SH-2n Magnet Swap

[RipShredScream]

Ok, well I've been looking for a replacement for my SH-2n, but saw a couple other threads and thought it might be cheaper (and more fun!) to try a magnet swap instead.

What I would like is a bit more mids out of the pup, and a bit less treble, as well as a bit more output if possible. I'm using it in an ebony-fretboard guitar, so perhaps it wasn't the best choice, but its not that I don't like the tone. Its that I have an SH-12b in the guitar as well, and the two are just too similar.

So, the SH-2n has an A5 magnet, in which direction should I go? as far as tonal, it seems I might wanna go towards A4/A3, but as far as output, should I be going "higher"? What about an A8? Anyone ever tried this?

Also, dose the SH-2 share a coil configuration with any other Duncan pup?

Thanks, any help appreciated, as always.

[RipShredScream]

actually, i'm not too worried about the output, scratch that, I kinda like the moderate output pup, high gain amp sound.

But, I wouldn't mind getting a bit more.

[uOpt]

I think the Jazz and APH coils are the same (maybe I misremember), so you would get an APH when putting in an A2 magnet.

So far I didn't like A4, and A3 sounds somewhat like A5 to me except less of it.

[RipShredScream]

I think the Jazz and APH coils are the same (maybe I misremember)

I think you just used a bushism. lol.

I'm guessing from the lack of responses not many people have tried this?

[uOpt]

Actually now I remember that somebody tried and the Jazz and APH do not end up the same with the same magnet.

I can't tell all these PAF coils from each other...

Anyhow, I really like how the APH sounds and I guess it might do what you want, in particular with the ebony board.

[RipShredScream]

Perhaps, although I don't think i'll go in the APH direction, it just sounds too muddy and undefined to me. I was originally thinking of going Pearly Gates before I thought of a magnet swap, but we shall see.

In particular, I'm pretty interested in an A8 swap, I heard it will add a bit of mids?

[blueman335]

What I would like is a bit more mids out of the pup, and a bit less treble, as well as a bit more output if possible. I'm using it in an ebony-fretboard guitar, so perhaps it wasn't the best choice, but its not that I don't like the tone. Its that I have an SH-2b in the guitar as well, and the two are just too similar.

So, the SH-2n has an A5 magnet, in which direction should I go? as far as tonal, it seems I might wanna go towards A4/A3, but as far as output, should I be going "higher"? What about an A8? Anyone ever tried this?

I do a lot of magnet swaps. For me, the SH-2N is fine with an A5, but for more warmth, an A4 would be my first choice. It has a balanced EQ (equal treble, mid, and bass), unlike an A5 which has scooped mids and is the brightest alnico.

If you want to make it a bit warmer, than an A3 would be next. It has more mids than an A4, but more treble than an A2. If you want warmer still, an A2 is all mids with little treble or bass. To me, that's pretty muffled & dark in that position, but other guys like A2's in the neck, so it's a matter of taste, and of course matching it to your wood's inherent tone.

You could put a different magnet in the bridge PU, as with the neck PU made warmer, the bridge may seem pretty bright in comparison. Like an A3 or A2 in the bridge, and an A4 in the neck, or vice versa. Magnets give you a lot of options to get your ideal tone. Get a variety of magnets & dial in each PU to what you want. This as an inexpensive and easy way to improve your tone, without buying half a dozen other PU's.

[Jocelyn]

Putting an Alnico2 magnet would take it closer to the alnico2 pro IMO. The man himself says so.:-
http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Lifest...%20Duncan%20o/

What pickups were they modeled after?
The pickup was basically modeled after the classic Gibson P.A.F. humbucker. But the voicing is a little more modern and smooth thanks to the winding specifications and the alnico II magnet. In the early ’70s, I worked with Jeff Beck to come up with the JB and Jazz Model humbuckers. The APH is similar in many ways to the Jazz Model humbuckers, but obviously, using an alnico II magnet.

[RipShredScream]

Anyone have any experience with either A8 or A4 in a jazz?

Or is the jazz rarely touched as far as magnets go?

[DesertRat]

I put an A2 in my jazz which made it sound alot less "spiky" in the upper mids and warmed it up in the lower mids. I like it better now but Pearly Gates-neck still beats it in my opinion.

[Shane28462]

Putting an Alnico2 magnet would take it closer to the alnico2 pro IMO. The man himself says so.:-
http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Lifest...%20Duncan%20o/

What pickups were they modeled after?
The pickup was basically modeled after the classic Gibson P.A.F. humbucker. But the voicing is a little more modern and smooth thanks to the winding specifications and the alnico II magnet. In the early ’70s, I worked with Jeff Beck to come up with the JB and Jazz Model humbuckers. The APH is similar in many ways to the Jazz Model humbuckers, but obviously, using an alnico II magnet.

Thanks for posting that!

[uOpt]

On the other hand, we had forum members stuff A2 into a Jazz and say it doesn't sound anywhere close to the APH.

[hanumanlangur]

I've been in Japan, so I haven't been checking this forum as often. I've done magnet swapping with the Jazz, with A2 and A4 magnets.

I think the A2 was the better switch by far, and I would recommend it strongly. While the A4 sounded flat and thin, A2 sounded deeper, warmer, and had that beautiful A2 note bloom. In conjunction with Zhangliqun's degaussing method, you should be able to adjust the EQ very easily if you need to (from what I remember, it had a pretty good balance, though).

Actually, I think I will be switching one of my Jazz necks over to A2 in the not-so-distant future....