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Why the change to Alnico on SR5s?

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shakinbacon

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My understanding is the basses started with Alnico magnets in the pickups, then went to Ceramic and this year are going back to Ceramic. Can someone explain why this was done? (I suspect the obvious "because of the tone", but I'd prefer more detail :) )

My prediction is the confusion in the bass community will be great from this point forward... (pulls out crystal ball)...

Bassplayer1: "2008 SR5s sound great cause they're Alnico pickups. Sell your old SR5 and get a new one"
Bassplayer2: "pre 2008 SR5s have a certain magic with the Ceramics that the Alnicos can't match"

I can just hear the arguments starting...
 
timmy5strings

timmy5strings

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I think they want to keep the both 4 & 5 StingRays alnico and both Sterlings 4 & 5ceramic, to clear up confusion. I'm just happy that I'll have an instant classic ! I really like the sounds I'm getting from ceramic right now, but that could change. I'm still waiting to hear when the alnico SR5's are shipping. Yes everyone is going to have opinions, but thats what keeps it interesting.
 
Duarte

Duarte

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Plus, now the SR5 is more like an SR4. I guess a preamp change happened too, to give more of a ray tone?
 
Musicman Nut

Musicman Nut

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Alnico Pickups

Well my take would be this,
Both Ceramic and Alnico have a Place in the Bass world, but too some like as in us older guys we believe Alnico is much warmer then Ceramic. But in the beginning I think it was more difficult to get a Alnico 100% hum free in all positions, as I spent years trying to perfect it also, Now with the Expert knowledge of Dudley,Sterling and everyone else who was involved, they have now Mastered that system so why not offer it as well as their doing.

It's just not a Pickup, It's the whole combination Pickup/Preamp working together, and Now they have nailed it.
Again Hat's off to the Ernie Ball World, It never ends with them.
 
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shakinbacon

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Musicman Nut said:
Well my take would be this,
Both Ceramic and Alnico have a Place in the Bass world, but too some like as in us older guys we believe Alnico is much warmer then Ceramic. But in the beginning I think it was more difficult to get a Alnico 100% hum free in all positions, as I spent years trying to perfect it also, Now with the Expert knowledge of Dudley,Sterling and everyone else who was involved, they have now Mastered that system so why not offer it as well as their doing.

It's just not a Pickup, It's the whole combination Pickup/Preamp working together, and Now they have nailed it.
Again Hat's off to the Ernie Ball World, It never ends with them.
Click to expand...

Not sure what the magnet material has to do with hum free operation. But, I still hold to my prediction that mass confusion over pickup/preamps will abound with the change to Alnico magnets. If it is universally accepted (yeah right) that the Alnico magnet system sounds better than so be it, but I think it will just cause confusion and division. This is why I'm curious for the reason behind the change.
 
RobertB

RobertB

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shakinbacon said:
Not sure what the magnet material has to do with hum free operation. But, I still hold to my prediction that mass confusion over pickup/preamps will abound with the change to Alnico magnets. If it is universally accepted (yeah right) that the Alnico magnet system sounds better than so be it, but I think it will just cause confusion and division. This is why I'm curious for the reason behind the change.
Click to expand...

After switching SR5's back to Alnico, the picture is now this:

Stingray 4's and 5's are equipped with Alnico magnets
Sterling 4's and 5's are equipped with Ceramic magnets

What could be simpler/less confusing? I would think that what was more potentially "confusing" was having to remember that SR4's had Alnico, but SR5's had Ceramic. But now things are much more consistent, and I can't speak for BP as for whether or not that consistency was among the reasons for the switch in SR5's, but I can say that it certainly makes sense from my perpsective. Sure, what you're pointing out is that those who care to do so can keep it mind that for a specific period of time, SR5's had ceramic. But that's easy enough, isn't it?

"Mass confusion"? Come on ... don't you think you're being a wee bit dramatic?
 
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shakinbacon

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RobertB said:
After switching SR5's back to Alnico, the picture is now this:

Stingray 4's and 5's are equipped with Alnico magnets
Sterling 4's and 5's are equipped with Ceramic magnets

What could be simpler/less confusing? I would think that what was more potentially "confusing" was having to remember that SR4's had Alnico, but SR5's had Ceramic. But now things are much more consistent, and I can't speak for BP as for whether or not that consistency was among the reasons for the switch in SR5's, but I can say that it certainly makes sense from my perpsective. Sure, what you're pointing out is that those who care to do so can keep it mind that for a specific period of time, SR5's had ceramic. But that's easy enough, isn't it?

"Mass confusion"? Come on ... don't you think you're being a wee bit dramatic?
Click to expand...

ok, maybe I'm being dramatic (there was sarcasm in there, but it got lost in the message)

I can see now that the change makes sense... SR = Alnico, Sterling = Ceramic

As far as confusion, what I'm referring to is the inevitable "which pickups are in my bass and which sounds best?" questions.
 
S

shakinbacon

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mynan said:
Did you read any of the responses?:confused:
Click to expand...

Yes I did. Apart from the quess that consistency in the line (SR=Alnico, Sterling=Ceramic), I have yet to see a definitive reason why the change was made. Although BP did chime in with "mass confusion" which may have been the reason :)

If I missed something, (which is possible) let me know.
 
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