# Do magnets harm guitar pickups?



## Gootar (Jul 18, 2009)

I know that guitar pickups are magnetized, and I know that magnets can adversely affect magnetized items like credit cards, so if a guitar comes into contact with a magnet will the pickups become inoperable? If it happpened how would you fix it? Would the pickups ever be the same? (Just wondering)
Thank you


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

some people lean their guitars against their amps...right next to the large speaker magnet...this causes the pickups to immediately de-gauss...

read about it here...

Lollar Pickups Blog


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

check out fraser's post here for fun with magnets...

http://www.guitarscanada.com/guitar-tech-section/32282-reversing-pickups-polarity-fun-magnets.html


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

It is possible if you place your guitar at the back of the speaker cab in the right spot. Not much danger at the front of the cab. I'd say you have more of a chance of the guitar falling over.

Alnico is easy to degauss but I wouldn't worry about it in regular day to day use. Just don't go waving magnets around your pickups. Alnico is easily magnetized back to full strength. Ceramic is very resistant to degaussing.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

*E-bows too?*

I use an ebow, which I assume is some sort of electro-magnet. I heard one person say once (years ago, and only one person once) that with use it will demagnetize my pickups. In some cases, depending on what sound you are generating, you hold the ebow right over the pickup.

I've used an ebow for 30 years (not continuously, but regularly, if you know what I mean......) with the same guitar over top of the same pickup and haven't heard anything different. But it could be slowly happening over a large span of time.

Anyone else ever heard if an e-bow can demagnitize a pickup? And if so, how am I going to play "This Flight Tonight" and "Love Hurts"????? Do I need 'sacrificial pickups'?


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

I would say it's not a large enough magnetic field.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

I've been recording with an Ebow for about a year with several guitars... nothing noticeable here. I agree that it's probably too small a field it creates.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

the ebow is a very weak magnetic field...read the info/myths/concerns here...(although they do state that it's alien technology)...

http://www.ebow.com/faq.php


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

jimihendrix said:


> the ebow is a very weak magnetic field...read the info/myths/concerns here...(although they do state that it's alien technology)...
> 
> The Amazing EBow :: FAQ


_Can the eBow help me meets girls?_ If the EBow is Scarlett Johansson approved, I'll buy a EBow right now!!!!!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The E-Bow also operates by rapidly alternating the magnetic field; that's how it gets strings to vibrate. If it was strong enough and sustained the polarity long enough within each cycle to suck a string towards it, I'd worry. But as far as I know, it does not do that.

Is there a theoretical possibility that a magnet brought near a pickup would "disturb" its existing properties? Yes, I've reversed and corrected the polarityof some of my Alnico pickups with a neodymium. But the magnet would need to be a) strong enough, b) close enough, and c) be applied in a fashion that was contrary to the polarity of the existing magnet. LOTS of things are "magnetized", like the screwdrivers you probably use to adjust polepiece or pickup height. But they aren't strong enough to counteract the strength of the polepieces themselves.

Of course, the telltale sign would be the tone of the pickup tself. If it starts to sound weak or otherwise "off", perhaps it could be some sort of cumulative or sudden demagnetization, or a reversal of polarity resulting in cancellation when 2 or more pickups are on.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Considering it is only used for a few songs an evening, and only for a minute (at most) in each of these songs, I thought the risk was minimal.

The problem is that the damage would be gradual and over such a long period of time that it would be nearly unnoticeable. What should a 30 year old Gibson T-top sound like and do mine sound any different? 




jimihendrix said:


> the ebow is a very weak magnetic field...read the info/myths/concerns here...(although they do state that it's alien technology)...
> 
> The Amazing EBow :: FAQ


Thanks, jimi. Interesting site that I've never stumbled on before.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Ti-Ron said:


> _Can the eBow help me meets girls?_ If the EBow is Scarlett Johansson approved, I'll buy a EBow right now!!!!!


From years of personal experience, I can honestly say: "No." 

But it pulls the dweebie techie guitar players out of the crowd pretty effectively, if that's what you're looking for.


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