (Fralin Real '54's & Oil City Origin '54s)

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Welcome to Perky's Analog Gear Demos. Please subscribe for more demos of vintage & rare effects pedals!
Today, I wanted to take a look at 1954-style Strat Pickups. When the first Strat was made in April '54 it shipped with single coil pickups that had an Alnico III magnet at their core. But, after just a few months of production, they switched to using Alnico V. So - what difference did this have?
I won't be demoing positions 2 & 4 in this video as the Oil City's don't have a RWRP middle pickup - but the Fralin's do. So, the split positions would sound vasty different regardless of the differences in magnet type.
What do you think? Which are your favourite? And why? Comment below!
Guitar recorded through a Dr Z DB4 (1970s MD441), a Hughes & Kettner Puretone Combo (Aston Spirit) and a Cornell Romany Plus (sE RNR1 Ribbon)
joeperkinsmusic
jp@joeperkins.co.uk
Vector images by freepik.com

Опубликовано:

26 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 65

@rorysstuff5129 2 года назад

I like the alnico 3 so much in strats. That's what they had when old school surf music was at it's best. If you like surf, country, western and that kinda stuff with a bunch of spring reverb you will love alnico 3 singles.

@Rich915 4 дня назад

At 77 yrs , my ears are liking the snap of the A3’s more. I’m also a big Fralin fan, I can’t & won’t complain about Lindy’s Vint Hots w/ A5 mags either. He does not make a bad pickup imo 🎶🎵

@josephwidner8173 2 года назад

Best pickup review I've ever seen. I wish all pup comparisons were done this way. Thanks for the effort. Very effective. I liked the Fralins.

@JoePerkinsMusic 2 года назад

Thanks Joseph :-) Glad you liked it!

@wolfmanmark6773 3 года назад

best pickup review I've ever seen

@bobwasmycat Год назад

I have Fender PV 65's in one strat(A5/enamel), Collins Five9's in one(A5/poly), G.M. Smooth Velvet in another(A2/poly), and my favorite set of all time is a tapped set I wound myself(A3/formvar, 5.1k-7.2k). They schwang like no other I've tried.

@AsphyxGr 4 года назад

Nice comparison. Though the final effect on sound also depends on the internal wire, number of twists and size of magnet, Alnico III's in general do not scoop the lower-mids and mids-mids like A5 do in general. I can hear it in your video and also I have conducted numerous tests myself over the latest 10 years to support that statement. A3 are my best sounding pickups (have tested different combinations of A2,A3,A5,A8, Ceramics). With the right configuration eg an oversized magnet they have the potential to be more focused and tight than others, they respect the dynamics, have more pronounced harmonics than ceramics and can provide excellent punch despite being lower output. I can play from blues to death metal with the right A3 and retain pure organic sound in all cases.

@benjohnson4810 5 лет назад

Great comparison, as usual. You are the best. Very cool playing at the end of the video.

@JoePerkinsMusic 5 лет назад

Thanks Ben :-) Much appreciated!!

@joebubbit 2 года назад

I couldn't hear any noticeable dif, but I'm 65 and Zeppelin and Stones concerts blew my ears out. I do like '54 pickups best of all the strat pups made (Don Mares).

@dancotterman1267 6 месяцев назад

Thanks much for the demo! I’m considering a a3 bridge with a reverse slant, like yours as a right hand strung lefty. Think Hendrix, but it’s a right handed pick guard made with reverse slant. Then, hybrid mid and neck, a3 top three and a5 bottom three. Staggered so the A3’s are closer to the strings. I appreciate your review and your honest opinion, thanks again! Rick on!

@gertzpalma 9 месяцев назад

THANKS, JOE! ... ALINCO 3

@j.rozman7016 5 лет назад

In my Fender CS Post modern strat are Ancho Poblano PUs with A3 in the neck&middle and A5 in the bridge. Perfect!!

@JoePerkinsMusic 5 лет назад

That sounds like an ace combo! :-)

@CarlyonProduction 2 года назад

Its amazing how much more harmonic content you can hear in the fralins (particularly when you are playing sweeter open chords) That is the strat sound I love. Now to decide whether to get a3 pickups from fender custom shop, montys, Lollar, or fralin. I have some fralin P90s in my SG special, always thought they were the sweetest and prettiest p90s I ever heard.

@stringtheoryx 5 месяцев назад

Nice demo! FYI: The 'notch' positions 2 and 4 would work the same for both. Main difference would be the slight amount of hum for the Oil Cities. The Fralins reverse the magnet polarity and _also_ the coil direction, so signal phase remains the same.

@chrisn3586 5 лет назад

The differences are subtle, but the III’s definitely sound more balanced. If you’re going for the mid-50s sound it’s a critical element that even Fender finally came around to embracing again.

@JoePerkinsMusic 5 лет назад

Couldn't agree more :-)

@joeytruelove Год назад

Curiously, though, to my understanding they still don't offer anything mid 1950s style with A3.

@HiHello-ku1fl 2 года назад

I prefer the alnico 3's. They sound sweet.

@alnico6075 3 года назад

They are both great sounding sets but, I agree with Joe completely, the alnico 3 pickups have more dynamics and have more "interesting tonal characteristics, which is consistent with "lower output" pickups sounding "sweeter" - a principle that seems to have been completely lost with most major manufacturers for many years. You don't need high out put pickups to drive amps, that is the job of amplifiers, overdrive devices , and pre-amps in the sound chain. It has been many years since I have picked up a new Gibson guitar that sounded any good "clean", and yet my original '61series 1 LP fretless wonder "custom" with 3 x PAF's sounded great clean, and so did my original '54 Les Paul with 2 x Alnico 3 P-90's.There seems to have been an "obsession" with high output pickups - but hey, not everyone is using high gain amps, and lower output pickups can still do "filth" just fine . Nice demo, thanks Joe.

@hardrockindaddy 5 лет назад

great video, great playing too

@JoePerkinsMusic 5 лет назад

Thanks Jerry :-)

@papawx3 2 года назад

Treble is more pronounced on the Fives, tad brighter, less mids and bass. More of what we are used to hearing and associating with the Strat sound. HOWEVER.... I do like the warmer, smoother tone of the threes, and the more pronounced mids. I think these would be great for playing the blues!

@kamilkashaf2766 4 года назад

I preferred Alnico III in the Bridge and middle, Alnico V in the Neck.

@PhilHeesen 5 лет назад

I prefer the Fralin’s. But I’m pretty biased, I have Lindy’s pickups in several of my guitars and live in the same town as his shop.

@JoePerkinsMusic 5 лет назад

They really are special :-)

@steveturner6770 5 лет назад

first comment? i prefer the 3's . much sweeter to my cloth ears.

@harrywallington185 5 лет назад

Definitely...

@taojones4941 3 года назад

Excellent

@neilrobinson7615 3 года назад

Very subtle differences IMHO, a few tweaks on the amp and guitar tone knobs would get you pretty close either way. I don't think it's worth the trouble to change an A5 to A3.

@JoePerkinsMusic 3 года назад

Agreed!

@sempercompellis 4 года назад

loving chime in all things fender- i much prefer the 5's -and i know how great fralin pups are, so it makes it even more of a point for me- 5s all the way- more scoop!!!

@markflemmer1326 4 года назад

Not a cut & dry decision for me. For Strats I'm basically an A5 guy, but maybe....clean settings: A5 neck and middle, A3 bridge. Dirty: A3 neck, A5 middle and bridge. For my Tele, though--A3 in both positions (Don Mare Donocaster bridge and '53 style neck).

@scottbagley9329 4 года назад

I prefer the 5 in the bridge and the 3 in the middle and neck.

@j.rozman7016 4 года назад

Thats what Ancho Poblano PUs in my CS Fender have. Great combination!!

@martinskanal 4 года назад

Nice demo! Both sound good, but honestly - based on the recording - they are remarkably similar in their tone print. I hear only very slight differences between the two when arranged side by side like this, but if you took down this video, waited a week, installed only one of the two sets and uploaded a video, my guess is people would have a v e r y hard time deciding which set they were listening to. My favs are the hotter Fralin Woodstock 69's and I'd take them over any of the two mentioned

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

The differences are definitely subtle!

@gutbucket260 4 года назад

I like the 3's when the strat is played by itself but wonder if they wouldn't be lost in a band mix?

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

I wouldn't say so personally - I think if anything the little extra brightness would make them poke out a little more. I've never found any problems with III or V when mixing them into a band - they're very very close.

@gutbucket260 4 года назад

@@JoePerkinsMusic I'm getting a set of 3's for my strat next week. I play thru a 5E3 tweed and I think they should be a good match with that amp

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

100%. My Tweed Champ-style amp is my favourite for this guitar :-) Instant Joe Walsh!!

@alal-nu2jy 2 года назад

Hello, thanks for your video very clear, have you ever tested alnico 2 magnets ? Bye, peace

@bryanhatch6688 4 года назад

Difference is miniscule enough to debate price points.

@jade5773 4 года назад

Couldn't agree more. listening on studio monitors and Monitoring headphones. difference is negligible.

@jeffd8597 3 года назад

I like the IIIs a bit more but agree with you especially with this type of music essentially the same sound.

@dspreis 4 года назад

liked the 3s better.

@justinpaquette224 3 года назад

Do you have a video on the difference in sound of positions 2 and 4 strat, or neck + bridge of a tele, with rwrp vs non rvrp?

@JoePerkinsMusic 3 года назад

I don't sadly...I'd love to look into RWRP vs. not at some point though!

@commandhtf 5 лет назад

The Fralins are ever slightly more balanced. Not too bright.

@TheChadPad 3 года назад

There is a lot of misinformation online. From what I saw in forums, it seemed to me that the consensus was that they did indeed only use alnico 3 in 1954, but I didn't know that it was only for a few months. I would love to know where you found your info, whether it be from a forum post or whatnot. I love doing my homework! Cheers

@JoePerkinsMusic 3 года назад

I think it's just _fairly_ common knowledge amongst Fender enthusiasts - I don't tend to trust forums for historical information too much, but expert pickup winders all seem to say A3's were used for a few months in 1954, before they switched to A5 as they felt the originals were a bit plinky in comparison to the P90 Les Pauls that were out at the same time.

@GraniteSoundtrack 4 года назад

I like how you say Fralin. Hehe

@19tunku 3 года назад

Which one (3s or 5s) will be better for playing Hank Mervin' type of clean songs?

@JoePerkinsMusic 3 года назад

I'd say the 3's for the slightly more glassy high end - but just my opinion; both would work well :-)

@levijessegonzalez3629 4 года назад

*on neck position* the 3s sound more farty on low strings. The 5s are tighter and punchier yeah? That's the only advantage. maybe a neck pickup with a V on the low E and A strings and everything else A3! Thoughts?

@colaboytje 4 года назад

I will be installing A3 pickups in my strat on monday. Ox4 1962 pickups. I'm curious to see how they compare to the Fender pickups I've tried.

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

Ooh nice, I'm hoping to buy a set of OX4 P90 pickups soon :-) Let me know how they are!!

@colaboytje 4 года назад

@@JoePerkinsMusic I don't know how I'll be able to compare them as I'm getting strat single coils. But I'll let you know how they sound.

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

@@colaboytje Was just meaning vs. your Fenders :-)

@colaboytje 4 года назад

@@JoePerkinsMusic As promised: I received the Ox4 strat 1962 pickups and installed them in my 1959 Fender Custom Shop. The Ox4 pickups have a flat staggering while vintage Fender pickups have a vintage staggering, so that is already a big difference. The output of the pickups is really low (which corresponds with the A3 magnets), lower than Fender low output pickups you can buy today (which are all A5 magnets except for the neck pickup in the Eric Johnson pickup set) if I'm not mistaken. They sound really well balanced. They are very clear and don't have that spikey high treble you can have with Fender pickups. Bass is less pronounced. The mids are well defined. They have a more squishy feeling imo. They also remain very defined with overdrive. Because the middle pickup is not RWRP, they have a very nice Mark Knopfler clarity with a bit of quack in the 2 and 4 positions. I like them very much. But I'm not sure if it's for every strat player. You really need to like low output and lower bass respons. I do need to mention that I have tested them with my Two-Rock amps. I prefer them over the Fender Custom Shop Josefina handwired fat 50's pickups that came in the strat I put them in. In the future I will buy 1965 Fender pickups for another strat of mine. Or maybe another brand, but definately 1965.

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

@@colaboytje Ah legend - thanks for letting me know :-) I do generally prefer lower output pickups with good definition so maybe the OX4 P90s are what I'm after for my ES-330 to make it a little less woolly :-) Cheers mate - really glad you like them!