Inspired by the character of some of the great mid 1950s Strat pickups, the Alnico IV set takes a slightly different route to the more familiar Alnico V Strat formula.
At the heart of the set are Alnico IV rod magnets. Sitting tonally between the softer character of Alnico II and the brighter, more assertive response of Alnico V, Alnico IV gives these pickups a balanced voice, with a clear and open through the top end, an even midrange and a tight bass response.
The neck and bridge are wound with vintage-style Formvar wire, while the middle uses plain enamel, introducing a subtle change and response as you move through the switch positions. The middle pickup is also reverse wound/reverse polarity for hum cancelling in positions 2 and 4.
Output is deliberately kept in vintage territory at approximately 6–6.2kΩ, allowing plenty of dynamics, clarity and touch sensitivity rather than simply chasing a higher resistance figure.
The neck and middle measure approximately 2.0H, keeping them open, articulate and responsive. The bridge is voiced slightly differently at approximately 2.2H and is fitted with a cold rolled steel baseplate. The baseplate subtly reshapes the magnetic circuit, adding a little more body, midrange presence and authority to the bridge position without turning it into an overwound or overly compressed pickup.
The result is a set that retains everything we love about a great vintage Strat; clarity, dynamics, sparkle and those unmistakable hollow 2 and 4 positions — but with a bridge pickup that has a little more substance when you dig in.
Specs
Bridge
Alnico IV rod magnets
Formvar wire
Approx. 6.2kΩ
Approx. 2.2H
Cold-rolled steel baseplate
Middle
Alnico IV rod magnets
Plain enamel wire
Approx. 6kΩ
Approx. 2.0H
RWRP for hum-cancelling positions 2 & 4
Neck
Alnico IV rod magnets
Formvar wire
Approx. 6kΩ
Approx. 2.0H
Inspired by the character of some of the great mid 1950s Strat pickups, the Alnico IV set takes a slightly different route to the more familiar Alnico V Strat formula.
At the heart of the set are Alnico IV rod magnets. Sitting tonally between the softer character of Alnico II and the brighter, more assertive response of Alnico V, Alnico IV gives these pickups a balanced voice, with a clear and open through the top end, an even midrange and a tight bass response.
The neck and bridge are wound with vintage-style Formvar wire, while the middle uses plain enamel, introducing a subtle change and response as you move through the switch positions. The middle pickup is also reverse wound/reverse polarity for hum cancelling in positions 2 and 4.
Output is deliberately kept in vintage territory at approximately 6–6.2kΩ, allowing plenty of dynamics, clarity and touch sensitivity rather than simply chasing a higher resistance figure.
The neck and middle measure approximately 2.0H, keeping them open, articulate and responsive. The bridge is voiced slightly differently at approximately 2.2H and is fitted with a cold rolled steel baseplate. The baseplate subtly reshapes the magnetic circuit, adding a little more body, midrange presence and authority to the bridge position without turning it into an overwound or overly compressed pickup.
The result is a set that retains everything we love about a great vintage Strat; clarity, dynamics, sparkle and those unmistakable hollow 2 and 4 positions — but with a bridge pickup that has a little more substance when you dig in.
Specs
Bridge
Alnico IV rod magnets
Formvar wire
Approx. 6.2kΩ
Approx. 2.2H
Cold-rolled steel baseplate
Middle
Alnico IV rod magnets
Plain enamel wire
Approx. 6kΩ
Approx. 2.0H
RWRP for hum-cancelling positions 2 & 4
Neck
Alnico IV rod magnets
Formvar wire
Approx. 6kΩ
Approx. 2.0H
