1957 vs 1959 PAF or Alnico II vs Alnico V Humbucker Pickups

[@chazzer56]

This one of the best, if not the best video of this kind, that I've seen on KZbin. I learned some important stuff, got a very clear impression of the sound and was entertained. No complaints about your playing either.

[@richards5387]

With all due respect to the many great educators, engineers, and players that I have been blessed to have worked with over the years: 1) I have experienced many teachers that might have struggled to present this material as well as Vaughn Skow. 2) I have known many degreed engineers who could not have constructed a test as robustly as this video. 3) I would take Vaughn Skow to a gig or studio session in a heartbeat. Though Vaughn may not be a Paganini on guitar, he plays well rhythmically and makes good structural choices that emphasize the intended purpose of the video. He is not a prima donna. We would not have to spend a day or a week in rehearsal to prepare for a gig or studio session. I would have no qualms with hitting a gig or studio session cold with Vaughn. Thanks for the good video.

[@markn4526]

Very interesting video. My impressions: A2 - meatier, thicker, slightly darker and more aggressive A5 - more nasal-sounding, brighter, more jangly. I think I would prefer an A2 for the bridge position and an A5 for the neck position. By the way...you play just fine!

[@maekong2010]

There are things about my neck pickup that I don't want to lose. If I can get an alnico 5 magnet, I will swap out the Alnico 2 and may have (basically, using your idea) resolved my pickup quest. I was all-in on Seth Lover, except for the "if it works, don't fix it" principle. I think boosting the mids on the neck might push my otherwise more-than-satisfactory pickup scheme over the top. I'm in SE Asia, so not sure how easy/difficult acquiring the correct. already charged magnet is going to be. I have a guitar being refretted w/steel. When it's ready for retrieval, I'll ask my guy about them.

[@markn4526]

@@maekong2010 FYI, Throbak offers a variety of charged magnets. Also keep in mind that the magnet type is just one variable that influences a pickup's tone/output, but it's a good starting point.

[@maekong2010]

@@markn4526 Thanks, Mark. The difference l am looking for is not really so much about tone. Hell, what l am looking for is often not detectable to me. It is more about changing the balance and possibly gaining additional traction during coil-splits at the neck. The bridge is fine - but I’m not averse to playing with that either. I am actually chasing more vibrant cleans in the neck and middle positions.

[@markn4526]

@@maekong2010 Something you might want to consider is reversing the neck pickup commonly referred to as the Peter Green mod. It maintains the qualities of the bridge pickup, but changes the neck and especially the middle positions. There are plenty of demos of this on KZbin and would suggest listening to some of them before undertaking that mod to see if you'd like it.

[@maekong2010]

@@markn4526 I have a phase shift already. I’m a huge fan of having as many configurations/variants available at the guitar as possible. Are there advantages to your suggestion that are above and beyond what l already have? I will read your response in the morning. It is well past bedtime here. I do appreciate your help. Thank you.

[@IgnisIban]

Alnico 2 are mid focused, less hi end sparkle, less extended bottom, smoother attack, creamier gnarlier saturation, Alnico V is chimier, brighter with extended low and high and sharper attacks and cleaner more defined sound, I like the Alnico 2 for classic leads with British amps like a marshall, vox or oranges and tweeds, basically for vintage gain and the Alnico 5 works well for cleans like blackfaces and modern high gain like mesa and engl and so on, great comparison and educational video, tech parameters well explain

[@charleshoernemann8661]

Best explanation about pickups (not only PAFs) on the internet so far! Thanks Vaughn! Very insightful video!

[@VaughnSkow]

Thanks for the kudos ... and you're welcome :-)

[@zAvAvAz]

Can you give millivolts output on those tested iSo happy you put inductance on there great thank you. Thank you so much for your information and know how.

[@skoorb1]

This may be the first demonstration video I've ever watched that was plainly informative from beginning to end. Even your sound examples were very distinct. Thanks!

[@maekong2010]

I just got every remaining question I had concerning my pup considerations answered. I can't thank you enough for your diligence. New subscriber and the bell has been rung.

[@charlie-obrien]

Nearly 33,000 views, but only 4.7 thousand subs is criminal. Your videos are always informative, entertaining and done with expertise and good humour. Thanks for the PAF info and the great demo.

[@SejaSuaEssencia]

12:03 - A2 12:19 - A5 15:27 - A2 15:48 - A5 16:12 - A2 16:28 - A5

[@analogblues9606]

I watched tons of videos to try to answer all my questions on this subject. Vaughn, you got a thumbs up from me (Liked). You did an amazing job! All my questions answered without even asking!!! Thank you!!! BTW, you do an amazing job with the Warehouse speaker videos too that I've seen over the years!!!!

[@rpfujwara]

Great video but it’s Henrys not Hernys and it’s a unit for inductance not induction, which is the unit of measurement that describes an inductor’s ability to store an electromagnetic charge thereby resisting a change in current flow, as apposed to capacitor which apposes a change in voltage

[@larrybethune3909]

Thanks Ryan.

[@MarkMerrick]

Great and thorough explanation and the sound demos really helped me understand the difference.

[@alexpurcell2012]

Really good video. I’ve just learned more about pickups in 20 minutes, than I have in 30 years playing with them 😁👍

[@gib412]

A good in-depth discussion on magnetic properties and pickup anatomy in general. In this particular comparison I prefer the A2 magnet as it seems to give a bit more "muscle' to the tone as well as kind of rounding off the edges of the highs so to speak...to my ears anyway.

[@Guitarslinger72001]

Don't sell yourself too short Re: your playing. You have a nice solid right hand that sounds really good and is great for hearing the tonal differences of the pickups (which is something lacking in a lot of players I see on the 'Tube demoing gear - they don't whack it like it needs to be whacked!)

[@BillyE5150]

Great video! I am so glad I found your channel. I’m pretty deep into learning about all this stuff. They both sound so great, sir… you are making FINE PICKUPS!!! I would be happy to have any of them. Thanks!

[@toneseeker87]

I love the work and effort you put here.. Very informative! Thanks.

[@Alexanderstarreveldo]

Much prefer the Alnico 2’s especially into a really clean amp like a Fender.

[@johnvalencia9927]

Yeah i can't believe how much better the 2's sound. Makes me hate alnico V, seems too harsh and just flat out ugly by comparison.

[@JWCFB]

I agree but I'm a little torn because I'm 60 years old and I'm losing my hearing from years of loud music and they say the high frequencies are the first thing to go and from what I'm experiencing I believe it.

[@888jimm]

@@JWCFB - Thats what I tell my wife.... :)

[@JWCFB]

@@888jimm 🤣

[@mikepj1025]

I put A2 in the bridge and A5 in the neck on my guitar and found it to be A perfect combo. This video helped me out with that decision. Thanks

[@gregoryallen6376]

I really appreciated you hard work in our behalf. Awesome Demo! I play 335s and sometimes need really good jazz tones. As such I prefer Alnico 2 in the neck and Alnico 5 bridge. Now I know why. Thank you again.

[@johnszetela1358]

Great video Vaughn, thanks for all of the useful info! I love this stuff. My Vaughn Skow pickups are still kicking ass! Keep up the amazing work Vaughn.

[@gerardoromano3436]

Man, this vido has invaluable information, this guy knows what he´s talking about

[@alexkazhdan]

Excellent comparison that clearly shows the difference between the two magnets.

[@stewartcohen7683]

I think this is fascinating. Thank you so much. Having virtually identical pups with different magnets....wow. No favorite here for me, but I imagine the choice of guitar can make either sound more or less perfect, in a 335, 355, LP, SG, etc. Different woods, tops, fretboards. One technical query though is that if the gauss is in fact different, I would imagine the sweet spot for pickup height might change a bit, and that might also alter the final tonal output at the sweet spot. I have some Alnico 5 pickups, and have found the sweet spot is somewhere between 1 and 1.5 mm lower than with 2's, and your analysis helps me understand why.

[@StephenCameron]

Henries, not Hernies. It's named after Joseph Henry.

[@douglasmayhall8279]

vaughn.. i first stumbled on to you several years ago when you were demoing the bugera 22 and the blackhawk in your foyer.. looks like you have become a music industry unto yourself.. i listened intently back then, and am still listening intently now.. your love of all things tone came through back then, and is being amplified today through your wares.. congrats on the businesses bro.. you are one very cool cat

[@Muzerino434]

What a great video! I’m only just starting to get into swapping pickups and such, and this video just explained so much so easily! Thanks.

[@paulkielt9301]

Great and complete review. People that talk about resistance don't even know what it is. Inductance and capacitance are also factors that need to be considered.

[@CRUNCHCOLE]

I like the ll especially in the bridge position. I want to commend you on the guitar being in tune unlike most demo videos

[@npet6842]

Truly brilliant effort undertaken here . Well done indeed !

[@alexstrums]

Replaced the BB’s in my Les Paul for another set of A2’s. Vast improvement overall in the bridge but the neck went from super bright to rather dark and compressed. Next stop is to try an A5 in the neck. This might solve my issue. Thanks for the awesome video

[@randyschock7374]

Thank you for a thorough explanation. I've been in the dark for awhile. Great video. Also I saw all your equipment in the back and that kinda made me subscribe....

[@tomdrouhard3781]

Also thanks for the info on the magnets and how to change them and the polarity.

[@stephengray670]

Very seldom do I leave comments but Vaughn you knocked this one out of the park. I got a lot of great info out of this video!!! Thanks

[@fredchatham6680]

Thanks for an honest comparison, and most of all the idea to cut pickup pocket thru to back for easier pickup install and test. (APPLAUSE, STANDING OVATION).

[@VaughnSkow]

Blushing ... you are most welcome! :-)

[@KozmykJ]

Most informative. Thank you for making the effort.

[@Joseph-so6td]

Very helpful demo! Thank you V.S. I personally prefer the alnico 2's, especially for the cleaner tones. But, with distortion, I hear a bit more clarity with the alnico 5s.

[@SamJosephMedia]

Really great video! I’m thinking of A5 bridge and A2 neck for a vintage sounding LP? Your thoughts please?

[@BenMcLoughlinMusic]

"Alnico 5: brighter on the top, scooped in the lower mids". Thanks for the info! Just got a "korina wood" Agile ALD-3010SE with the Alnico 5's, and having read that Slash used Seymour Duncan Alnico 2's, was trying to decide what was the difference and if I should switch out...since I'm usually cutting the EQ mid's in the mixes to make room for vocals, having Alnico 5's that already do that will make things smoother.

[@robertbaldwin177]

Great content and information, thanks for sharing, and your guitar playing is far better than mine! Just ordered some Alnico 2 PAF drop ins to replace my stock humbuckers, looking forward to hearing the differences.

[@NozmoKing]

Excellent video. Most of what you covered was new information for me.

[@JWCFB]

I loved this video, it was very educational and I appreciate the time you put into it.

[@markgrimm3564]

wow thanks so much for sharing your knowledge can ya share where we can purchase a gouse meter like your using

[@wesleymorris1]

I honestly prefer alnico 3, with the right wind its just amazing. Its finding that right wind that takes me many sets of pickups for a specific guitar. I wound 5 sets last time to find the wind that sounded good to me. A 3 gives you the variance also.

[@sakitakungtyan]

I have 50’s A3 magnet. What do you think would be the sweet spot DCR for an A3 mag?

[@wesleymorris1]

@@sakitakungtyan 7.5 to 8 for alnico 3 works great,

[@markn4526]

I just revisited your video because it's such an excellent reference source and I have a question. I was wondering what would happen by throwing an alnico 3 into the comparison. All else being equal, how would the inductance be effected compared to the alnico 2 and alnico 5 magnets? Using Gibson pickups as an example, the '57 Classic pickup which uses alnico 2 and the CustomBucker pickup which uses alnico 3 sound so much different from each other both in output and tone. I'm also wondering why Gibson wouldn't use alnico 5 in the CustomBuckers.

[@Nicklowend]

The difference between A2 and A5 is way noticeable... I am impressed !

[@alfredozamora6077]

Great video! Thanks a lot! Very good explanation of the differences between alnico II and V. And the easy way of changing bars... Awsome!

[@gustavoloebel]

Amazing explanation and comparison! Thanks to this master of pickups! I've decided my main doubt here, Alnico II on my ES335!!

[@davidbakerscuba]

Very cool Vaughn, thanks. I preferred the 5’s. They had a bit more bite and clarity to my ears.

[@lousimpson3070]

2's clean 5's dirty for me

[@robn.7426]

Same. 2's sweetened up the clean but muddied the dirty. 5's opened up the dirty but sounded anemic clean - relatively speaking.

[@qua7771]

@@robn.7426 Agree. A 2, sweet with a lot of mids, a bit nasal like a horn, when clean. Overpowering mids when dirty. A 5, Flatter response, a little bright with some grit. livens up with OD.

[@KyleSG88]

Alot of 59s had A4 mags as well the best of both worlds :)

[@adamwatson6916]

I thought paf outputs varied widely which means that not all had the same amount of turns. I also thought that not all 57 pads had A2 and not all 59 pafs had at A5. The latter ones from 60 and 61 mostly has A5 but again not always .

[@wallbanger3918]

Great explanation on the detailed difference

[@doubled5383]

Love this kind of discussion. It’s technical but explained in English. Very well done. What about different magnets in P90s. I have only played A-V P90s. Curious what you would say about A-II P90s.

[@joaopedrostrabelli5533]

The magic sound combination: neck Alnico II PAF & bridge Alnico V bridge. No other sounds like that.

[@gregdunn6040]

Try an A4 as well, I like those a lot too.

[@markclark4795]

thanks for the tutorial. I am going through a couple of LP's and wanted some vintage tone. thanks doc.

[@BrooksShepherd]

Very appreciative! Lots of good info, thanks a million!

[@tomdrouhard3781]

I like the sound of the alnico II pickups

[@patchesthejaybird8431]

Much of this video contains info I already knew, but the lesson on inductance was illuminating. I realize indicators are low pass filters, I've used them in speaker crossovers for that purpose, but somehow hadn't made the connection with pickups and the frequencies they tend to emphasise. Hey I enjoy speakers, amp building and pickup winding myself. If you lived nearby I'd say we should have a guitar jam session. I could probably learn amp riffs and chords from you. Keep up the good work.

[@VaughnSkow]

In the Nashville area? Sure :-)

[@patchesthejaybird8431]

@@VaughnSkow LOL, I live in the Alaska area. Long winters and all got me into fooling around on guitar, which over the years has led me to build pedals, amps, pickups, and to put together Franken guitars etc. Anyway, I've enjoyed many of your videos. I used to watch your WGS speaker demos. I never bought WGS since shipping them to where I live cost as much as the speaker, but they sound good.

[@svajesz]

Thanks man!!! Awesome video! That was i need it. I got the answers to my questions, so now i know i was right. Take care bud! God bless you! 🤘

[@rtogcastle2305]

Hi there, thanks for such of great video. Very informative and awesome way to explain truly appreciated, keep up the good work! Cheers from the west coast👍🏻

[@stewarttomkinson3356]

I got a pair of 59 Alnico two pack ups that I love today. I got a pair of vintage Alnico two , and they’re real high output. and I got a pair of Seymour Duncan green magic Alnico twos in the middle position they’re kinda harsh.

[@tfrost33elkhunter]

Awesome video! Thank you... SO... would it stand to reason that an Alnico 4 be slightly less bright than the Alnico 5? Or does it not work this way? Thank you again for the fantastic video!

[@darnright]

Learned a lot and truly enjoyed your video. Then I subscribed. Thank you for a great video!!

[@gerardoromano3436]

This shows that nice pickups in a crappy guitar sound crappy, It´s very a very educative video. it clearly shows that IF your guitar doesn´t sound wright for you don´t rush to order new pickups that cost as much as the guitar itself, check with some guitar tech if your guitar (wood, hardware) is any good for better pickups or you may waste a lot of money , perform a good setup including pickup distance from the bottom of the strings, (I know this is a test guitar for quick pickup swap so no offence to the creator of this video). Nice demo thank you

[@davidbuzzin426]

👍🇺🇸❤A2's (clean & dirty) & A5's (dirty)......are both my faves above the rest .

[@WelderRiffer]

Very useful and interesting video, thank you for sharing this !

[@dirktucker77]

Those Alnico 2's sounded great.

[@srinip]

First of all, nothing wrong with your playing. More importantly, I can definitely hear the difference, more so on the clean channel. The IIs are distinctly rounder and warmer. Even the OD channel is not that hard to tell, but the difference is a lot more obvious in the clean channel. The IIs are my definite favorite. I have another question that you may have addressed in a different video. Does the baseplate material (metal vs fiber) affect the tone significantly, and what about the depth/shallowness of the bobbins? Thanks for the video - love it.

[@VaughnSkow]

Attention Trolls! Yep, I sometimes misspeak say "Hernies" when I mean "Henrys" and so on ... After you have pointed these things out, GET A LIFE :-)

[@Fox-86]

😂😂

[@RickDeNatale]

I thought that the mispronunciation was endearing.

[@VaughnSkow]

@George Robartes Ha! LOVE this :-)

[@rokinrandy]

Finger pointers with no videos.

[@ronboff3461]

excellent work sir..imo

[@charlesadams9929]

Great video and info! Thank you so much! Now I know the real difference! Amazing what a magnet change can do!

[@VaughnSkow]

You're welcome, thanks for the love! :-)

[@AtlanticPetrochemicals]

Vielen Dank ! Das beste Video !!!

[@sevennotes8940]

What is the difference between your 59 PAF and your 59/60 pup? I'm seriously thinking about trying a set of your two connector wiring(metal sheath and center hot). Thanks.

[@wannapg3750]

Good stuff! I DID learn something. Both the sound samples and the explanation gave me the whole picture. Thank you Vaughn. I also subscribed.

[@VaughnSkow]

Awesome, thanks!!

[@AndyPanda9]

really interesting video! How does Ceramic magnet affect the induction compared to Alnico 2 and 5?

[@rowlandstraylight]

A ceramic magnet doesn't contribute to induction, it may as well not be there for induction purposes, so you have a lower inductance and brighter sound. However on a single coil if you replace alnico rods with iron rods the inductance goes way up, cutoff frequency proportionally drops and you have a very dark pickup and the effect is much more pronounced.

[@VaughnSkow]

@@rowlandstraylight Yep! :-)

[@davemarshall9153]

I slightly prefer the Alnico II. Makes sense, because I have Vaughn Skow Custom wound Alnico II pickups in my main guitar! 🤙

[@VaughnSkow]

If I could only have ONE ... it would be AII for me as well :-)

[@marcelpacheco7878]

Nicely done. Luv the two's!

[@VanjaSpirin]

I like A2 magnet in a bridge position, because it is less nasal. But question is: PRS has A2 pickups, very expensive, boutique, with a lower amount of turns, so bridge pickup is 7.2k. Is this somehow better, and, if yes, why? Are underwound pickups less dark sounding, more focused and single coil like or what? Mr. PRS says that the best humbuckers sound like a single coils.

[@YoureNowOnTV]

Very much appreciated. Thank you sir 😁👍

[@lone-wolf-1]

Great explanation!👍🏼 (hate to be that guy, but it‘s Henrys, not Hernies)😌

[@Sams911]

what are your thoughts on the new Gibson 59 Series I Alnico 4 limited edition pickups? $1000 for a pair... I hear they sound spot on.

[@TriGrutt]

Man, just… Thank You! Really!

[@gregdunn6040]

I drift on magnet preferences, sometimes I really dig the A2 for certain things, other times I'll use an A4 or A5, on a rare occasion I have an A3 that gets used. I wind mine with the Gibson mentality, whatever color bobbins I have handy, and whatever magnet I grab out of the box. The winding stays pretty much the same, a little under or a little over depending on my mood, lol. Good info, some of us guitar geeks get way into the minutae of vintage stuff.

[@hobiecat901]

I really like the 2's, 1957, WHERE and when can I get a set of them??? i am building a Tele now for Humbuckers. I will soon be needing the Humbuckers.

[@norbertexp]

No tocas tan mal, hasta diría que lo haces bastante bien. Eso si, sigues hablando mucho.... Gracias por la comparativa, fue interesante.

[@dominikpohli2381]

whatsthe difrence between your 59 and the seymour duncan sh1 59

[@sylvainbiensur7370]

Very good video thank for all the infos

[@steveg219]

I am amazed at how different they, completely different sounds, way more than I expected. The 57 style seem to sound better for this particular guitar and amp

[@daveyboy8907]

Thanks for the video..Do you still make and sell these? I am thinking about adding a set to my favorite guitar.

[@chocolatecookie8571]

Now I know why Alnico 5 pickups sounds so trebly and penetrating bright. I hate it. Thanks for this great video.

[@jimnewearthblues1672]

Awesome comparison and info, thanks!👍🏼

[@DenisAhmet]

II’s for cleans V’s dirty. I have II’s in three different guitars and there is a subtle difference. I play clean most of the time, blues and Jazz. With a bit of presence and treble you can get close to the V’s playing dirty tones. Thanks for the demo.

[@richwallace6854]

Great job, very educational!

[@ivanhuanca9082]

Really liked this A/B comparison vid and ofcourse all the theory behind ... You only missed 2 things.. Not complaining but 1- Mixing A2/A5 or viceversa 2- out of serie one of those combination. I know it takes a lot of time doing these.. I apreciate your time on this

[@johnmerrill4717]

Appreciate it my friend.

[@wildbill2122]

COOL Video Bro ! I've been using a '57 Classic (A2 Magnet) in the Bridge Position and a '61R (A5 Magnet) in the neck position on my #2 SG Standard and its the best pickup combination I've come up with.....BUT, I only use GIBSON USA pickup's. I figure, If GIBSON invented the P-90 FFS.....they know what they are doing....... and there is no need to use after-market pickup's at all.

[@willdenham]

Wow, quite a difference. I like the 2's. Just my luck, the guitar that arrived yesterday has 5's in it.

[@johnnygoodwill407]

The p90s were wound on the same machines as the pafs and they sound great.

[@Mr.Steve-O]

Great explanation, thanks for putting this video together and sharing your knowledge, thx