RCA5 in Lower DCR Pickup?

[PDC]

Has anyone swapped out the more typical Polished A2 / Polished A5 in a lower output Humbucker with a Rough Cast A5? If so - what were your thoughts? I know at some point I just have to pull the pickup out from the guitar in question and do the magnet swap. But if anyone has some info as to what I might expect, that would help.

I have swapped an RCA5 in a 14k Duncan Custom wind with good results. I have also read good things about the RCA5 in the JB wind. Over time, I have really gravitated toward the lower output pickups in my collection. I really dig the Whole Lotta Humbucker, Pasadena White, and '78. But I have a guitar that leans on the 'bright' side of the tonal spectrum and I am wondering if a Rough A5 would soften some of the top end in these lower output pickups.

 

[harddriver]

I have not done that swap but I think your line of thinking is correct for what you want and what to expect. The only swap I've every done was an NOS early 1980's Duncan RCCeramic to and A-8 and I found I liked the RCceramic more. I don' t know how or why a RCA5 would have those effects but according to Seymour it does. I still prefer the WLH with that A-5 to my Steckel Candy with the A4. Here is how Seymour describes the WLH with the characteristics attributed to the rough cast A5 versus polished.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/singl...z48psv7vsOl33vEFlMA14L62YPgCzbSprbHkkCOjWVUK2

"The recipe for this pickup set begins with a rough cast alnico 5 magnet, plain enamel wire, and Seymour’s unique winding pattern. The bridge is a vintage-hot 8.78k DC resistance and the neck is similarly beefy at 8.20k. The rough cast magnets add warmth and balance so everything sounds bigger."

 

[lespaul6]

subscribed... I have a set of alnico 3 custombuckers coming that I plan on swapping with an alnico 2 and a rc5 to see which one I like better.. sometimes adding more mids with the 2 attenuates the highs more so than a 5 which can be scooped city.

 

[PDC]

"The recipe for this pickup set begins with a rough cast alnico 5 magnet,

I had never read this - that makes perfect sense. I have a couple of WLHs in different guitars and they do not have the same 'bite' as the '78 which is a smooth A2. Hmmm... I think I'm going to just take the plunge and try an RCA5 in my '78. If I don't dig it I can always swap it back.

Great catch on the WLH being a rough cast 5 to begin with!

 

[harddriver]

I had never read this - that makes perfect sense. I have a couple of WLHs in different guitars and they do not have the same 'bite' as the '78 which is a smooth A2. Hmmm... I think I'm going to just take the plunge and try an RCA5 in my '78. If I don't dig it I can always swap it back.

Great catch on the WLH being a rough cast 5 to begin with!

You would think the A-2 would have less bite but that is not the case in my experience, I find the A-2 in the 78 model offsets the Floyd increase in brittleness compared to a standard Fender trem just enough and yet is still aggressive enough for me. I guess there is a reason Seymour is still the pickup guru after all these years.

I find my Steckel Candy to be just a bit underwound for my tastes and application even though MJ did overwind it to 7.8K per my request. I wonder what a 8.8-9K A4 Steckel Candy would sound like??????? All in all my WLH still sounds great and different to a polished A-5 and is a nice option to my 78 model that's in a different guitar.

Do they use roughcast A-5 magnets in JB pickups? Probably the early ones is my guess???