Toasters and Magnet Length
Moderator: jingle_jangle
Toasters and Magnet Length
Sergio: Some toasters seem to have shorter magnets than others. Do you know during what period these were produced? It is helpful as it allows for adding a middle pickup without routing. Have you noticed whether these shorter magnets produce a sound that is different from the longer type?
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If I had to take a wild guess I'd say toaster pickups with the short magnets were produced until the early '70s. As for their sound, all else (= coil characteristics) being equal the difference can only be their lower output.
A Rickenbacker bass is much like the Jaguar E car - perennially ultra-fashionable.
A very nice comparison. Jeff, if these are yours can you comment on any difference in KOhm rating between the two?
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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they are both about 7.4k ... all of the toasters that I have tested were 6.9 to 7.9 range ... I have heard about 11k ohm toasters ... but I have never owned one ... the shorter magnets were a little weaker than the longer ones ... also old pickups degauss slightly ... so the old toaster was slightly weaker than a new toaster ... a little smoother sounding as well ... but almost identical to the new ones ...
Toaster pickups with the pole length that Jeff has labeled as 'modern' were around in the early sixties for sure, maybe earlier..but how far back I can't say. You'll find them in just about all of the hollow-body Rickenbackers, sometimes in both the bridge and neck positions. Long-pole toasters are usually found in the bridge position on most of the 60's twelve-strings I've handled.
Here's a pic from another Forum thread of an early toaster on Larry Wassgren's '58 325, no poles showing and a solid aluminum back...
Here's a pic from another Forum thread of an early toaster on Larry Wassgren's '58 325, no poles showing and a solid aluminum back...
A couple of 50's toasters here...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22670&item=170016876316
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22670&item=170016876316
- soundmasterg
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I wonder what the differences are between the short and long pole toasters as far as inductance and AC resistance are concerned? Those specs would give more of an indication into the sound differences and overall strength of the pickups than the DC resistance reading would. It requires an Extech 380193 meter or equivilant to check it though. I have one of these meters if someone wanted to send me an example of each pickup to test? To be most accurate, the DC resistance of the two pickups would have to be rather close to each other.
To rekindle this thread: whatever the virtues of 'short' magnet toaster pickups, it is a fact that they're not that hot. An ideal way to make them hotter is by means of a suitably-sized (roughly 2 1/3 x 1/4 x 1/4") bar magnet fitted to the bottom of the bobbin and spanning all six slugs thereon. A useful, totally reversible mod.
A Rickenbacker bass is much like the Jaguar E car - perennially ultra-fashionable.